The payroll payoff

Big Al comprehensively covered the hand-wringing (from the mainstream media, anyway) over DEE-troit BAS-ketball suddenly being in a series with the LeBrons. As I said in response, the Pistons seem like a student blowing off a class because he or she already knows the material, only to get serious when exams come around. They need to create supposedly difficult situations to motivate themselves. I think we all still expect the Pistons to ace this exam.

So how about a lunch-time feel-good post? This was sent, once again, from the FRT New York bureau. (My friend, Mis Hooz, must want a raise. Keep holding your hand out, sister.)

Courtesy of Ben Fry, here's a handy-dandy diagram of the baseball teams that are doing the most with their money so far in 2006.


As you can (partially) see from the (partial) image capture, as of May 15, Detroit has the second-best record in Major League Baseball with the 13th-highest payroll - $83 million.

Today, that value's even better, as the Tigers are tied with the White Sox for the best record in the majors. (If you go to the site, you can follow how the values have changed throughout the season so far.) And if I'm reading this chart correctly, only the Cardinals are getting more for their player costs.

(I suppose it could be figured out which team is truly getting the best value, but there's a reason I was an English major in college.)

(And I can't find the link, but I believe the $83 million payroll is the highest the franchise has ever had. Nice to see it's finally paying off. I think the Free Press' Jon Paul Morosi makes that point here.)

Does that make you feel any better about spending eight bucks on a beer at the CoPa? Me either. But I'll try to tell myself that this weekend.