Joc Pederson didn't mince words in a tweet Tuesday night -- he thinks a percentage of MLB teams aren't putting their best foot forward in trying to build a contending team.
Pederson -- who signed a one-year/$6 million deal with the San Francisco Giants after becoming a playoff hero in the Atlanta Braves' 2021 World Series run -- responded to a graphic showing the disparity in MLB payrolls:
Of the three teams at the bottom, the franchise now known as the Guardians are the only ones who have had success in recent years, although they fell to just 82 wins in 2021. Last season was, of course, their first season without Francisco Lindor, who they traded to the New York Mets rather than signing him to the 10-year/$341 million extension that Steve Cohen was happy to doll out. In the coming years, the Guardians will be faced with similar decisions on both José Ramírez and Shane Bieber.
In December, Eben Novy-Williams and Scott Soshnick of Sportico reported that David Blitzer -- who is also a shareholder of the Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Devils and Crystal Palace FC, among other franchises -- was on the cusp of purchasing a 35% stake in the Guardians. Blitzer could then become the majority owner of the team after six or eight years, but for the time being, Paul Dolan continues to be the most powerful person in the organization.
Meanwhile, the Pirates and Orioles have each lost at an astonishing clip over the last few seasons, and there doesn't seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel. The Pirates are 149-235 since the start of the 2019 season. The Orioles have been even worse, going 178-368 since the start of the 2018 campaign. For two franchises with rich histories, it's a sad turn of events.
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