Low Payroll Teams Threatening to Crash MLB Postseason Party
By Jason McIntyre
That low payroll trio is threatening to ruin Bud Selig’s master plan!
Remember when everyone thought adding an extra Wild Card team was going to enhance the postseason chances of big-spenders like Boston? In the first year of the extra Wild Card team, the opposite has happened.
The Orioles (payroll: $81 million, 12th lowest in baseball) are only two games back of the Yankees in the AL East, and a game and a half ahead of the Rays for the 2nd Wild Card spot. Owner of the top Wild Card spot? Oakland (payroll: $55 million, 2nd lowest in baseball), which is 5.5 games ahead of Anaheim (payroll: $154 million, 4th highest). Tampa Bay (payroll: $64 million, 6th lowest) is just 1.5 back of Baltimore for the other Wild Card spot.
Things aren’t as topsy-turvy in the NL. Pittsburgh (payroll: $63 million, 5th lowest) is 1.5 games back of St. Louis for the final Wild Card spot.