https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/01/each-teams-local-broadcasting-arrangement.html https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeoz...-12-despite-regional-tv-woes/?sh=5a034b4c6501 This was very interesting to me. Insane how much more TV $ the Yankees and Dodgers are getting above everyone else. From TV revenue alone, those 2 teams can easily afford to pay 2-3 more superstars than even the next tier of teams down from them, and can afford 3-5 more star players than teams like the Astros. Most teams fall in the $45-112M/yr range, with only the Brewers making less and the Phillies, Yankees, and Dodgers making more. I am pretty thankful that Crane has been willing to consistently field a top 10 payroll.
It is remarkable to go back and look at the innings pitched by them. All 3 threw 80+. Something only 5 relievers did last season. Lidge/Dotel/Wagner was a great combination, but we undersell the guys that have been here in recent years. Will Harris was one of the best relievers we ever had. 2.36ERA across 297 innings. Pressly is 2.67 across 276.1 Innings. Abreu is 2.60 across 180.1 Innings. Mix in Neris last season, Stanek and Montero in 2022. It has actually been incredible.
Here's how it would work based on the cba... The tax is calculated based on endof season roster. By the trade dealine, most of Graveman's salary would be paid, but he would count the full 8 million for tax purposes on any team acquiring him. With Garcia and Mccullers due back, Urquidy and his 3.75 million becomes expendable for a team needing a middle of the rotation starter at reasonable money. He would also not be a rental. They could package Urquidy with Graveman, take a low level prospect back, and reduce their tax payroll by 11.75 million. Then, they would look at Montero. He would have 1+ year left on his deal for about 15 million cash. If he's solid and not a dumpster fire, they could move that if eating some of the cash. If they pay cash considerations of 3 million, then his salary for tax would be about a slight reduction for 2024 but fall off completely for 2025. Better option would be to include prospects as a sweetner. A bad team without a closer could rehab his value by making him closer and moving him at 2025 deadline not unlike the Marlins did with Yimi Garcia. With 2025 having Altuve and Bregman off the books and 2026 having Verlander, Abreu, and Pressly off the books; it becomes manageable if looking at a 4 or 5 year deal and not everyone coming back. Personally I would go 7 years for Bregman and Altuve with low money in last 2 years to average their salaries down for tax purposes... keeps their tax figures about where they are now...
I'd offer 4 years 90 million to Hader. He can claim highest paid annually and we get out a year early. Dual closer/setup depending on matchups and useage.
Exactly. This is why I think Hinch gets unnecessary flack on bullpen management in the playoffs. They were all ELITE... just not immortal.
A lot of teams are taking a hit. Astros should still fall in the middle of the pack but being $150M behind the Dodgers is crazy. It’s also notable that the Forbes 2022 viewership data shows only 4 teams drawing more viewers than the Astros: the Yankees, Dodgers, Mets, and Phillies. The TV deal is the one thing Crane and his ownership group and front office personnel have not been able to totally fixed. They were hamstrung by what they inherited and by the backdrop of the business model and MLB’s stupidity in that arena, but it’s cost them a bunch of potential money over the last 8 years.
Will Harris was definitely overused in the 2019 playoffs, but he was freaking Mariano Rivera that postseason. Much like the Pujols HR against Lidge, it is so unfair that Harris has to be stuck with that Rendon HR when we aren't sniffing the WS without him.
Are you sure that is how it works? It is based on end of season, but when teams transfer money as part of trades, it is added and subtracted for tax purposes so that the team paying the money gets hit with that tax.
In the first years of any business, it's very hard to expect a profit, or in this case, generate the same revenue or income that you would expect in years 3-5+. There are expenses and changes that have an impact. I think big picture owning the network will be a big benefit and revenues should exceed previous ones and be in the top 10-15 of all teams. But it may be a bit lean for 2-3 seasons.
Live sports is still a lucrative investment for TV networks. Its even more beneficial for networks that show winning teams or teams that draw lots of viewers. The Yankees/Dodgers have benefitted for years while growing networks they own in population areas that will always be full of subscribers... to the point that both teams could probably be mediocre now and they're still going to get plenty of renewals and big carriers are never going to cut their networks off the plans for fear they'd lose subscribers. Once you're an "established brand"... you have a demand and a set base and you get to increase your rates every year (which is why those team's revenue continue to go up every year). The Astros now owning the network will eventually benefit them... but only if they continue to be good. They probably would have made a lot more over the golden era had they owned the network, but too late to go back down that road again. At least the network now has carriage agreements already in place. When those come up for renewal, and the rates go up either due to inflation reasons, demand reasons, or general market forces... the Astros will eventually make more than their $75 million rights fees they were getting from At&T, but it will take at least 1-2 years along with new advertising rates and possibly attracting new carriers that didn't show AT&T.
Spring training roster is out. No real surprises on invitees, but there were a couple of guys not on the list that I thought would be in OF Justin Dirden, RHP Brailyn Marquez, and RHP Jairo Solis. Several guys who are still in the system who were invited last season weren’t included this year: OF Ross Adolph, P Austin Hansen, P Jayden Murray, and P Jimmy Endersby. I am mildly surprised AA pitchers Julio Robaina, Jaime Melendez, Ryan Gusto, Blair Henley, Aaron Brown, and Adrian Chaidez were not included.
Marquez, to me, is the biggest surprise. I guess Dirden is a surprise and shows how far his poor season set him back. Maybe with Brown's preference for high ceiling guys he just has been given up on. Many not the others like Endersby and Murray have simply been passed by. For RP it's important to note that there are more needs and openings than anytime in recent memory and only so many innings to go around. Giving 10 innings each to 10 candidates is better than giving 5 innings each to 20 candidates.
HAHA just read that the White Sox OUTBID the Astros for Maldy. $4 mil 2024 and vested for 2025 if plays 90 games. LOLOLOLOL
Playoff bullpen could be ridiculous: Hader, Pressly, Abreu, Montero, McCullers, Whitley, one breakout AAA guy like Coleman, and one extra SP like France.
