It’s not simple being a baseball fan. The dedication is intense: 162 video games from the thaw of early April via the sweat of summer season to the cool evenings of October — and that does not embody spring coaching or the unending offseason.
The sport has a payroll construction that even its defenders would agree is not precisely equitable throughout all 30 groups. The New York Mets, living proof, pays Juan Soto almost $122 million in 2025 — a $75 million signing bonus plus a $46.875 million wage. That outlay will prime the 2024 Opening Day payrolls of 13 groups.
As free agent signings and trades proceed to roll in — with many top free agents still unsigned — all of it results in the annual winter ceremony of followers complaining about:
1. The payroll disparity within the sport.
2. Their low cost proprietor who refuses to spend cash.
3. Their entrance workplace not making the strikes needed to enhance the group.
We have a reputation for this: the Aggrieved Fan Index. Let’s rank the highest 10 fan bases who at the moment have the best proper to be pissed off, factoring in groups’ expectations coming into this previous season, their 2024 efficiency and what they’ve finished to this point this offseason.
(Disclaimer: The Athletics, whose followers in Oakland arguably have the proper to be probably the most pissed off of all, didn’t make this listing since they will not be taking part in of their new house till 2028. I imply, who’re their followers proper now anyway? Still these in Oakland? Or West Sacramento? People in Las Vegas who suppose Brent Rooker is perhaps the magician taking part in on the Bellagio?)
Throughout their historical past, the Marlins have been plagued with poor possession. Original proprietor Wayne Huizenga received a World Series in 1997 and instantly tore the group aside. John Henry flipped the Marlins after a few years and acquired the Boston Red Sox. Art seller Jeffrey Loria shrewdly bungled his technique to making an estimated billion {dollars} or so over his authentic buy. When Bruce Sherman purchased the group in 2017, there was hope issues can be totally different — he introduced in Derek Jeter as proof of that idea, proper?
Alas, Jeter is lengthy gone, and the Marlins proceed to yearly run one of many lowest payrolls within the league. Even although followers in Miami are used to it by now, 2024 was significantly harsh. The Marlins surprisingly made the playoffs in 2023 on the power of their pitching and a 33-14 document in one-run video games. While it was fairly clearly a fluke, there have been nonetheless causes to have hope going into 2024, however then their prime pitchers bought damage, opening up the floodgates. They traded batting champ Luis Arraez in May, adopted by Jazz Chisholm Jr. and A.J. Puk forward of the commerce deadline, after which six extra gamers on July 30. They’ve traded Jake Burger this offseason and are exploring commerce potentialities for Jesus Luzardo. If Luzardo is traded, that may depart Sandy Alcantara as the one participant making greater than $3.5 million.
Marlins followers, bless them, have been right here many occasions earlier than. Someday possibly they will get an proprietor thinking about constructing a constant winner.
For a lot of the 2010s, the Cardinals thrived whereas the National League’s big-market franchises had been serving canned cranberry sauce and frozen inexperienced beans for Thanksgiving dinner. The Los Angeles Dodgers had been nonetheless digging themselves out of the Frank McCourt catastrophe when St. Louis went to the World Series in 2011 and 2013. The clueless Wilpons owned the Mets. The Philadelphia Phillies had been in a rebuild that went a decade between playoff appearances. The Atlanta Braves missed the postseason 4 years in a row. The Cubs had been rebuilding the primary half of the last decade. As these organizations improved, nonetheless, it was now not sufficient for the Cardinals to be merely competent. They needed to be taught to spice issues up a bit.
That did not occur. Instead, in 2023, the franchise had its first dropping season since 2007. In 2024, it was one other non-playoff season, with the Cardinals overachieving simply to win 83 video games. Their followers, used to successful, are already rising impatient, particularly since 2025 seems like a rebuilding 12 months. The Cardinals are attempting to commerce Nolan Arenado. They could commerce Erick Fedde, acquired on the 2024 commerce deadline. They’re going to provide Nolan Gorman and Jordan Walker one other probability to show themselves, but when these two do not hit, the place will the offense come from? They have not developed a beginning pitcher — not less than one they did not commerce away (see Zac Gallen and Sandy Alcantara) — in seemingly perpetually. The final homegrown starter to make 30 begins in a season was Jack Flaherty in 2019.
