The Dodgers versus the Angels

The Dodgers announced that they were giving Tony Gwynn (Jr!!!) a 2 year 2 million dollar deal. He had a 1.1 WAR in 2011, and a .9 WAR average over the past 3 years. This is worth 2.7 million a year according to the Halladay Standard, so this is actually a good deal for the Dodgers. However, there was something that caught my eye:

Jim Bowden of ESPN tweeted
Dodgers will pay Harang,Capuano,Ellis, Hairston,Gwynn,Treanor,Kennedy,Rivera,Uribe more than Angels pay Pujols this year
So here are their 2011 WARs:

Harang 1.9
Capuano 1.7
Treanor -.2
Kennedy .4
Rivera -.5
Uribe -.1
Ellis .9
Hairston 1.6
Overall: 7.6 WAR (including Gwynn above)

Pujols 7.1 WAR average over the past 3 years

I wrote a few months back that Pujols was worth about 23 million dollars, and that it doesn't even make sense to invest that much money in one player. So obviously the Angels paid too much money, and giving a player 10 years is ridiculous. However, it just shows the two totally different directions the two LA teams are going.

Dumb Dodgers: Juan Rivera

The Dodgers resigned Juan Rivera for 4.5 million dollars for 1 year (with an club option in 2013). Rivera had a -.5 WAR in 2011, as he was -1.2 WAR with the Blue Jays, and .7 with the Dodgers in 246 PA (Would be 1.7 WAR if given 600 PA, worth 5.1 million). In the past 3 years, Rivera has a .6 WAR average, which is worth 1.8 million dollars according to the Halladay Standard. Rivera has just a 3.3 WAR in 11 years, just a .3 WAR average, worth 900,000. In his career, he has a .327 OBP, .776 OPS, 2.81 PAPP, 84.08 PPS, and 1.08 PPG. This is a simple WAR of .64 for his career, and as he averages a -.21 D-WAR per year (his .983 fielding percentage in the outfield is under league average, and his range factor is also less than average. Not only is he an under average fielder, he is below replacement at fielding), he is down to a .43 WAR, which is worth 1.29 million. So already at the outset, the only hope that the Dodgers have is that his short time with LA is not fluky and it bucks the trend of his 11 year career. With the Dodgers, he had a .333 OBP, .740 OPS, 2.82 PAPP, and 1.24 PPG. He had a .299 BABIP versus his career .283 BABIP, which should wipe-out his extra OBP. He had a below average slugging at .406, below average extra base hitting percentage at 7.3%, and below average at hitting home runs too. His Offensive winning percentage was .531 (.483 in his career), but he still didn't have a good Secondary Average at .233 or ISO at .132. Even with the Dodgers, he still kinda sucked. There isn't much to justify this signing. A National League team (with money and ownership problems) gives 4.5 million dollars to a player who is a terrible fielder, average at getting on-base, and average to below average power. Makes tons of sense.

Why the Yankees win Pennants and the Mariners do not

Well first off money. The Yankees always outspend everyone in the major leagues (the Mariners are 18th in payroll).

But also: Last week the Mariners cut Aaron Laffey, a 26 year old lefty pitcher who has both started and relieved in the major leagues. His crime: having a 4.01 ERA in 36 relief appearances with a 1-1 record. His WAR was .3 as a Mariner (their all-star closer League has a Wins Above Replacement of .9, Mariano Rivera has a 2.8). He was helping them more than he was hurting them, is young, and could be a starter for them in the future. Not to mention, they cut him right before rosters expanded. The Yankees of course, gobbled him up and are more than happy to have the lefty in the bullpen. This doesn't have anything to do with money either. Laffey's contract: 
1 years / $431.60k