Why is DeWitt so cash-strapped?

[Goldfan]

For one thing the DeWits have partners. Remember the cards pay for all of the minor league teams and coaches. The Dodgers took in more money in LOCAL TV MONEY than the Cards did from all sources. The playing field is not level. The Cards spend based on income from all sources. The costs for a major league team are huge. It is the reason that the NBA and NFL went to a money sharing program.
Baseball will quickly reach a crossroads where small market teams will fold. The Pirates, Reds, Royals, Twins, Marlins, Tampa Rays, Nationals, Rockies are all in the same position. They can not go after the Big FAs and lose top prospects to FA just as they enter their most productive years.

The Dodgers spend at 70-75% of revenue. The Cardinals spend at around 40%.

[Voldemort]

DeWallet is making a business decision and nothing more. It isn't about winning a WS as much as it is to put a team on the field that goes into mid to late August still in the WC race. He might prefer even until early September but you get the point. He is making money.

[WLTFE]

DeWallet is making a business decision and nothing more. It isn't about winning a WS as much as it is to put a team on the field that goes into mid to late August still in the WC race. He might prefer even until early September but you get the point. He is making money.

+1..waiting for Baghdad Bob to show up with excuses...and watch the empty seats again next year.

[craviduce]

Research and Development took a back seat to payroll after the 2017 season. They've admitted they must fix the deficiencies.

This has been reported for a long time....Shady refuses to accept reality/truth/etc.

Payroll takes a step back while places like Palm Beach undergo major renovations...not just to the field but a world class clubhouse/rehab center as well.

That costs money...so does hiring more instructors per each squad....

if we're resetting/rebuilding, and if we're trying to get up to speed with the R&D....why on earth do you expect the team to spend?

[OldRed]

The question you need to ask is how much revenue the Dodgers pull in from their TV rights.

Bingo. The playing field isn’t level.

They will become the St. Louis Browns of years ago if they spend wisely.

[Clubmaker2]

Research and Development took a back seat to payroll after the 2017 season. They've admitted they must fix the deficiencies.

This has been reported for a long time....Shady refuses to accept reality/truth/etc.

Payroll takes a step back while places like Palm Beach undergo major renovations...not just to the field but a world class clubhouse/rehab center as well.

That costs money...so does hiring more instructors per each squad....

if we're resetting/rebuilding, and if we're trying to get up to speed with the R&D....why on earth do you expect the team to spend?

Dewitt did not overspend on payroll the unspent money of infrastructure neglect, they just pocketed it already and bankrolled "dry powder. " Yet, the story is future salary cuts rather than unpocketing the money of infrastructure neglect or dry powder. Fans still being taken this very moment.

[ScotchMIrish]

When allocating needed money to improve the Cardinals. Isn't he a billionaire? The Dodgers spent $300 million this season on salaries. They've won the last two World Series. The Cardinals haven't even been to the playoffs for the last three seasons. DeWitt needs to put 2 and 2 together.

TV deal is a big reason. That has impacted attendance. It also appears III is in the process of replacing Jr at the helm. There could be a different philosophy.

[CorneliusWolfe]

When allocating needed money to improve the Cardinals. Isn't he a billionaire? The Dodgers spent $300 million this season on salaries. They've won the last two World Series. The Cardinals haven't even been to the playoffs for the last three seasons. DeWitt needs to put 2 and 2 together.

DeWitt could spend 200M a year on payroll and not miss a penny of it.

The money he received from revenue sharing alone was around $200 million last year from teams like the big bad Dodgers. You are correct, he wouldn’t miss a dime.

Instead of reinvesting these funds into the team as intended to create competitive balance they pocket it and blame the fans for not supporting the team.

That money should be returned to the pool if they aren’t going to use it for the betterment of the sport. Everyone calling for a salary cap should instead call for mandates to implement the mechanisms already in place to maintain competitive balance. No one is imposing a revenue cap on greedy owners so why should the employees, the players fans actually pay to see, be limited by a salary cap?

[CorneliusWolfe]

200 mil was like the league distribution to each team in about 2023. On average that was like 52 percent of a teams annual revenue. And dont forget, ball park village money is made outside of all this. Mo wasted too much money, but what is happening now is shameful lack of competing and lack of wise spending, and just pocketing money. If Bill wont spend, why does it matter that he owns the team, sell it to anyone who worst case wont spend money just like Bill lol. Is the dry powder all mia? Was dry powder the biggest fraud in history lol?

Dry powder, payroll muscle, low hanging fruit, winning isn’t most important, payroll correlates to fan attendance, and the list of Mo-isms go on and on. And the front office (donkey) kissers eat that [shirt] up and treat the team budget like it’s their own broke (donkey) home budget.

