Part 7/10:
The broader issue of competition within the free agency arena also merits attention. Historically, only a select few teams consistently engage in bidding for top-tier free agents. The Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, and Mets are typical front-runners, while other franchises often retreat into a conservative spending strategy, largely due to their ownership's desire to maintain financial flexibility. Even when lower-market teams possess the financial capacity to invest, the prevailing narrative often leads them to forgo this opportunity.
The reluctance to compete for elite talent means that significant players frequently find themselves signed to contracts well below their market value, reflecting a broader economic disparity among teams.