Salary Showcase: Rebuilding Year Ova!

Welcome to the blog's new feature, the Salary Showcase. Here, you will get a brief but informative breakdown of each team's salary.

Now, we get to see who is overachieving, underachieving, and who is getting the most bang for their buck. Unsuccessful managers with a high salary team are sure to be feeling the heat from their fan base.

I am going based off the current roster, not the drafted roster. Big ups to Chris for the idea and Shea for the headline.


Rebuilding Year Ova!
Manager: Shea
2010 salary: $186,328,000
Hitting salary: $114,131,000
Pitching salary: $72,197,000
Highest-paid hitter: Alex Rodriguez ($33,000,000)
Highest-paid pitcher: Derek Lowe ($15,000,000)
Lowest-paid hitter: Elvis Andrus ($418,000)
Lowest-paid pitcher: Neftali Feliz ($402,000)

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Big acquisitions for naught

The league went into crisis mode about two months ago when three trades involving playoff-potential teams were made involving non-playoff teams.

Verbal barbs were flying, arguments were starting, and hell was breaking loose. It will lead to offseason discussion about how to handle keeper trades in the future.

Howeva! (in our best Stephen A. Smith voice), I will be quick to point out that the three teams who made the trades (Andy, Chris, Ken) are out. Three flame-outs. Three busted trades. So, maybe the midseason crucifixion of trading was overblown.


A refresher: Ken sent Beltran to Mike for Abreu; Andy sent Lincecum, Quentin and Scott to Mike for Lester, Morales and Markakis; Chris sent Rodriguez to Shea for Kershaw, Guerrero and Tejada.

I spoke to all three managers who made the trades. Chris regretted it, Andy was on the fence and Ken did not. Chris did not make the playoffs, and Andy and Ken lost in the first round.

"Nah, I don't because I needed (Abreu) to make it into the playoffs," Ken said. "I didn't want to keep Beltran because I didn't want two Met keepers. But now I have a tough choice to make about keepers."

"Yes, (Rodriguez) will be missed in the lineup next year," Chris said. "However, this clears up room for younger stars to come in and show what they have to offer."

"I'm not sure," Andy said. "I dont think i woulda made the playoffs without it, but now I'm picking up pitchers just to try and give myself options for next year. It's pretty bad."

So, as you can see, three different viewpoints, but the one thing in common: all three managers are very concerned about their keeper situation for next year.

"The part that gets me the most and I absolutely hate," Chris said, "is that A-Rod is a Yankee. So I want him to do well next year, but i want Shea's team to fail miserably and all his keepers to get hurt for long durations."
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End of season review: No. 11 Shea

(Editor's note: This is the second in a series of season evaluations based on power ranking trends. At the end, each manager will be given a final determination of overachiever, underachiever or expected achiever.)

Shea, oh Shea. You were a disaster this season. A pathetic excuse for a fantasy manager. You're exactly like the - how appropriate - Chicago Cubs. You may have a nice squad, a decent group of guys, but we always know you'll never win. It's come to that. How does it make you feel?

Your evaluation after the jump.


You finished 5-17, a miserable record. But I can't completely bash you, as you may have the three best keepers heading into next season. That was nice work, and you can even laugh harder at Chris since he traded Alex Rodriguez and didn't make the playoffs.

But don't laugh too hard, especially after looking at your power rankings graph. I had you as a 10 preseason and almost nailed it. You ended 11, only above the dreadful Richie, who beat you twice.

What was I ever thinking ranking you as high as 2 one week? You dropped like the Mets in September - just a continuous freefall. After you hit the 10 spot in Week 6, you never made it higher. Incredible.

Better luck next year, although we all know it won't even matter. You just don't win fantasy baseball.

Final determination: Expected achiever
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Immediate dividends? Not exactly... (UPDATE)

One of the big trades last week was between Chris and Shea.

Clayton Kershaw, Miguel Tejada and Vlad Guerrero for Alex Rodriguez.

A big trade expected to help both parties. But, so far, neither team has gotten a return on its investment.

After the jump, take a look at the stats, which are pretty funny to look at.


In two days on Shea's team this week:

Guerrero was 4-for-8 with two homers, two RBIs and two runs.
Tejada was 6-for-10 with three RBIs, three runs and a stolen base.

In two days on Chris's team this week:

Guerrero is 0-for-3.
Tejada is 0-for-8.

"No one wants to play for a manager that yells and is soggy I guess," Shea said Friday.

Well, Shea isn't exactly getting the best of A-Rod, either. Since joining the new squad, A-Rod is 1-for-4, got hit by a pitch and got hurt. He missed Thursday's game and likely won't play tonight.

"I've gone over footage of the hit by pitch," Chris said. "A-Rod, already upset about being traded to a team out of contention for the year, apparently leaned into the pitch, and rumors are circulating that the past few days he has been sighted sailing with Kate Hudson in the Caribbean."
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Analyzing the A-Rod deal

Big trade news, as we all found out today.

Here it is: Shea gets Alex Rodriguez (2-year contract) and Chris gets: Miguel Tejada, Vlad Guerrero (1-year contract) and Clayton Kershaw.

Very, very interesting deal.

This certainly has a profound effect on the rest of this year and years to come.

More after the jump


Chris is definitely making a run for it this year, and the key to whether it works this year is likely Guerrero. If he stays on the field and produces, well, it could turn out all right.

If not...

"Kershaw gives me a great young pitcher with keeper potential," Chris said. "Tejada has been rock solid all year long, and Vlad has the potential (as proven in the past) to be an MVP candidate."

Now, this leaves Shea with a likely trio of Felix Hernandez, Alex Rodriguez and Justin Morneau heading into next year and beyond.

Quite a change from Alfonso Soriano, Guerrero and Ervin Santana.

"We are turning it in this year and looking toward the future," Shea said. "Going from the three worst to potentially the three best keepers in the league is a move I'm very excited about, especially with a high draft pick in 2010."
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