Philly Front Office

With 3 days until the Winter Meetings, who is actually there to spend real money? The top free agents only have so many suiters due to Diamond Sports and the shitty state of MLB ownership. There simply are not that many teams with open wallets.

Phillies: It’s crazy to think they used to be considered cheap. They will run a payroll over $300m this year. Unfortunately, most of that is already accounted for. They do not technically have a budget, but expect them only spending between $30m and $50m depending on what they do with Bohm and Suarez. Dombrowski can always squeeze a little more money if he needs to.

Mets: No limit. Steve Cohen took a loss of $292m last year on this team. That amounts to about 1% of his net worth. They have about $170m less on their books today than they did 2 years ago. Truly no limit here.

Yankees: I know they just went to the World Series, but these are not the Yankees we grew up with. You can feel the Big George anger growing from beyond the grave as his son prepares to lose the Juan Soto sweepstakes. The Yankees are worth $7b and yet they are sticking to a budget. They have not led the league in payroll since 2013. About $80m came off the books this summer, but I doubt they put all of that back into the club.

Dodgers: They seem to be a business focused club that also cares about winning. They spend but never without a plan. They spent $300m+ AND still made a profit AND won the World Series. They are realistically only limited by roster spots and inventory.

Giants: The perennial bridesmaids of baseball are always willing to spend money, but no one wants to take it. Year over year they have about $60m burning a hole in their pocket with probably more stuffed in their sock if they need it. They also have a lot of roster spots to fill.

Blue Jays: This team could go either way. Their two best players are entering their final year of control. They could supplement that or sell them off. They were in on Ohtani until the end, so they are probably legitimately in on Soto. They are like the Braves in that they have corporate ownership, so they are probably rigid with finances even if the number is routinely high. It seems like they will break the bank for someone who is worth it, not just because they have space to fill.

Red Sox: For as much winning as this team did for 15 years, they should be ashamed of themselves for selling Mookie Betts. Just a horrendous bit of business that was. There are “rumors” out there that they are in on Soto, but there’s no way that’s happening. They were running payrolls about $40m higher a few years ago but seem content to be in the $180ms now. They have about $40m to spend or $80m+ if they weren’t a bunch of cheap d-holes. (Hell, I am fine with Boston not trying to win, but the Betts thing really was shameful.)

Who else? The Tigers ran high payrolls before their previous owner died. Maybe its low now because they were trying to reload or because the son is pinching his father’s pizza pennies. The Mariners? They really should spend more, but the Dipoto regime likes trades rather than free agency ($24m is the highest free agent contract given out under Jerry). I include them because they have a TON of pitching and not much hitting. You could see them maybe splurging for once even if it is not likely.

THAT’S IT. 7 teams are playing at or near the deep end of the pool with the rest of the teams playing grabass at the splash pad. Those are the only players. Now let’s see which players the players will play with? Already wrote it. Not sorry. Not changing it. Anyway…

Juan Soto: He is going to be a Met. The only way it doesn’t happen is if Scott Boras somehow pisses off Steve Cohen and he just pulls his offer. Otherwise, this is going to be Steve sticking it to the Yankees with the price be damned. He is looking at $50m+ per year for 12+ years. Crazy numbers that will turn Little Stein cold. The Yankees are going to get cucked.

Corbin Burnes: My gut tells me he will be a Met too, but this one is not as much of a sure thing. His $35m-ish price tag is something you can see SF trying to spend or Boston almost paying. The Yankees could get involved when they lose out on Soto, but they need offense and have already spent a lot on pitching. Yeah, he will be a Met.

Alex Bregman: What is his market exactly? He says he wants $300m, but that’s laughable. Predictions have him at $180m over 6 years. Who is paying that? The Phillies are possible if they trade Alec Bohm, but not at that price. He doesn’t have the benefit of the Mets and Yankees wanting him. Toronto is in that strange in between, but they do need a 3rd baseman. Seattle? They are more likely to trade for Bohm. I’d bet he stays in Houston.

Max Fried: It’s possible the Mets just keep spending, but Fried seems more likely to go to the Burnes runner-up. At around the Aaron Nola contract, he’s enough money for the Red Sox to claim they tried this off season without really trying.

Willy Adames: I can’t shake the idea of him playing 3rd for the Phillies after a few other dominos fall, but that isn’t likely. He probably has the biggest market out there due to his versatility, but that makes him tough to pin down. The Dodgers could throw money at him. Toronto is a possibility. If I had to guess, it will be the Giants after no one else takes their money.

Pete Alonso: Everyone’s least favorite player. He’s the kind of cornball that even the nerdiest dads want nothing to do with. I honestly don’t know what I would do if the Phillies signed him. Jonathan Papelbon is probably my least favorite Phillie of all time, but even he would be knocked down a peg. That all being said, they aren’t signing him. I’m just venting. He will probably resign with the Mets, but you could see the Yankees spitefully signing him when they lose out on Soto.

The rest of the teams will start joining the fray for the rest or if the markets above dry up. Teams like Minnesota and the Cubs love the one-year pillow contract that gives them a bargain or a trade chip with low risk. Only a few more days until we start finding out.