Successive Toronto Blue Jays general managers during the past 15 years have complained that it's difficult to win while being one of the lower-spending teams in Major League Baseball. It was hard to disagree. The free-spending New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox have dominated the Jays' division, the American League, and baseball in general as of late. But the Tampa Bay Rays' ascent to the top of the division this year proves you can win with a paltry payroll if — and it's a big if — you have the right players, the right general manager and a bit of luck.

Tampa's US$44-million payroll was the league's second lowest, behind only the Florida Marlins, yet it compiled the third-best winning percentage. Toronto spent nearly US$4100 million this year, up substantially from the US$46 million it spent in 2005, but for all that extra dough the Jays were still well out of the playoff race by mid-summer. Oh sure, the Jays weren't mathematically eliminated until September 21, but only their biggest apologists believe they were playing meaningful games until then. The Jays finished with a record of 86 wins and 76 losses, 11 games back of the first-place Rays and nine games out of the wildcard spot occupied by the Red Sox.

What's worse, general manager J.P. Riccardi's crew didn't finish third in its division, as it has in seven of the past 10 years, but fourth, ahead of only a woeful Baltimore Orioles team that hasn't had a winning record since 1997. But let's not be too hard on J.P. The Jays had the 12th-highest payroll and finished in a tie for the 12th-best record. Seven of the teams better than the Jays spent more money, but so did the Rays, Philadelphia PhilliesMilwaukee BrewersMinnesota Twins, all of which made the playoffs if you count the one-game play-in.

For the money team owner Ted Rogers is laying out, the Jays are underachievers. But for Rogers (who also owns Canadian Business Online), the Jays and the stadium they play in provide content for Sportsnet and a platform to sell his company's wireless, television and Internet services. If that were worth a lot, you'd expect that attending a game wouldn't be so expensive. A family of four can expect to pay an average of US$230.46 to watch a Jays game, according to Team Marketing Report's annual Fan Cost Index, which includes the price of tickets, food and drink and souvenirs. That's the fifth-highest outlay in the league and almost US$100 more than fans shell out in Tampa. Above the Jays are the New York Yankees and New York Mets, Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs — all competitive teams in world-class markets, although the two in New York came up short on the field this year. The Jays are simply not worth your money to watch live, especially if you want to see a winner. (Our own admittedly unscientific Fan Value Index puts them 19th out of 30 teams.)

A large part of that has to be put at the feet of Riccardi, who hasn't really improved the team during his tenure. Injuries have played a part, but so, too, have poor signing decisions, especially on the offensive side. Few of Riccardi's high-profile free agent deals and trades have worked out especially well at the plate. And superstar outfielder Vernon Wells has suffered through two injury-plagued seasons that make the seven-year, US$126-million contract extension he signed in 2006 look like a very bad deal. In 2011 Wells will get US$23 million, and then US$21 million in each of the three seasons following that. That will hamstring whoever replaces Riccardi when his contract ends in 2010.

In Riccardi's defence, the Jays have developed the league's best pitching staff despite some key injuries and its relative youth. But A.J. Burnett may split for fatter paycheques and promising Shaun Marcum is out until 2010 with an injury. That's two-fifths of the starting rotation, something that will be difficult to replace. With the pitchers in flux, it will be up to the hitters to score some runs — certainly a lot more than they managed this year — or the Jays can start their off-season training in July again next year.