Sorry to go off on a tangent here, but this pisses me off every time I see a reference to it.
Why the hell are the Orioles having to pay the Nationals that much every year? It just makes it that much harder for the Braves (and the rest of the division for that matter) to compete when the richest team in the league is getting subsidies on top of their already sufficient revenues.
I agree, but although money might buy you a ticket to the promised land it doesn't guarantee it. I'm personally content to watch Washington strangle itself with large contracts. Look how well it's worked out with Werth and Zimmerman.
Also, richest team in the division, maybe, for a while -- but that'll eventually change when NYM becomes solvent and we see what revenues in Cobb look like.