Written by Ronald Bloom
NEW YORK (AP) — “Big Spender” is baseball’s top four theme music.
The New York Mets, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers are among the top three teams in sports in terms of salary, joining Cleveland in 23rd place.
“We’ve got to scratch and scratch, move in unison, take shots and hope it goes,” Guardians coach Stephen Vogt said. “On the other hand, the other three teams will go into the game with the majority of their lineups decided.”
The Mets-Dodgers National League Championship Series starting Sunday and the Yankees-Guardians American League matchup starting Monday will include Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, Pete Big stars in baseball, such as Alonso, will appear. Cleveland has a great closer in Emmanuel Clase and a top batter in Jose Ramirez.
The playoff bracket brings to the forefront the question of whether spending equals success.
“Obviously, if you spend more, you have a better chance because you’re getting more players,” Mets reliever Adam Ottavino said. “But obviously it didn’t always play out that way.”
According to Major League Baseball’s latest projections, the Mets will have the top salary at $332 million, followed by the Yankees at $311 million and the Dodgers at $266 million. (Not calculated until winter when bonuses are determined). Guardians for $109 million.
“We’re not thinking about salary,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I’m thinking about the 26 players and winning against the Mets. That's it.”
Last year, Texas won the World Series against Arizona State ($129 million) and was 20th in the league, when he was sixth in salary with $241 million.
Since the current luxury tax began, only the 2020 Dodgers, 2018 Red Sox and 2009 Yankees have won titles with big spending. Boston was the second-highest spender in 2004 and 2007, was the third-highest spender in 2013, and has twice won top-three salaries.
Seven of the past 21 champions were outside the top 10 in salary: 2021 Braves (14th), 2017 Astros (18th), 2015 Royals (13th), and 2011 Cardinals (11th). ), 2010 Giants (11th), 2005 White Sox (13th)) and 2003 Marlins (20th).
“When it comes to salary, it comes down to playing good baseball,” San Diego manager Mike Shildt said. The team was ranked 15th and lost to Los Angeles in five games in the division series.
This will be the fourth time the Dodgers and Mets have met in the postseason, following the 1988 NLCS, won by Los Angeles, and the 2006 and 2015 NLDS, won by New York. In the 1988 game, Dodgers pitcher Jay Howell was ejected in Game 3 because he had pine tar on his glove, and in the 2015 NLDS, Dodgers pitcher Chase Utley tried to break up a double play and hit shortstop Reuben It was ruined by breaking Tejada’s leg. . MLB responded by banning rolling body blocks before the 2016 season.
After the Mets won two of three games at Dodger Stadium in April of this year, Los Angeles dominated New York at Citi Field in late May, leading to a players-only meeting where New York finished 22-33. It was an opportunity to turn things around from the start.
Dodgers’ Jack Flaherty will start in the opening game, while Mets’ Kouhiro Chiga will be making just his third appearance in an injury-plagued season. Sean Manaea pitched in Game 2 for New York, which beat Philadelphia in the four-game Division Series and got three days off.
Dodgers All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman, who played through a sprained right ankle, went 4-for-14 with no RBIs in the National League.
Cleveland and the Yankees will meet for the seventh time in the postseason. Cleveland won the Division Series in 1997 and 2007, but lost in the 1998 ALCS, the 2017 and 2022 Division Series, and the 2020 Wild Card Round. In 1997, the Yankees needed four outs to go ahead before Sandy Alomar hit a game-tying home run off Mariano Rivera. Game 4. The Indians won the series in five games, defeating New York, which won the championship in 1996 and won three more from 1998-2000.
Two years ago, Cleveland’s Josh Naylor angered Yankees fans by celebrating wildly after hitting a home run off Gerrit Cole in Game 4.
New York won two of three games against Cleveland in April and also won at home in August. The Yankees, who defeated Kansas City in four straight ALDS games, may use Carlos Rodon in the opening game and Cole in the second game. Cleveland, which defeated Detroit in Game 5 on Saturday, could use Alex Cobb in Game 1.
“Obviously a great bullpen,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “Athletic. They defend really well. They’re very balanced on offense.”
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AP Sports Writer Tom Withers and AP Freelance Writer Jerry Beach contributed to this report.
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