What’s Taking So Long?
Exploring the frozen trade market
The Yankees have done nothing so far this deadline. Then again, neither has anybody else. There have been a grand total of three trades made during deadline season. But what’s taking so long?
Some would call it parity others would call it mediocrity. In the American League, the Guardians are in the last spot at 56-54. 4 teams are within two and a half games of the last spot. Typically a team like the Orioles that is sitting at 53-56 late in July would sell, but at two and a half games back, they might find it tough to wave the white flag. For all the talk about the American League being weak, the National League isn’t much better. The Phillies have the last spot at 57-52. Three games behind them are the Cardinals at 54-55. Nobody would consider sub .500 teams like the O’s or Cardinals good, but they are within striking distance of a playoff spot and once you’re in, anything can happen. While the Dodgers have won two in a row, it wasn’t that long ago the 84 win Diamondbacks were in the World Series.
The addition of a playoff spot a few years ago has also contributed to the number of teams still in the race. The 5th seeded Red Sox are a game and a half ahead of the Guardians for 6th. That would have put teams like the Orioles and Mariners on the periphery of the playoff race four games back. Was it a mistake for Major League Baseball to add a playoff team? I’d venture to say that overall it hurts the product. However, there is almost a zero percent chance they do away with it. The change in playoff format increase the number of Wild Card games from 2 to a maximum of 12 games and minimum of 8. Having the extra games is extra revenue for the league. More tickets, more concessions and merchandise sales, more TV and radio ad money, etc. It’s why the NBA added the play-in tournament, FIFA expanded, and March Madness and the College Football Playoff are considering the same.
Another possibility is that the uncertainty surrounding the CBA is holding things up. Jeff Passan said there are owners that think there’s a chance they could lose the whole season next year. I don’t think it will last that long. However, it does impact how much teams are willing to spend on guys. Do you want to acquire a player and risk not being able to pay him in the offseason? Do you want to acquire a prospect and then miss out on a year of development because the major league season is canceled and you had to put him on the 40 man roster to avoid Rule 5 eligibility?