How the 2018 playoff teams were built

[puckstopper1]

 MLB.com has a nice graphic on how each of the 10 2018 Playoff Teams were built.

 

https://twitter.com/MLBPipeline

 

Surprising to see that the Dodgers (2) and Yankees (3) has the LEAST amount of Free Agent player on their projected 25 man playoff rosters

 

This does show that successful teams can be built different ways, but are typically built using a combination of methods.

 

[Vanimal46]

So with this graphic we can finally put to rest the old fallacy that the Yankees, Red Sox, and Dodgers buy all of their good players?

[Danchat]

 

So with this graphic we can finally put to rest the old fallacy that the Yankees, Red Sox, and Dodgers buy all of their good players?

Sure, but these teams still have the ability to retain their best players by paying them high salaries and the Yankees can do things like trade for Giancarlo Stanton on the cheap because of their salary. But what surprised me most about the graphic was how many players teams got via trade... though I do suppose that counts for also when players were traded as minor leaguers.

[bird]

9 of the 10 teams have more players on the roster via trades than through their draft. Didn't expect that.

[Otto von Ballpark]

MLB.com has a nice graphic on how each of the 10 2018 Playoff Teams were built.

 

https://twitter.com/MLBPipeline

 

Surprising to see that the Dodgers (2) and Yankees (3) has the LEAST amount of Free Agent player on their projected 25 man playoff rosters

 

This does show that successful teams can be built different ways, but are typically built using a combination of methods.

Worth noting that the Yankees also have Ellsbury, who won't make the postseason roster due to injury.

 

Also, here is a direct link to the tweet:

 

https://twitter.com/MLBPipeline/status/1046786485238808576?s=20

[Otto von Ballpark]

So with this graphic we can finally put to rest the old fallacy that the Yankees, Red Sox, and Dodgers buy all of their good players?

In addition to what Danchat said, I'm not sure this graphic means too much about the market. The team with the most free agents on its projected postseason roster is apparently Oakland -- but that's mostly guys like Edwin Jackson. One big FA signing by Boston or NY can easily dwarf 7 by Oakland, in terms of market impact.

[TheLeviathan]

If anything this would indicate being active using multiple avenues to improve your team is the way to go.

[Rosterman]

It's always been a combination. Smart teams trade prospects for higher level prospects or decent regular players when the opportunities happen. Free agents are purchased to fill a couple of distinct holes (usually a starting arm, a bullpen arm and some kind of bat). Gad, look at Oakland who regularly trades all their prospects for players, sign a lot of mid-level free agents that they trade for more prospects or players. 

 

This has to be looked at on a longer term scale, going backwards...and then where they are in a season or two, too.

[Riverbrian]

It's worse than you are thinking. 

 

The two Dodger free agents were Justin Turner and Max Muncy. 

 

They were only free agents because they cleared waivers. 

 

Calling them Free Agents gives the wrong impression. The answer is really zero. 

[old nurse]

 

It's worse than you are thinking. 

 

The two Dodgers Free Agents were Justin Turner and Max Muncy. 

 

They were only free agents because they cleared waivers. 

 

Calling them Free Agents gives the wrong impression. The answer is really zero. 

Ryu was not counted as a free agent either.

[big dog]

Interesting story, even though there are lots of wrinkles.  Two of the Yankees' free agents are Sabathia and Chapman, as compared to recent Twins' signings.  The quality of the free agents matters in addition to the numbers.

 

Good trading, too, of course.  However, when you are the only team that pay Giancarlo Stanton, you have a much better chance of being able to swing a trade for him.

 

The Cubs had three ex-Twins pitch in Game 163 yesterday!  Rosario, Kinsler, and Garcia all made appearances.  

[Respy]

I'd rather see the scale of the chart in terms of WAR, instead of the number of players.

 

I could probably make one myself, but I'd rather gripe about it.

[Riverbrian]

 

Ryu was not counted as a free agent either.

 

That is true. Along with Puig, Jansen, Baez and Urias in the international catagory. 

 

[Otto von Ballpark]

It's worse than you are thinking.

 

The two Dodger free agents were Justin Turner and Max Muncy.

 

They were only free agents because they cleared waivers.

 

Calling them Free Agents gives the wrong impression. The answer is really zero.

Although further complicating things: Turner then reached free agency as a Dodger, but re-signed with them for $64 mil. Same for Jansen, at $80 mil.

 

Rich Hill was a rental trade who re-signed as a FA too, for $48 mil.

 

Plus, as mentioned by others, this system seems to be counting Puig, Maeda, and Ryu, each of whom signed for $25-42 mil guaranteed and pretty much went straight to MLB, the same as, say, Jorge Polanco, who signed for $750k and took 7 years before starting in MLB.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Slightly off topic, but...

 

Keep the Yankees happy, Part Infinity:

 

AL wildcard scheduled for Wednesday, not Tuesday.

