My New York Mets, the unofficial team of Digg, had the highest payroll in the history of sports at one point this year. The 2023 season did not go well for us, however, as we ended up with a losing record and trading away all of our big name, big contract free agents before the trade deadline.

Other teams who went this route also did not fare well. The New York Yankees, San Diego Padres and LA Angels all had expensive, star-laden teams and none of them made the playoffs. Only a few notable teams had a playoff ticket and a high payroll (relatively speaking), and those were the LA Dodgers, Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies. But they've all been contenders for years, having a solid foundation underneath to buttress their high payroll.

Up-and-coming teams who actually developed their young talent, built from the ground up with prospects and had patience did way better than the big-spending teams. The Baltimore Orioles surprised everyone by winning over 100 games this year with a microscopic payroll. Other cheap teams to outperform rich teams were the Cincinnati Reds, Miami Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks, Pittsburgh Pirates, Seattle Mariners and the Detroit Lions.

It just goes to show: having the best players doesn't mean you need to outspend everyone. Take note, Mets owner Steve Cohen!

Via u/cornballdata.

[Image: YouTube]