Baseball Baloney: “Our goal is to be competitive”

I enjoy hearing the pronouncements of baseball general managers and owners, especially when the off-season trade and reorganization rumors start to spread.

Recently, White Sox general manager Ken Williams commented on a rumor that his club may be going after Yankee Alex Rodriguez. He neither confirmed nor denied it, settling for an intriguing hint that if there is an “impact player” on the market, of course the White Sox will consider him.

I think that’s just a bunch of nonsense. The White Sox are in a stealth economy campaign. Williams failed to improve the club through trades after spring training. He just closed shop, appearing to be active, but really ripping off fans.

My inference was that he didn’t want to spend any money, knowing that the Red Sox were sure to be hugely profitable with the payroll they had, so why throw away that easy money?

Owner Reinsdorf and Company is cashing in on his 2005 World Championship and looking to get a nice annuity. Fans can’t shout that the Red Sox never field a winner, and the team could find a way to milk that victory for another 80 years.

I think the White Sox won’t feature in a World Championship or be a serious postseason threat for at least five years, and maybe ten. At this point, they are just pretending regarding the constant improvement of the team.

While I’m not a baseball economist, I know enough about business to tell you that it’s about profit, not perfection. There is a sweet spot, financially, for teams that have winning records year after year while always holding out hope of playing in the postseason.

They’ll typically fill their booths with fans, as the Red Sox did in 2006, they’ll sell lots of hot dogs and logo merchandise, and their television rights will be a growing asset, as will their franchises, in general.

But it doesn’t make sense for these ball clubs to try to spend their way to the postseason, and especially to try to clinch World Series Championships.

For several years, the Yankees have won the AL East, but haven’t won a World Series crown in many moons, despite owner Steinbrenner’s willingness to invest in serious, plentiful talent. Could you spend less and earn more?

This has to be the question other top dogs are asking.

The Dodgers, this year, returned to respectability by winning the wild card in the National League, with a constantly churning roster consisting of drab veterans and bright-eyed rookies. Seek that his inclination continues to be towards the youth and the cheap players that this emphasis provides.

If the Dodgers can simply balance themselves on the cusp of postseason play, but without a serious chance of prevailing, they’ll still make a lot of money.

This logic can be heard in the phrase used by countless general managers and owners: “Our goal is to be competitive.”

When you hear that, it might be a good time to stop buying those season tickets!