The solely $100 million free agent the Cardinals have signed stays Matt Holliday, manner again in 2010. Going down the route they did final offseason — buying pitching depth with the likes of Sonny Gray/Lance Lynn/Kyle Gibson however not making any main additions — shouldn’t be a path to achievement. The followers have spoken as effectively: In 2024, attendance dropped beneath 3 million for the primary time in a non-COVID-19 season since 2003. The Cardinals are a great distance from being the Marlins or the Rockies, however this does really feel like a precarious time in Cardinals historical past — and the franchise might go in both course.
This rating is tempered solely by the truth that Rockies followers have lengthy grown accustomed to their group not doing something and did not count on them to be any good in 2024 anyway. Still, back-to-back 100-loss seasons and no proof that issues are going to show round any time quickly should make even probably the most devoted Rockies fan query their religion. Or possibly not: Attendance stays stable because the Rockies drew 2.5 million followers in 2024, fifteenth within the majors. They outdrew the Mets, Milwaukee Brewers, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Guardians, Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals — all playoff groups. Maybe we must always simply blame the followers: Keep exhibiting up and there isn’t any incentive for possession to make things better. (Although, the Coors Field sunsets are beautiful).
Fun truth: Since 2011, solely the Marlins have misplaced extra video games than the Rockies (1,224 losses to 1,209). Despite that, the Rockies follow a plan: They will rely nearly solely on creating homegrown expertise, even when they have not been superb at it, with the occasional unhealthy free agent signing blended in (suppose Kris Bryant and Ian Desmond). Look, it is nearly unattainable to lure pitchers to Colorado, however, amazingly, the Rockies have signed only one huge free agent hitter in franchise historical past: Larry Walker, again in 1995 (no, Bryant did not rely on the time regardless of the $182 million contract, and he definitely would not rely now).
Sign Pete Alonso. Sign Anthony Santander or Teoscar Hernandez and see what number of house runs they will hit within the skinny air. Roll the cube on a participant like Joc Pederson. Find some type of offense and not less than make this group attention-grabbing.
The Cubs are the lone big-market group in a division with three reputable small-market golf equipment and one midsized franchise — and but, they have not made the playoffs in a full season since 2018. That’s one playoff look up to now six seasons should you do the maths. The Cubs even swiped supervisor Craig Counsell from the rival Brewers — solely to see the Brewers win one other division title whereas Chicago completed 83-79 for the second straight season.
It was disappointing sufficient that chairman Tom Ricketts wrote a season-ending apology to the followers: “There isn’t any technique to sugarcoat it — this isn’t the place we deliberate to complete the season. Bottom line, we didn’t play an entire season of aggressive baseball. As a outcome, we’ve got once more missed probably the most thrilling and exhilarating month of the season — October.”
The Cubs would have ranked increased on this listing if not for the current commerce to accumulate Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros — lastly, a giant swing from the Jed Hoyer-led entrance workplace so as to add a much-needed potent bat for the lineup. Some of that goodwill was burned, nonetheless, with the following commerce of Cody Bellinger to the New York Yankees, a deal that may solely be construed as a wage dump. Maybe Bellinger will not be wanted, but it surely definitely hurts the Cubs’ depth. It’s even potential that Isaac Paredes (despatched to Houston within the Tucker commerce) and Bellinger will probably be price greater than Tucker in 2025.
That will get us to the guts of this piece: A reminder that a very powerful individual in any group is the proprietor. From 2016 to 2020, the Cubs ran a top-five payroll 4 occasions in 5 seasons below the Ricketts household. After trimming payroll in 2021 below the auspices of a rebuild, they bought again to ninth in 2024 however appear intent on remaining beneath the luxurious tax. Under Hoyer, the Cubs have improved their farm system, and the group seems able to win. But is possession dedication actually there? Ricketts’ letter concluded with, “It is time for us to get to work to carry championship caliber baseball again to Wrigley Field.” They must do greater than commerce for Tucker to try this.
Well, you knew the Pirates had been going to point out up sooner or later; it was only a matter of when. I’m guessing Pirates followers will inform you their group ought to be No. 1: six consecutive dropping seasons, eight out of 9 going again to the final playoff look in 2015, pissed off sentiment concerning proprietor Bob Nutting that goes, “Spend Nutting, get Nutting.”
