As a baseball fan almost completely bored by the current NFL season, I couldn’t be happier that general managers, at the behest of their bosses, are finally opening their wallets and spending big time on free agents.

As friends keep reminding me, it’s not my money and the spending is in indication of how well the game is doing. And as I keep telling everyone within earshot, I gain nothing if these guys make billions. They are neither friends nor relatives.

Since the ad revenue and the deals with legalized sports betting are funding all of this, it’s not going to cost the average fan a dime, right? Ultimately, we believe the teams and owners that spend the most, care the most about winning.

That might be a philosophical question best debated in the local watering hole. Are we allowed to refer to drinking establishments as such or is that verboten? Is adhering to some sort of a budget, really sound business?

The Yankees have upped the ante when it comes to the Astros by resigning AL MVP, Aaron Judge to a 9-year, $360 million deal and lefty starter, Carlos Rodon, for $162m for 6 years.

One might think those moves coupled with an already well paid team, should be enough to get them past their new nemesis, the Astros, given that Houston lost CY winner, Justin Verlander.

The Yankees former hated rivals, the Red Sox, used to spend like crazy, but their former GM is now spending big bucks for and with the Philadelphia Phillies. Dave Dombrowski signed one of the top free agent shortstops in Trea Turner to an absurd amount of money (11years $300m). They also signed Rhp Taijuan Walker to a 4/$72m deal.

Both the Giants and Padres are making things interesting in the NL West where the Dodgers dominance appears to be weakening. The Pads eliminated the Dodgers in the playoffs last year and the Giants stepped up their game by swooping in on Carlos Correa after San Diego signed Xander Bogaerts to a mega-deal despite having 17 shortstops on their 26-man roster.

For their part, the Mets have kept up with their NL rivals and crosstown foes, the Yankees. To keep things simple, all of the following contracts are in the millions. Japanese pitcher, Kodai Senga-5/75M, 3-time CY, Justin Verlander-2/86.7M, outfielder, Brandon Nimmo-8/162M, pitcher Jose Quintana-2/26M, closer Edwin Diaz-5/102M.

Getting to the postseason isn’t enough for any of these teams. They’re spending to win it all. Ultimately, the big money guys have to play to their expectations. And unless MLB changes the rules, only one team can win it all. Somebody is going to look awful foolish spending all this money and not winning it all.

Can anyone not on this list realistically compete in 2023? Will the White Sox surprise the baseball world now that they’ve (reportedly) agreed to a 5-year, $75 million deal with outfielder Andrew Benintendi?

It’s great being a Cubs fan right now as Carter Hawkins and Jed Hoyer tiptoe through the tulips. It’s great to be circumspect when shopping, but eventually all of the better players are going to be off the market and the winnable NL Central won’t be a sure thing and a ticket to the expanded postseason.

Editor’s note: Benintendi was my midseason pick to win the AL batting crown. The Yankees mistakenly thought they were acquiring the next Brett Gardner last year.