2005 Greenback Awards

In the spirit of the Awards given in MLB last month, I decided to invent my own awards. These awards are given to teams (really their owners) and are based on their payroll and their season results. In general, the teams that spend more money have more wins, but it's always interesting to see how those numbers actually come out. For instance, among the top ten teams in payroll, only three had losing records (#7 Giants, #8 Mariners, and #9 Cubs). But, the two teams to make it to the World Series were the #12 Astros and the #13 White Sox. Obviously money well spent. No team in the top five in payroll had a losing record. On the other end, among the bottom ten payrolls, only #22 Oakland and #26 Cleveland had winning records.

Introducing the first annual Greenback Award winners.

Clark Howard Award – given to the team that has been the most efficient in spending money; these clubs would make Clark Howard proud.

2005 Clark Howard Award – AL : Cleveland Indians
This year's run away winner. Only four teams spent less money, yet they won 93 games. The Indians spent $446,263.44 per win. The Yankees spent $2,192,703. 23 per win and got only two more than Cleveland.

2005 Clark Howard Award – NL : Washington Nationals
For a while there it looked like they were a legitimate playoff team. Not a bad showing for $48 million.

Kevin Costner Award – given to the team that acts like it's a baseball team. They put the minor in MLB. Like a cheap roadside motel with a few letters out on the sign, they are low budget and it shows.

2005 Costner Award - AL : Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Edged out Kansas City simply because they cannot draw more fans than a screaming preacher on the corner. The first time I watched the Devil Rays on the Sunshine Network it reminded me of a Major League Soccer game. There couldn't have been 100 people in the seats.

2005 Costner Award– NL : Pittsburg Pirates
Don't you hate to see a nice new ballpark wasted on this team? At least if there is nothing worth seeing on the field, the fans can enjoy the scenic views.

George Steinbrenner Award – self-explanatory. These clubs need consumer counseling…yesterday.

2005 Steinbrenner Award – AL – New York Yankees
Who cares if you win 95 games and make the playoffs? Nobody…when you spent twice as much as every other team in baseball (save Boston, whom they still outspent by $84 million). Dumping out this level of money demands absolutely nothing less than a World Series title. Anything less requires a big sign in front of your stadium that says in all caps (and bold print), "WE STINK!"

2005 Steinbrenner Award – NL – Los Angeles Dodgers
The only reason they beat the Giants out of this award was because a large percentage of San Francisco's money was sitting on the bench most of the year. Wait a minute, maybe that's a good reason to give the award to San Fran…nah. With the 11th highest payroll in baseball, you've got to do better than next to last in the worst division in the majors.

- Payroll figures from http://www.onestopbaseball.com/TeamPayroll.asp