Correlating Wins and Payroll
How much money you put into a baseball team should affect how much production you get out of it. In the best case scenario you pay the minimum for every player on your team and your team goes 162-0, but the odds of that happening are astronomical. With teams such as the A’s and Rays boasting winning records most seasons while working with payrolls at or near the bottom in terms of cost, how exactly does one teams’ payroll correlate with their win-loss record. The first of the two lists below show how much each team paid for each win over the last five full seasons (2008-2012). The second chart shows how many wins each team won over the last five full seasons.
How much it cost per win (where teams rank on the wins list during the time):
- New York Yankees $2,122,158 (1)
- Boston Red Sox $1,720,150 (7)
- New York Mets $1,593,359 (20)
- Chicago Cubs $1,586,385 (21)
- Philadelphia Phillies $1,506,911 (2)
- Detroit Tigers $1,444,903 (12)
- Los Angeles Angles $1,396,949 (4)
- Seattle Mariners $1,389,951 (28)
- Chicago White Sox $1,313,652 (13)
- Los Angles Dodgers $1,201,222 (10)
- Houston Astros $1,197,666 (29)
- San Francisco Giants $1,139,858 (9)
- St. Louis Cardinals $1,127,947 (6)
- Minnesota Twins $1,071,889 (17)
- Baltimore Orioles $1,062,891 (26)
- Atlanta Braves $1,050,523 (8)
- Colorado Rockies $1,021,109 (22)
- Milwaukee Brewers $998,713 (11)
- Cleveland Indians $962,578 (25)
- Toronto Blue Jays $948,702 (16)
- Texas Rangers $908,791 (5)
- Cincinnati Reds $897,028 (14)
- Washington Nationals $878,715 (24)
- Kansas City Royals $852,748 (27)
- Arizona Diamondbacks $837,658 (18)
- Florida/Miami Marlins $737,979 (19)
- Pittsburgh Pirates $717,813 (30)
- Oakland A’s $702,571 (15)
- San Diego Padres $680,960 (23)
- Tampa Bay Rays $640,089 (3) Read the rest of this entry
How Good is Chris Davis?
Chris Davis has gotten off to a scorching start in 2013.
Amongst the biggest surprises from the first month of the 2013 season was Chris Davis’s absolute domination over opposing pitchers. Through May 1st, Davis is hitting .348/.442/.728 with a league leading 9 home runs and a 1.7 WAR. Obviously, Davis has been phenomenal, and there is no telling when he will slow down, but is this the real Chris Davis or is his performance a byproduct of a small sample size? And if the latter, exactly how good of a player is he?
To answer, the 2nd question, we’ll start by taking a look at how Davis was viewed as a prospect. Coming up through the Texas Rangers’ system, Davis was largely viewed as a potential middle of the order corner infielder. The power had always been there, and it was difficult for scouts not to be impressed by it. The defense (and strikeouts) was his main concern, as Davis was bound to end up at first base, despite a plus arm. Texas would try him at third and later in right field, but it proved to be too rigorous for the behemoth sized masher. Following 2007, a year in which he hit 36 home runs combined at High-A Bakersfield and Double-A Frisco, Baseball America rated Davis as the 2nd best prospect in the Rangers system (behind Elvis Andrus) and had this to say concerning his strengths and weaknesses: Read the rest of this entry
2013 Top 100 Prospects Wrap Up
So, it was a busy week here at InsidetheMLB as we release our 2013 top 100 prospect rankings! It was a long process putting the list together, as I started gathering information back in October. I started out with a list of 160+ players, dwindled it down to 120, and then cut it off at 110. From there, I reordered and adjusted many of the rankings, some of which I noted in the rankings’ commentary. All together, it was a long journey, but I’m really glad that I am finally able to share it with you all. Since it was a 6 part series, I’ve linked all the parts down below. Enjoy!
2013 Top 100 Prospects: 1-25
This is the final post in my 2013 top 100 prospects series. The prospects ranked 26-110 were released earlier this week.
Its time to release my 2nd annual top 100 prospect list. This list is my personal ranking and preference of the top 100 prospects in the game. I am always open to different opinions. I gather my information on each player from some combination of scouting reports, video, live games, and people in the industry. I am not a scout, nor do i claim to be one. All rankings are subject to change. Enjoy!
Guidelines:
- To qualify for this list, you must still have rookie eligibility. That means under 50 innings pitched for a pitcher and less than 130 at bats for a hitter. Players are also disqualified if they have spent over 45 days on the active roster of a major league team.
- International signees that are over 23 are not eligible. That means Hyun-Jin Ryu will not be on this list.
- Only players that have signed professional contracts as of 3/1/13 are eligible.
1. Jurickson Profar, SS Rangers
2012 Ranking: 4
Profar is basically the perfect shortstop prospect. He has a high floor and outstanding defensive chops. He combines that with batting title potential to go along with 20+ home run power, 30 stolen base speed, and plate discipline that could lead him to post OBP’s north of .400. Profar just turned 20, and has already reached the majors, so there is a high probability that he reaches his ceiling. Profar could be a 7 WAR player, and to put it simply: he’s really, really good.
2013 Top 100 Prospects: 26-50
This article is prospects 26-50 on my top 100 prospect list. The next 25 will appear in a subsequent post. Numbers 51-100 were released earlier this week.
Its time to release my 2nd annual top 100 prospect list. This list is my personal ranking and preference of the top 100 prospects in the game. I am always open to different opinions. I gather my information on each player from some combination of scouting reports, video, live games, and people in the industry. I am not a scout, nor do i claim to be one. All rankings are subject to change. Enjoy!
Guidelines:
- To qualify for this list, you must still have rookie eligibility. That means under 50 innings pitched for a pitcher and less than 130 at bats for a hitter. Players are also disqualified if they have spent over 45 days on the active roster of a major league team.