[Melville]

When allocating needed money to improve the Cardinals. Isn't he a billionaire? The Dodgers spent $300 million this season on salaries. They've won the last two World Series. The Cardinals haven't even been to the playoffs for the last three seasons. DeWitt needs to put 2 and 2 together.

DeWitt could spend 200M a year on payroll and not miss a penny of it.

The money he received from revenue sharing alone was around $200 million last year from teams like the big bad Dodgers. You are correct, he wouldn’t miss a dime.

Instead of reinvesting these funds into the team as intended to create competitive balance they pocket it and blame the fans for not supporting the team.

That money should be returned to the pool if they aren’t going to use it for the betterment of the sport. Everyone calling for a salary cap should instead call for mandates to implement the mechanisms already in place to maintain competitive balance. No one is imposing a revenue cap on greedy owners so why should the employees, the players fans actually pay to see, be limited by a salary cap?

Only about 10 MLB team spend 50% of their revenue of player payroll, and 50% payroll investment is historically required to be competitive.
In other words, 2/3 of MLB teams intentionally underspend.
STL is currently one of the most egregious in that regard.
Estimates put the Cardinals' revenue around 370M in 2024 (note: this does not include the $100M+ revenue generated by Ballpark Village) and 2025 payroll was around 130M.
In other words, DeWitt underspent by at least 50M this past season - and probably closer to $75M.
How much talent could have been added to the roster for $50-75M?
Based on departing FA payroll subtraction and arbitration raises, payroll for 2026 will drop by another 15-20M to around 115M if no additions are made.
Bottom line.
MLB is broken.
There are several easy fixes to the problem.
But neither the owners nor the players have any desire or intention of ever doing so.

[Ace07]

As attendance/ticket sales/revenues started decreasing, they have decreased spending hand in hand. Doesn't appear they will invest another penny of their own money over "budget" to re-invest in the organization.

[JuanAgosto]

BDW has decided to go cheap. He let an idiot throw away millions on stupid contracts because they were trying to be cute overspending on lesser talent instead of chasing the bigger stars.

Now years of 3 million plus attendance is being rewarded with higher ticket prices and a non-competetive roster. Ownership and the front office has taken fan loyalty for granted. Arrogance has brought disdain for the fans from the DeWitts and Mozeliak. Sad but true. Hopefully, Bloom doesn't have the same sentiments.

[CorneliusWolfe]

As attendance/ticket sales/revenues started decreasing, they have decreased spending hand in hand. Doesn't appear they will invest another penny of their own money over "budget" to re-invest in the organization.

You are right, but it’s wrong. BDW paid 150 million for a team now valued at 2.55 billion. Where’s the reward for that? The fans consistently packed the house when they had a team they believed in and it didn’t even require a top 10 payroll. His “budget” is a self imposed number that does not cover the cost of a premium product.

[Cranny]

As attendance/ticket sales/revenues started decreasing, they have decreased spending hand in hand. Doesn't appear they will invest another penny of their own money over "budget" to re-invest in the organization.

You are right, but it’s wrong. BDW paid 150 million for a team now valued at 2.55 billion. Where’s the reward for that? The fans consistently packed the house when they had a team they believed in and it didn’t even require a top 10 payroll. His “budget” is a self imposed number that does not cover the cost of a premium product.

Businesses have to stand on their own.

[CorneliusWolfe]

As attendance/ticket sales/revenues started decreasing, they have decreased spending hand in hand. Doesn't appear they will invest another penny of their own money over "budget" to re-invest in the organization.

You are right, but it’s wrong. BDW paid 150 million for a team now valued at 2.55 billion. Where’s the reward for that? The fans consistently packed the house when they had a team they believed in and it didn’t even require a top 10 payroll. His “budget” is a self imposed number that does not cover the cost of a premium product.

Businesses have to stand on their own.

Teams are like states and MLB is like a federal government. They are providing subsidies taken from the rich states and giving to the “poor” states with the intent of creating competitive balance. And the Cardinals and many other of these supposed poor teams are abusing the system by not reinvesting. They’re “standing on their own” alright. Everyone can keep blaming the big spenders though.

[Whatashame]

As attendance/ticket sales/revenues started decreasing, they have decreased spending hand in hand. Doesn't appear they will invest another penny of their own money over "budget" to re-invest in the organization.

You are right, but it’s wrong. BDW paid 150 million for a team now valued at 2.55 billion. Where’s the reward for that? The fans consistently packed the house when they had a team they believed in and it didn’t even require a top 10 payroll. His “budget” is a self imposed number that does not cover the cost of a premium product.

To be perfectly honest. BDW bought the Cardinals AND the two parking garages adjacent to the stadium for 150 million dollars. He then sold the two garages for 75 million dollars. The cost of the Cardinals to BDW was only 75 million dollars after the sale of the garages. Makes a good deal even better. The team and the stadium for 75 million.