New York Yankees are Not the Highest Payroll Team in the MLB for First Time in 15 Years

One of the most prevalent conversations that always springs up about baseball right before the season starts is that money buys all the championships.

Well, that isn't completely true. Just look at the past couple of years.

But this isn't a debate about money buying championships. This is fact.

The New York Yankees DO NOT have the highest payroll in Major League Baseball. In fact, they are now second for the first time in 15 years. If the debate about money buying championships continues, I just want to point out that for 15 years (1999) the Yankees have only won three World Series titles in that period (1999, 2000, 2009), but I digress.

The highest payroll in the MLB now belongs to the Los Angeles Dodgers. According to ESPN.com the average member of the team makes $4 million, and the total payroll for the Dodgers is around $235 million. The Yankees? Second place with $204 million.

If you apply that money to last year's win total:

Dodgers - $235,000,000 divided by 92 wins = $2,554,347.83 per win. (No World Series Title)

Yankees - $204,000,000 divided by 85 wins = $2,400,000 per win (No World Series Title)

That's a lot of money per win. Being that it's spring, we might as well book both of these teams to the World Series with the Dodgers winning by six. Hey, just look at the money.