Since Steve Cohen took over the New York Mets a couple of years ago, he has left his mark on the team and in the league.
As the league’s wealthiest owner, he vowed to make the Mets instant contenders and World Series hopefuls.
The combination of being a lifelong Mets fan and his $15 billion net worth meant only good things for fans: he would bring qualified personnel to every department, including spending millions on quality players.
The Mets went on a signing spree this offseason, securing Justin Verlander, Brandon Nimmo, Kodai Senga, Edwin Diaz, Jose Quintana, and David Robertson so far.
Other teams, like the Baltimore Orioles, just signed Kyle Gibson to this point: a modest acquisition made by a much more cost-conscious franchise.
The payroll disparity between the two organizations is such that the Mets are projected to pay more in tax overages than the O’s are spending on their payroll.
“Orioles’ projected 40-man CBT payroll: $73.9 million. Mets’ projected 40-man CBT payroll *overage penalty*: $76.2 million,” O’s insider Nathan Ruiz tweeted.
Orioles’ projected 40-man CBT payroll: $73.9 million
Mets’ projected 40-man CBT payroll *overage penalty*: $76.2 million
—Nathan Ruiz (@NathanSRuiz) December 11, 2022
The O’s Are On The Verge Of Containment
It took lots of (losing) years, but Baltimore is finally building a solid contender through the draft, the international market, and trades, not to mention the right staff to develop these players to reach the best of their abilities.
They finished with a winning record for the first time since 2016 in 2022, with an 83-79 mark, and the future is looking bright because they have lots of young pitching and impact hitters like Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, Austin Hays, Cedric Mullins , Anthony Santander, and others.
The Mets, on the other hand, are spending on top free agents to ensure they are competitive, which is great for baseball because it inflates compensation to players and invites other organizations to spend, too, if they want a top roster.
Both ways are valid.
