NEW YORK — When the dust began settling on what had been the wildest two weeks of spending in baseball history, Steve Cohen had emerged with a payroll of over $340 million and Hal Steinbrenner had shelled out $522 million on two players alone in Aaron Judge and Carlos Rodon.
For New York baseball fans, there has never been a holiday season like this, with Santa Clauses in both the Bronx and Queens doing what it takes to spread joy and winning all the way to next October. Going all the way back to the advent of free agency in 1976, this had always been the baseball lords’ biggest fear; that the large-market clubs in New York would flex their considerable financial muscles and bury their small and middle market cohorts. Only this year it was very different.
Yes, the Mets payroll — which will project to over $415 million when the 90% surcharge on every penny exceeding $293 million is factored in — is hideous. And believe it, the other owners, most of whom didn’t want Cohen as part of their fraternity in the first place, were furious when he soared over a record $300 million in only his second year as owner.
