ESPN had some nice stats showing 2004's power numbers vs 2003 and 2002 since MLB inplemented the steroid policy this year. Interestingly, the MLB averaqge numbers continued to climb all the years:

------------------------2004---2003---2002
Homers Per Game- 1.123--1.071--1.043 = ave 1.079
Runs per game---- 4.814--4.728--4.618 = ave 4.72
Doubles per game- 1.837--1.816--1.793 = ave 1.815
Aggregate SLG----- .428----.422----.417 = ave 4.22

But, look at the Pirates:

Homers:--------------- .8820--1.006--.8820 = ave 0.923
Runs:----------------- 4.224--4.648--3.981= ave 4.282
Doubles:------------- 1.658--1.698--1.634 = ave 1.663
SLG:-------------------..401----.420---.381 = ave .401

The difference is obvious.. but, let's look a bit closer at the differences..

Homers -- MLB = 1.079 -- Pitt = 0.923 -- dif = -14.5%
Runs -- MLB = 4.72 -- Pitt = 4.282 -- dif = -9.3%
Doubles -- MLB = 1.815 -- Pitt = 1.663 -- diff = -8.4%
SLG -- MLB = .422 -- Pitt = .401 -- diff = -5%

Total average diff = -9.3%

Now, average payroll for Pitt for those 3 years was $43,121.319.00 (source USA Today)

Average MLB team payroll for those 3 years was $70,054,501.00

The payroll difference is 38.5% !!!

This is what the Nuttings see.. they paid 38.5% less than the average MLB team payroll and received nearly equivalent power numbers (a difference of only 9.3%). Anybody else know Billy Beane? Player productivity on the Pirates is significantly higher than most other MLB teams in the bottom 50% of team payrolls.

Either the players need to wake up and realize they are out performing other similarly paid players by a long shot and not getting anywhere (ie: Jack fighting for a few dollars in arbitration), or the org will continue to pay less and less expecting more and more.. at some point or another in time, this HAS to break. Will 2005 be the year? Is all the DL activity a start of the showdown? Hmm...???

---

Edited 10/8/2004 8:17 pm ET by sunnfun3