Post by Moorestown Big Dogs on Feb 7, 2023 11:51:18 GMT -5
I have frequently noted that our salary structure is problematic, as too few very good to excellent players make it on to the Free Agent market each year. And some good changes were made several years ago to try to rectify that situation. Those changes have started to make a small difference, as 1st, 2nd and 3rd round prospects called up now are more expensive when they start their careers, but it will take several more years before the second re-sign cost of 225% has an impact. And I think we may need to think about how mid-season acquisitions through Free Agency (though not with everyone having the need for players or full Cap availability to pursue them) are handled when re-signing, or possibly making mid-season signings all just for that year.
But I digress.
I have tabulated the cost tiers of players for each season from 2015 to 2022 (leaving out 2020 as we did not play). These are taken from the final sheets, so some players have been bought out and did not appear, but they give a good idea of where things have been.
Note: We have steadily had 350-400 players at $4.75 or less on our rosters since 2015.
Year $50+ $40s $30s $20s $15-19.75 $10-14.75 $5-9.75 Total $10+ Total $5+
2015 0 0 4 12 8 21 43 45 88
2016 0 2 3 18 10 16 36 49 85
2017 1 2 4 18 5 16 33 46 79
2018 2 3 4 7 3 11 38 30 68
2019 1 2 3 6 10 3 52 25 77
2021 0 2 3 2 9 10 55 26 81
2022 0 1 4 7 6 14 64 32 96
My best guess at what these trends are showing is that as the players who were in MLB when we had the original Free Agent Frenzy were still a significant portion of the league in 2015, so the prices were much more evenly spread out, with the top players going in the $30s (and I looked, they were studs like Harper and Trout). As we moved forward, there gradually was more money to spend for fewer studs, as those original players declined or retired and we brought more inexpensive prospects up, so the top prices increased (see the 2017-2019 period). The last two years we have had only 16 & 18 players with contracts for $15 or higher, not because we lacked the Cap, but because there were so few players worth bidding higher for.
But I digress.
I have tabulated the cost tiers of players for each season from 2015 to 2022 (leaving out 2020 as we did not play). These are taken from the final sheets, so some players have been bought out and did not appear, but they give a good idea of where things have been.
Note: We have steadily had 350-400 players at $4.75 or less on our rosters since 2015.
Year $50+ $40s $30s $20s $15-19.75 $10-14.75 $5-9.75 Total $10+ Total $5+
2015 0 0 4 12 8 21 43 45 88
2016 0 2 3 18 10 16 36 49 85
2017 1 2 4 18 5 16 33 46 79
2018 2 3 4 7 3 11 38 30 68
2019 1 2 3 6 10 3 52 25 77
2021 0 2 3 2 9 10 55 26 81
2022 0 1 4 7 6 14 64 32 96
My best guess at what these trends are showing is that as the players who were in MLB when we had the original Free Agent Frenzy were still a significant portion of the league in 2015, so the prices were much more evenly spread out, with the top players going in the $30s (and I looked, they were studs like Harper and Trout). As we moved forward, there gradually was more money to spend for fewer studs, as those original players declined or retired and we brought more inexpensive prospects up, so the top prices increased (see the 2017-2019 period). The last two years we have had only 16 & 18 players with contracts for $15 or higher, not because we lacked the Cap, but because there were so few players worth bidding higher for.