Indeed, Nutting is perhaps No. 1 on the most-despised homeowners listing. That goes again to the playoff groups of 2013 to 2015, when the Pirates refused to make huge additions on the commerce deadline. Since 2019, Pirates’ payrolls, in keeping with Cot’s Contracts, have ranked thirtieth, thirtieth, thirtieth, twenty ninth, twenty eighth and — huge spending! — all the best way as much as twenty fifth this previous season. General supervisor Ben Cherington has tried to construct issues with the scraps given to him, and the group has been a extra aggressive 76-86 the previous two years. He’s even managed to signal Ke’Bryan Hayes, Bryan Reynolds and Mitch Keller to long-term extensions. And, in fact, the Pirates have a celebrity in Paul Skenes, who tasks as the perfect pitcher in baseball in 2025 based mostly on his dominant rookie season.
It at all times feels just like the Pirates are plugging leaks although. They’re transferring Oneil Cruz to middle discipline after his protection was shaky at shortstop, however whereas that fixes a gap in middle, it opens one at shortstop. They wanted a primary baseman and bought Spencer Horwitz from the Blue Jays (by the use of Cleveland) however gave up an attention-grabbing younger starter in Luis Ortiz to take action. Hayes is below contract via 2029 at a team-friendly fee however had a depressing 2024. Even in a extra equitable system, it isn’t life like for the Pirates to signal a prime free agent, however this can be a group that might profit immensely from even a few second-tier free brokers, just a bit bump in payroll to plug these leaks.
The window to signal Skenes to a long-term extension most likely solely exists till Opening Day. The comparability right here can be the six-year, $75 million extension the Braves gave Spencer Strider after his rookie season, which signifies that a Skenes deal begins at $100 million-plus. Worth noting: Forbes estimated the Pirates’ web working earnings in 2023 at $68 million. Spend Nutting, get Nutting.
It’s now been greater than 30 years because the Blue Jays received back-to-back World Series titles in 1992 and 1993, so a whole era of Jays followers have grown up with out reminiscences of these glory days. They went 21 years with out making the playoffs earlier than making consecutive ALCS appearances in 2015 and 2016. While that group was rapidly torn down, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette quickly arrived able to usher in a brand new golden period.
But that hasn’t fairly occurred. Yes, the Jays made the playoffs in 2020, 2022 and 2023, so it hasn’t been distress, however the Jays fell aside final season, going 74-88. They’ve been handed within the AL East pecking order by the Orioles and the Red Sox as effectively. And Guerrero and Bichette? Free brokers after 2025. Needing a bat, they pursued Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto the previous two offseasons, however after dropping out on Soto earlier this month, they adjusted by buying and selling for … Andres Gimenez, a second baseman with a .298 OBP and 9 house runs. He’s a lockdown defender, however the offense nonetheless wants assist.
The Blue Jays have elevated payroll the previous two seasons, even paying a luxurious tax for the primary time in 2023, however that was solely following years of underspending of their market dimension. The entrance workplace hasn’t found out tips on how to get the group over the hump and now, coming off a dropping season and failing to land Soto with Guerrero and Bichette maybe departing subsequent offseason, Toronto is perhaps staring into the abyss.
One of themes of this offseason is that the groups with safe native TV contracts are spending cash and going after free brokers whereas these golf equipment caught within the Diamond Sports Group fiasco are promoting their previous baseball playing cards simply to pay the payments. Guess which class the Twins fall into? They’re now one of many groups whose video games MLB will produce and distribute, which is the proper excuse for the Pohlad household to not spend one cent greater than needed, a household custom going again to Carl Pohlad’s buy of the group in 1984.
You know, I thought of placing the Guardians right here as a result of they spend even much less on payroll than the Twins — and I personally discover them extraordinarily irritating for by no means going above and past what you count on (that is on possession, not the entrance workplace). But not less than the Guardians often handle to, nonetheless, put a very good group on the sector, together with this previous season after they reached the ALCS. Cleveland at all times appears to overachieve, whereas Minnesota typically underachieves regardless of a proficient roster taking part in in what has traditionally been a smooth division.
In 2023, the Twins lastly ended their lengthy playoff winless streak — after which subsequently reduce payroll for 2024, blaming the TV scenario. It seems like they’ll sit out this offseason as effectively, as they have not finished something besides signal some guys to minor league contracts. That means their finest guess for 2025 will probably be hoping, as soon as once more, that Carlos Correa, Royce Lewis and Byron Buxton will keep wholesome. Rinse, repeat and cry tears of frustration, Twins followers.
