2022 MLB season a stark case of haves and have-nots

It is no secret that Major League Baseball has a tanking problem. There are several MLB teams that just do not have any interest in attempting to win, aiming for as many high draft picks as possible to look to maybe contend years down the road. There are also those teams, such as the A’s, who sell everything off periodically due to ownership’s greed.

This is also something that the league is aware of. The league is instituting a draft lottery for 2023, with the top six picks selected at random. In theory, that will give teams less of an incentive to tank for draft position. Instead, they will just need to worry about the John Fisher’s of the league.

The haves and have-nots still exist in MLB

While the intent is certainly admirable, the reality has not matched expectations. As Buster Olney pointed out, there is a major gulf between the top and bottom teams. Seven MLB teams are on pace to win at least 100 games this season; meanwhile, six other teams are on pace for at least 100 losses.

In some cases, this is just due to sheer incompetence of disappointing while on the diamond. The Royals, Red Sox, Tigers, and Cubs all had designs on contending this season. It speaks volumes to their struggles that they are below teams that simply do not care about the product on the diamond.

But it also shows that the gulf is still there. The Red Sox are going to find themselves back in the playoff hunt, even if it is in 2023. For those other teams, that surge up the standings could take some time. And that upper echelon, where the Yankees, Dodgers, and Mets reside, may not change for a long time.

Major League Baseball tried to do away with tanking. The problem is that there is still a drastic gap between the MLB haves and have-nots.