The cash-poor clubs will struggle. And the gap between them will grow progressively wider. This is the ominous message of October '97. The only mega-budget ballclub missing from the League Championship Series is the New York Yankees, the recently dethroned defending champions. Pat Gillick, like many general managers, knew it would take money for Baltimore to become a contender.
Competitive balance is kaput.
It's money that matters. Now, the little guys have been spent into submission. The root causes of the 1994 strike have been exacerbated since its dissatisfying settlement. Baseball's playing field is about as level as the Alps. That's where we are,'' Cincinnati Reds general manager Jim Bowden said.