In baseball, as with most things in life, having money is a considerable advantage. Teams with more money tend to win more, as well they should. This site exists to level the playing field (so to speak). Every team receives a "salary-based handicap" and is evaluated based not on its "real" record, but rather on its expected winning percentage given its salary.
The handicap is based on a formula derived from salary and winning percentage data from 1997-2007
Explore the data in-depth with an interactive visualization
Show standings from year:
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997 2009 average team salary: $88,513,173
Boston Red Sox
$121,745,999
48
31
43
36
-5
.530
$1,236,874
Tampa Bay Rays
$63,313,034
44
37
47
34
+3
.480
$719,466
Toronto Blue Jays
$80,538,300
42
39
42
39
0
.499
$958,789
New York Yankees
$201,449,189
46
33
35
44
-11
.568
$2,135,599
Baltimore Orioles
$67,101,666
36
44
38
42
+2
.485
$920,462
Detroit Tigers
$115,085,145
44
35
40
39
-4
.526
$1,275,495
Minnesota Twins
$65,299,266
41
40
44
37
+3
.483
$796,333
Chicago White Sox
$96,068,500
42
38
40
40
-2
.512
$1,129,553
Kansas City Royals
$70,519,333
33
46
35
44
+2
.489
$1,042,093
Cleveland Indians
$81,579,166
32
49
32
49
0
.500
$1,274,674
Texas Rangers
$68,178,798
43
35
45
33
+2
.486
$763,415
Los Angeles Angels
$113,709,000
43
35
39
39
-4
.525
$1,273,227
Seattle Mariners
$98,904,166
41
38
39
40
-2
.514
$1,176,367
Oakland Athletics
$62,310,000
33
45
36
42
+3
.479
$909,125
Florida Marlins
$36,834,000
41
40
51
30
+10
.440
$449,195
Philadelphia Phillies
$113,004,046
40
37
36
41
-4
.524
$1,342,795
Atlanta Braves
$96,726,166
39
40
37
42
-2
.512
$1,209,460
New York Mets
$149,373,987
39
40
32
47
-7
.545
$1,867,766
Washington Nationals
$60,328,000
22
55
26
51
+4
.477
$1,303,383
St. Louis Cardinals
$77,605,109
44
38
45
37
+1
.496
$892,764
Milwaukee Brewers
$80,182,502
42
38
42
38
0
.498
$942,769
Cincinnati Reds
$73,558,500
39
39
40
38
+1
.492
$908,130
Pittsburgh Pirates
$48,693,000
37
43
43
37
+6
.461
$649,890
Chicago Cubs
$134,809,000
39
38
33
44
-6
.537
$1,642,971
Houston Astros
$102,996,414
38
40
35
43
-3
.517
$1,305,023
Los Angeles Dodgers
$100,414,592
51
29
49
31
-2
.515
$972,303
San Francisco Giants
$82,616,450
43
36
43
36
0
.500
$936,936
Colorado Rockies
$75,201,000
42
37
43
36
+1
.493
$873,145
San Diego Padres
$43,734,200
34
45
42
37
+8
.452
$627,270
Arizona Diamondbacks
$73,516,666
31
49
32
48
+1
.492
$1,171,114
