International Spending: One of These Things is not Like the Others

On March 2nd, Baseball America published a breakdown of international spending by team for 2010. The Mariners ($6.47 million) and Yankees ($5.27 million) finished 1 and 2 in spending which shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. The Astros were 3rd ($5.13 million) which certainly got a rise out of my eyebrows if nothing else.

When it comes to the teams in the AL Central, I can only assume that they all agreed on a general amount to spend in a “gentleman’s agreement” because their proximity to each other defies explanation otherwise.

• $2.70 million – Kansas City Royals (11th)
• $2.54 million – Minnesota Twins (12th)
• $2.53 million – Detroit Tigers (13th)
• $2.47 million – Cleveland Indians (t-14th)

Wait someone is missing …

Apparently the Chicago White Sox didn’t get the memo, weren’t invited to the meeting or they missed school that day. I’m guessing they weren’t invited. I mean honestly, who likes the White Sox anyway?

• $345,000 – Chicago White Sox (29th)

The only thing keeping Chicago’s “other” baseball team from being the dweller in the spending cellar were the divorce proceedings of Jamie and Frank McCourt which has frozen, if not crippled, the Dodgers financial wherewithal. In the end, Los Angeles spent just $314,000 but at least they had a reason for their lack of investment during 2010.

The White Sox aren’t spending in the international market and they are one of the few organizations that generally hold to MLB’s slotting recommendations in the draft every year. Combining these two elements is not exactly a recipe for success given the fact that spending on amateur talent is the most cost-effective way to amass talent and maintain a solid foundation. The recent trades and acquisitions – pulled off by GM Ken Williams – have further depleted the prospect cupboard to a point that it is almost barren.

The future doesn’t look too rosy on the Southside and that’s just fine with me. An organization can’t survive on the free agent market alone and it becomes much harder to make spashy trades when you have little to offer in return.

As a matter of fact, I don’t think their present is looking too hot either. Think they can compete in 2011? They better stay really really healthy because depth left town a while ago.