 

Meaning, NL wildcard teams will be playing on all these consecutive days, while AL teams get two days off. In Colorado’s case, last three games in three days in three different cities. Yankees, two days off.

[puckstopper1]

 

Worth noting that the Yankees also have Ellsbury, who won't make the postseason roster due to injury.

Also, here is a direct link to the tweet:

https://twitter.com/MLBPipeline/status/1046786485238808576?s=20

Thanks Spycake.  I tried for about 20 minutes to post the graphic but the system would not let me...

[Mike Sixel]

 

If anything this would indicate being active using multiple avenues to improve your team is the way to go.

 

Like trading top prospects for real players.....

[Otto von Ballpark]

Thanks Spycake. I tried for about 20 minutes to post the graphic but the system would not let me...

On Twitter, I just clicked the share icon (the 3 dots connected with 2 lines), then selected "Copy link to Tweet".

 

And simply pasting that link here in TD embeds the tweet, graphics included.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Slightly off topic, but...

 

Keep the Yankees happy, Part Infinity:

 

AL wildcard scheduled for Wednesday, not Tuesday.

 

Meaning, NL wildcard teams will be playing on all these consecutive days, while AL teams get two days off. In Colorado’s case, last three games in three days in three different cities. Yankees, two days off.

Problem is, the postseason schedule is all set in advance. Looks like it was announced on August 2nd this year. And once it is set, it is not that simple to switch around. The two wild card games are broadcast by different networks, so switching their dates would have required network approval. And it wasn't even clear that they would need games 163 until Sunday, so it would have been very short notice.

 

Plus the NLDS is scheduled to start on Thursday, and the ALDS on Friday -- switch the wild card games, and the NL wild card winner would lose their off day before the NLDS. I suspect that might be worse than losing the earlier off day to game 163, because the wild card game is an elimination game where you will exhaust your bullpen, while game 163 was not (this year, anyway).

 

FWIW, it seems to rotate -- last year, the AL wild card game was on Tuesday, and the NL on Wednesday. Doesn't seem to be any Yankee favoritism here.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Problem is, the postseason schedule is all set in advance. Looks like it was announced on August 2nd this year. And once it is set, it is not that simple to switch around. The two wild card games are broadcast by different networks, so switching their dates would have required network approval. And it wasn't even clear that they would need games 163 until Sunday, so it would have been very short notice.

Plus the NLDS is scheduled to start on Thursday, and the ALDS on Friday -- switch the wild card games, and the NL wild card winner would lose their off day before the NLDS. I suspect that might be worse than losing the earlier off day to game 163, because the wild card game is an elimination game where you will exhaust your bullpen, while game 163 was not (this year, anyway).

FWIW, it seems to rotate -- last year, the AL wild card game was on Tuesday, and the NL on Wednesday. Doesn't seem to be any Yankee favoritism here.

Points well taken. But I will still offer a rebuttal, because Internet.

 

To your last point of the Wild Card game rotating—actually,. I went back and checked and usually the AL game is Tuesday. Since 2012, the only other year the AL played Wednesday was 2013. Why that is, I have no idea, but the Yankees were very likely headed to a Wild Card game this season when the postseason schedule was released August 2 (way too soon if you ask me). So, two days off for the ailing Yankees.

 

Also, the schedule is always subject to change. This would have been a good and fair occasion in my mind to change some days around, for the sake of the NL teams. Networks would adjust just fine. Oh, well.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Also, the schedule is always subject to change. This would have been a good and fair occasion in my mind to change some days around, for the sake of the NL teams. Networks would adjust just fine. Oh, well.

Again, if you swap the wild card games, it's arguably *worse* for the NL teams. Yes, they are playing a bunch of consecutive days now -- but the last 2-3 days (at least) have not been elimination games. The teams have been able to plan for the game the next day, just like they normally do. (The Dodgers held back Buehler from starting on Sunday, and the Cubs and Rockies clearly held back relievers once they were trailing yesterday.) And, the NL team that wins today, with their backs against the wall, will get a day of rest before starting their NLDS.

 

Switching them, they would have gotten a day of rest after game 163 -- but they would lose the potential day of rest tomorrow before the NLDS. That sucks -- remember when the Twins had to play game 163 in 2009, then start their ALDS the following day? Also, the Yankees still would have had a day off before their wild card game -- and then 2 days off afterward before the ALDS. I'm not seeing the downside for them in that scenario, especially since they clinched a while ago and they were able to rest the last few games anyway.

[Doomtints]

 

So with this graphic we can finally put to rest the old fallacy that the Yankees, Red Sox, and Dodgers buy all of their good players?

 

Not without more research. All of these teams are light on "home grown" talent based on this graph. This means most of their players came through trades. We would have to analyze the nature of these trades to know more, but I think we can be certain the trades weren't the type of trades we saw at the trade deadline this year with the Twins.

 

This *does* show that relying solely on home-grown talent is not a recipe for success most of the time. But hey, the Twins tried it. It's good to try something.