Rays Say Payroll Once Again "Unsustainable"

Rays' GM Andrew Friedman once again said a $70+ million payroll was "unsustainable," but owner Stu Sternberg was going to stretch his wallet this year:

Friedman said payroll is not sustainable but #Rays have chance to be "great" in 2014 and "That’s why we’re doing what we’re doing."
— RMooneyTBO (@RMooneyTBO) January 3, 2014

#Rays Friedman said that's an "unaffordable figure for our franchise" but shows Sternberg's committment to winning
— RMooneyTBO (@RMooneyTBO) January 3, 2014

It's a nice olive branch for Rays fans, but the comments are nothing new.

In 2010, after the Rays signed Rafael Soriano, Friedman said the team "has no flexibility."  They went on to win the AL East.

Friedman also said the team's high payroll would be "stealing" from future years (i.e. 2011).  However, the next year, the team went on to win the Wild Card.

And the team has repeatedly shown it doesn't need to sustain a $70M payroll to sustain success.
In fact, following the 2011 season, Friedman acknowledged modest success and competitive teams may be sustainable.

Its a huge testament to the Rays' front office, and I'm sure Friedman gets frustrated at times not being able to spend like his AL East counterparts.  And no doubt, spending more gives you more margin of error.

But baseball created a system of inequity and there will always be "have nots" that cannot spend like the "have's." 

Friedman's comments are just another subtle reminder that the team wants help from the region to balance its budget.

But there's hope on the horizon, as the Rays are in-line for a new TV deal in 2017.  And who knows, they may even sell more beer in the bleachers in 2014.