Can $ Enhance Teams Chances In Post-Season?
Via the Boston Globe with a h/t to BBTF -
The random law of the postseason guides how [Red Sox G.M. Theo] Epstein and the Red Sox operate. In baseball, Epstein believes the consistent winner is better than the powerhouse.
The most dominant team in a generation, the 116-win 2001 Seattle Mariners, did not even reach the World Series. Reaching the playoffs once, no matter how dominant a team is, is like buying a lottery ticket. Reaching the playoffs often – like six times in seven years – is like being the house in blackjack. Eventually, over time, the odds dictate you’ll win.
“That’s why we have clearly defined objectives,’’ Epstein said. “In our mission statement, part of it is we want to operate with a long-term view to put ourselves in a position to win 95 games and get in the playoffs as often as we possibly can. Now we’ve done it six out of seven years. Part of the thinking is that if you make the postseason multiple times, you improve your chances of making the World Series. Theoretically, if you’re in eight times, you’ll win one World Series. Well, we’ve been in five times. This is our sixth time in. The first five times in, we won two World Series. I’m not going to [complain] about that.
“I don’t believe in building a team with the season goal of winning the World Series, and the next year you look up, you’re old all of a sudden, you don’t have any options. ‘Now we’re a 75-win team. Hey, we won the World Series two years ago.’ It doesn’t work that way. We want to try to always operate with the broadest possible lens, so we have a solid foundation so that every year, or just about every year, we’ll be in a position to win 95 games and get in, and then trust our players, trust our manager, trust our coaching staff, trust our advanced scouting, trust our ability to perform under pressure to go win a World Series.’’
…Theoretically, if you’re in eight times, you’ll win one World Series…
Well, since they brought in the Wildcard, and not including 2009, the Yankees (13 times), Braves (11 times), and Red Sox (8 times) have all made the post-season (at least) eight times. And, the Cardinals and Indians have each made it seven times – which is darn close to eight. But, just the Yankees and Red Sox have won more than one ring during this run.
So, does that mean the Red Sox and Yankees were lucky to have won as many rings as they did? Or, does the fact that the Yankees and Red Sox usually have payrolls much higher than teams like the Braves, Cardinals and Indians have something to do with it? After all, you pay peanuts and you get monkeys, right? But, I doubt that Theo Epstein and/or Brian Cashman would ever ‘fess up to the fact that their secret sauce is just having deep pockets…
If it is deep pockets, those deep pockets havn’t won a title for the Mets or Cubs.
And the Yanks’ deep pockets ain’t going anyway anytime soon, even were Cashman fired yesterday.