How much of a team's payroll should go to starting pitching?

Is there a magic number for how much of a team's payroll should be spent on their starting rotation?

Brian Kenny looks at the 2019 Nationals and other contending teams around baseball.

[kevinandrewsphoto]

This is it. Perfect understanding of modern day baseball YouTube sprinkled with that classic sportcenter feel and narration. ESPN lagging hard on sports media, going all in on drama and arguing. This is the media we want

[cadeschumacher]

This segment is something I love about baseball. It shows that you can win so many different ways with different pieces and philosophies on how to win.

[markroberts]

I enjoyed Brian Kenny's analysis of the stats in baseball. That's how you learn and how you improve by looking at the numbers and seeing where you're strong or weak

[BeefPapa]

These segments are what sets MLB network apart from the other pro league channels.

[JulianWyllie]

I like this segment, especially because it doesn't definitively say one way is needed to win.

[darktitan_]

You should have done the Brewers as an example. They have the best big 3 in the game, and they're paying tiny money for that best big 3.

Freddy Peralta, Corbin Burnes, and Brandon Woodruff have a combined sub 2.00 ERA. That's the best in the game - and that's crazy considering this:

Brewers have a $93M payroll - that's 21st in baseball. This year, they're spending $3.3M on Woodruff, $1.2M on Peralta, and (get this) 608K on Burnes. That adds up to $5.1M which is 5.5% of their payroll.

If I were the Brewers, I'd make some big trades at the trade deadline. Go out and get some good bats (Story? Frazier? etc.) and perhaps a bullpen arm, and take a shot at a deep playoff run. If they win the Central and make a few good trades, with that big three... I'd be scared of having to play the Brewers in October.

[benjaminmichael]

I love these segments. Happy they're being recommended to me.

[tkillcoin]

I would have loved to have seen the 2018 Red Sox in this discussion. Like the Nationals and the Dodgers, they won a title. And more akin to the Nationals, they had a Big 3, which they spent Big 3 money on. You could also toss in the Yankees of recent years, the '17 Astros, or any of the A's teams from the last few years to really round the discussion out. I'd also be curious to see the complete opposite of the spectrum: the losers. How/if the payroll allotment of the Royals, Tigers, or Orioles compares, just to get a complete picture. Of course, what I'm talking about would be a MUCH longer segment, so....

[RVAND]

What we've learned is that you need a big 3. If you don't happen to have a way of getting one for cheap (such as player development or buying low) then you oughta be prepared to spend, because if you can't get consistent, solid starts in the playoffs you'll be beaten by a team who can.

[gkdunch]

60 percent, you can small ball runs, but you can't small ball quality pitching

[mclew]

You have to buy into 1 of 2 philosophies really & that is if you have a home grown big 3 on controllable deals then spend like hell on hitters, if you've drafted a bunch of controllable hitters then go out & spend the big money on a big 3. Ideally in the spell you have that together you find young replacements for the side you had to pay so when those guys on controllable contracts come up then you can pay them & get the other half cheap

[Hustles]

Starting pitching always trumps everything. Just gotta keep em healthy.

[booce]

Looks at Rays: "great, what if it had money"

DODGERS

[dcstrong]

All that matters is pitching, doesn't matter if it's bullpen like the Royals or Rays or starting like the Nats or the Dodgers but quality pitching is what matters most in the postseason.

[jsXanatos]

spend all of your money on the next homer bailey, reds style

[reaganabroad]

I love Brian Kenny, but I think this segment is silly. FA SPs and pre-FA SP's are two completely different things. I think it depends on team need.

[JayJX]

Blue Jays could learn a thing or two here

They got possibly one of the greatest under 25 players in the league and they're wasting what looks like an MVP season because the bullpen is a monstrosity

[travisrowe]

You have to figure in whether or not the pitchers are still arb eligible or free agents. HUGE factor

[TreyM]

Big 3, remember a few guys called Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz? With 1-2 decent RP’s I know they didn’t start a dynasty but those are 3 got them there but you don’t have to spend the high $ to get those type pitchers. Just have to be selective

[runvnc]

It mainly shows that salary and performance are not as directly related as people would like to believe. I would like to see a stat like Earned Runs Per Million Dollars or maybe Million Dollars Per Earned Run. Or ERA/annual salary. But if all the pitchers are a good value, you may overall come out ahead especially when you look at the whole roster.