Small-market teams defy popular thinking

In baseball, success at the team level demands a high payroll. Or so we're told. Ad nauseam.

The Yankees and their boundless coffers are on an unswerving course for the belt and the title every year, and even when reality gets in the way (let us remember the Yankees have only one championship in the past decade) people still say the same things.

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Of course, this has never been particularly true, and in 2010 another batch of teams is disproving the notion that you must spend to win. In fact, if the season ended today, then four of the eight playoff teams would rank in the bottom half of the league in payroll. (A fifth team in playoff position — Atlanta — ranks 15th in payroll.) The latest four teams to disprove the tired notion that money carries the day in baseball are the Rays, Rangers, Reds and Padres. (Surprised not to see the Twins on this list? They actually ranked 10th in Opening Day payroll, which goes to show that payroll levels are fluid things.) Anyhow, let's quickly break down these four upstarts ...

Cincinnati Reds

Opening Day Payroll Rank: 20th

Team OPS+ Rank : 2nd in NL
Team ERA+ Rank: 7th in NL
Team Defensive Efficiency Rank: 2nd in NL

Joey Votto might wind up being the NL MVP, Scott Rolen has been exceptional, the rotation has been better than most expected, and the bench has been perhaps tops in all of baseball.

More generally, Cincy leads the NL in runs scored, and their attack isn't just the product of a hitter-friendly ballpark — they rank second in the NL in road OPS and, as you can see above, second in OPS+, which is a park-adjusted metric.

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Concerns: Mike Leake's workload is perhaps troublesome, and the bullpen (save for Arthur Rhodes) has been inconsistent. Still, CoolStandings.com gives Cincy a 73.2% chance of making the postseason for the first time since 1995. That's great news for a great baseball town.

San Diego Padres

Opening Day Payroll Rank: 29th

Team OPS+ Rank: 5th in NL
Team ERA+ Rank: 4th in NL
Team Defensive Efficiency Rank: 1st in NL

Without question, the Padres are the surprise team of 2010. Second-lowest payroll in the game? Tough division? Recent upheaval in the front office? None of it has kept the Pads from defying odds and expectations — not even the fact that the Giants and Dodgers have payrolls almost three times as large.

San Diego boasts the best bullpen in the NL, Mat Latos has emerged as a 22-year-old ace, and the deadline addition of Ryan Ludwick figures to provide sorely needed pop from the outfield corners. It's entirely possible they'll wind up with the best record in the National League.

Tampa Bay Rays

Opening Day Payroll Rank: 19th

Team OPS+ Rank: 8th in AL
Team ERA+ Rank: 2nd in AL
Team Defensive Efficiency Rank: 2nd in AL

The Rays are one of the youngest teams in the league, and they're also one of the best teams in the league. Generally speaking, the Rays do everything well. They've given up the fewest runs in the AL and they rank third in runs scored.

They do have some concerns — James Shields isn't living up to expectations, there's not much in the way of left-handed relief and Jeff Niemann and Wade Davis both have shoulder issues.

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However, the Rays, despite being outspent by the Yankees by, oh, $135 million or so, are in the the thick of the AL East race and have a firm grip on the AL wild-card spot. The best organization in baseball? You can make such a case.

Texas Rangers

Opening Day Payroll Rank: 27th

Team OPS+ Rank: 5th in AL
Team ERA+ Rank: 1st in AL
Team Defensive Efficiency Rank: 4th in AL

Given the financial uncertainties in Arlington, it's perhaps surprising that the Rangers are in the running for "best team in baseball." Perhaps nothing crystallizes the improved state of affairs quite like the pitching staff. For years, the Rangers struggled to develop/sign/concoct reliable pitching, but this season, as you can see above, they lead the AL in ERA+. Does any team have four starters who have been as good as Cliff Lee, C.J. Wilson, Colby Lewis and Tommy Hunter? And we all know about Neftali Feliz's upside.

The Rangers have the largest division lead in baseball, and given the strength of the farm system and the new ownership group in place, this team figures to contend for years to come.

So what do these four frugal clubs have in common?

They tend to be younger than the mean, they tend to pitch well, and they're all among the best defensive teams in the game.

Really, though, the secret to winning on a budget is the same as it's ever been — you need a resourceful front office, a manager capable of handling rising young stars and vets alike, and a scouting-and-development apparatus that allows you to fill spots cheaply and from within.

This season, the Reds, Padres, Rangers and Rays are doing those things better than anyone else.