White Sox followers did not count on the group to exit and signal Soto, Max Fried and Blake Snell after losing a modern-record 121 games — though, in idea, they might have tried one thing like that — however that solely conveys the hopelessness of the present scenario on the South Side. Since successful the World Series in 2005, the White Sox have simply three playoff appearances. This is a brand new degree of all-time low, nonetheless, and remarkably, they is perhaps simply as unhealthy in 2025.
Indeed, whereas GM Chris Getz appeared to do effectively within the Garrett Crochet commerce, that now means the 2 finest gamers from the 2024 group are gone — Crochet and Erick Fedde (traded on the deadline), who mixed for 8.8 WAR. The remainder of the group mixed for minus-2.2 WAR. Luis Robert Jr., the group’s third-best participant, is perhaps subsequent to go, though Chicago can be buying and selling low on him coming off a foul season. On prime of all that, the brand new anti-tanking draft guidelines imply the White Sox will probably be drafting tenth as an alternative of No. 1 general in July. Light on the finish of the tunnel? The White Sox aren’t even within the tunnel but.
You know what, although? These miserable conditions can flip round faster than folks understand. Heck, simply final 12 months, the Royals went from 56 wins in 2023 to the playoffs the next season, though the White Sox admittedly do not have a Bobby Witt Jr. on their roster. The Orioles went from 110 losses in 2021 to 101 wins in 2023. The Tigers misplaced 119 video games in 2003 and had been within the World Series three years later. It can occur.
Ha! You had been maybe anticipating to see the Cincinnati Reds right here, however Mariners followers have suffered a sure kind of aggrievement: the ache of falling just a bit bit brief with an possession unwilling to do just a bit bit extra. The Mariners have 4 straight successful seasons and did break that two decades-long playoff drought in 2022, however then they missed the playoffs by one win in 2023 after which one win in 2024.
With chairman John Stanton as soon as once more holding a line on payroll — the Mariners are operating decrease payrolls than they did in 2016 via 2018 — president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto’s arms are tied. That hasn’t stopped him earlier than, however to this point the Mariners have not made one main league transaction (aside from letting Jorge Polanco and Josh Rojas go). Meanwhile, the AL West is probably the most winnable it has been in years. The Astros received the division with simply 88 wins in 2024, traded Tucker and may lose Alex Bregman, too. Now is the time for the Mariners to pounce and add some offense. Instead: silence. There’s a cause why pissed off Mariners followers can purchase “.540” T-shirts — an homage to Dipoto notorious “win 54%” of your games comment.
The Angels had been as soon as a mannequin franchise. From 2002 to 2009, they made six playoff appearances in eight years and adopted that up with a bunch of successful seasons, together with a 98-win marketing campaign in 2014. Since then: nothing however unhealthy selections, unhealthy strikes, unhealthy participant growth and a complete bunch of losses. The Angels at the moment are using a streak of 9 consecutive dropping seasons together with a franchise-record 99 losses in 2024. They wasted the Mike Trout-Shohei Ohtani years. There isn’t any form of coherent plan from proprietor Arte Moreno or the entrance workplace, with Moreno’s interference a key cause for the last decade of failure.
The Angels have made strikes this offseason. They signed Kyle Hendricks (35 years previous) and Travis d’Arnaud (36 years previous) and traded for Jorge Soler (33 years previous). Their huge transfer has been signing lefty Yusei Kikuchi (34 years previous), who did end 2024 with 10 terrific begins for the Astros however has by no means had a 2-WAR season. Trading for Soler as a full-time DH means Trout has to play the outfield on an on a regular basis foundation, regardless that it is clear he must spend extra time at DH in an try to only preserve him within the lineup.
In different phrases, it is the same old seize bag of gamers, repeating the sample of current historical past that hasn’t labored. Of course, all that is in stark distinction to the success of the Dodgers, a reminder that the Angels might be doing the identical factor, with all the advantages of taking part in within the Los Angeles space with a big fan base (the Angels drew over 3 million followers yearly from 2003 to 2019). Indeed, simply over a decade in the past, it was the Dodgers who had been an entire mess, earlier than the Guggenheim group bought the franchise in 2012. That’s when the organizations splintered in reverse instructions. The Angels now have the longest playoff drought within the majors. Meanwhile, the Dodgers have made 12 consecutive journeys to the postseason and Angels followers have to look at Ohtani taking part in throughout city. Most pissed off fan base certainly.