- International signees that are over 23 are not eligible. That means Hyun-Jin Ryu will not be on this list.
- Only players that have signed professional contracts as of 3/1/13 are eligible.
26. Kevin Gausman, RHP – Orioles
2012 Ranking: IE
My top rated pitcher coming into the 2012 draft, Gausman’s stock has actually increased quite a bit since then. He works with 3 potential plus or plus-plus pitches, as well as solid command. His overall profile is that of a very good number 2 starter, with a few ace seasons sprinkled in. He should see Baltimore this year. Read the rest of this entry
2013 Top 100 Prospects: 51-75
This article is prospects 51-75 on my top 100 prospect list. The next 50 will appear in 2 subsequent posts. Numbers 76-100 were released yesterday.
Its time to release my 2nd annual top 100 prospect list. This list is my personal ranking and preference of the top 100 prospects in the game. I am always open to different opinions. I gather my information on each player from some combination of scouting reports, video, live games, and people in the industry. I am not a scout, nor do I claim to be one. All rankings are subject to change. Enjoy!
Guidelines:
- To qualify for this list, you must still have rookie eligibility. That means under 50 innings pitched for a pitcher and less than 130 at bats for a hitter. Players are also disqualified if they have spent over 45 days on the active roster of a major league team.
- International signees that are over 23 are not eligible. That means Hyun-Jin Ryu will not be on this list.
- Only players that have signed professional contracts as of 3/1/13 are eligible.
51. Mason Williams, OF – Yankees
2012 Ranking: 62
A plus-plus runner, Williams could be elite in center field. His offensive abilities aren’t shabby either, as he could be the Yankees’ next leadoff man who hits for a decent average with plenty of steals.
2013 Top 100 Prospects: 76-100
This article is prospects 76-100 on my top 100 prospect list. The next 75 will appear in 3 subsequent posts.
Its time to release my 2nd annual top 100 prospect list. This list is my personal ranking and preference of the top 100 prospects in the game. I am always open to different opinions. I gather my information on each player from some combination of scouting reports, video, live games, and people in the industry. I am not a scout, nor do i claim to be one. All rankings are subject to change. Enjoy!
Guidelines:
- To qualify for this list, you must still have rookie eligibility. That means under 50 innings pitched for a pitcher and less than 130 at bats for a hitter. Players are also disqualified if they have spent over 45 days on the active roster of a major league team.
- International signees that are over 23 are not eligible. That means Hyun-Jin Ryu will not be on this list.
- Only players that have signed professional contracts as of 3/1/13 are eligible.
76. Roberto Osuna, RHP – Blue Jays
2012 Ranking: NR
I wrote extensively about my thoughts on Osuna back in January.
2013 Top 100 Prospects: The 10 Who Just Missed
Its time to release my 2nd annual top 100 prospect list. This list is my personal ranking and preference of the top 100 prospects in the game. I am always open to different opinions. I gather my information on each player from some combination of scouting reports, video, live games, and people in the industry. I am not a scout, nor do i claim to be one. All rankings are subject to change. Enjoy!
Note: Today’s piece is on the 10 prospects who just missed my top 100 in numerical order.
Guidelines:
- To qualify for this list, you must still have rookie eligibility. That means under 50 innings pitched for a pitcher and less than 130 at bats for a hitter. Players are also disqualified if they have spent over 45 days on the active roster of a major league team.
- International signees that are over 24 are not eligible. That means Hyun-Jin Ryu will not be on this list.
- Only players that have signed professional contracts as of 3/15/13 are eligible.
101. Hak Ju-Lee, SS – Rays
2012 Ranking: 30
Lee is a lock to stick at short in the majors, with 70 defense and plus-plus speed. He is probably going to be limited in his offensive abilities, likely hitting for a decent, yet empty, batting average with almost no power. He will add value through his ability to steal bases. Lee should reach the majors some time this season, with a chance to land the starting shortstop gig for Tampa by 2014.
If and When Catchers Should Move Out From Behind the Plate
Is a full-time move to first base inevitable for Joe Mauer?
Over the past few days I have been thinking about controversial issues in baseball and one that came to my mind was the prevailing theme to try to move injury prone or aging catchers out from behind the plate. No other position on the field takes a larger toll on your whole bodythan catching does. A catcher in professional baseball is responsible for quite a bit, including working with the entire pitching staff, calling all the pitches, as well as putting your body in harm’s way throughout the course of a 162 game season. When I think about this topic, three particular players pop into my mind: Joe Mauer, Buster Posey, and Mike Napoli. All three of these players have caught at least 74.8% of their games in the majors. All these players have had a .990 fielding percent or better behind the plate, while the same number or lower at any other position. This brings up the fact of why would a team want to move these players out from behind the plate? Read the rest of this entry
2013 Top 100 Prospects: Intro and Tidbits
Its time to release my 2nd annual top 100 prospect list. This list is my personal ranking and preference of the top 100 prospects in the game. I am always open to different opinions. I gather my information on each player from some combination of scouting reports, video, live games, and people in the industry. Over the course of the next week I will be releasing the list in 6 parts. Those 6 parts will be today’s article, 10 prospects who just missed the top 100, 100-75, 75-50, 50-25, and 25-1. Today’s piece involves no rankings, and is strictly some quick factoids and information. Below, I list my guidelines for the rankings which will be listed at the top of each piece in this series, the number of prospects who made my list by team, division, and league, as well as a list of 50 or so names who I considered for the top 100. My list of actual players I considered was around 160 names, with 100 making the top 100 (duh), 10 more making the just missed piece (double-duh), and the remainder being listed below. For the top 110 names, I will include commentary, but the names you will see below come in alphabetical order with no commentary. Enjoy! Read the rest of this entry
