I honestly didn't care a bit about baseball growing up. Through the 80's i lived in cleveland and through the 90's i lived in michigan. Not much to root for baseball wise.

I think the yankees need to be taken down quite a few pegs however. I have actively rooted against them since they spent umpteen million dollars on A-Rod. Any team that is willing to basically buy a championship can kiss my ass. I love it when anyone who's too rich for their britches gets humiliated.

I apologize to all the yankees fans out there, but you guys honestly don't know any better. (Well you could always become Mets fans)

Tim, you are absolutely right - it has to be talked about.

I am not happy about the events of the past few weeks. Spending almost a 1/2 billion for 3 humans who are good at one thing. Ugh. Please, it's ridiculous.
That's stating the obvious.

When you're dealing with the Yankees I think you have to take out all reason and accountability. (To steal from "As good as it gets.") They make a ton of money and they spend a ton of money. They will do as they please, when it pleases them. And it pleases them greatly to win. And win World Series. This keeps their cable station ratings high, keep their new luxury boxes occupied, keep their merchandise selling like hot cakes worldwide and keep the money rolling in.

The way they act has been affecting baseball for the last 8 years. But rest assured, they will get theirs at some point. They will have their down years. If not this year - at the hands of the Rays or Red Sox - then in 5 - 10 by something else.
Till then, the other teams need to do what they need to do to survive. Take a hand from the Rays, A's and Red Sox. Draft them young. Lock them up with decent contracts when they are so you'll keep them in their prime. And then keeps drafting replacements.

And yes, I will be very happy if they win the World Series. I'll know money had a big hand in it. But I'll still be thrilled.

PS - I found this article interesting. it won't change your mind but it made me think a little differently about Yankee Economics.

http://nymag.com/news/intelligencer/52936/

Found this interesting as well from Sean Patrick, the sports director at News Talk 780 KOH...

"I have been a fan since birth. Thirty-nine years ago, my parents brought me home from the hospital in a Yankee hat. I love that the Yankees have the highest payroll in baseball. I love that they have just added the three best free agents on the market, CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Mark Teixeira. I know you're jealous and you hate the Yankees. I don't care.

The Yankees are playing within the rules allowed by Major League Baseball. There is no salary cap in the majors. Teams can pay whatever they want for whomever they want. The Yankees epitomize capitalism. You only wish your owner had the same will to win as the Yankees' owners do. The Yankees realize that you have to spend money in this world to make money. Is Bill Gates evil? What about Oprah Winfrey? Barack Obama just spent $600 million dollars to get a job that pays $400,000 per year and everybody loves him.

Agreed, the Yankees operate at a level that many teams cannot. They have their own television network. They are moving into a brand new $1.3 billion stadium. They can charge $2,500 per seat for 81 home games. It's simple economics.

The Yankees spend their money at a great cost to themselves. While they top the majors with a payroll around $200 million, they also have to pay a luxury tax for that privilege. New York will pay nearly $28 million in luxury tax for this past season. Where does this luxury tax money go? It's distributed equally to the other 29 teams in baseball. What do many of those teams do with that extra million dollars provided to them by the Yankees? Most pocket the money. They do not reinvest it into better players for their respective teams. So who are the greedy ones?

While the Yankees have had the highest payroll in the majors for some time, just as many teams in recent history have bought championships. For example, the Boston Red Sox. Let's look at the major players on their two World Series winners. Pedro Martinez, Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, Curt Schilling, Mike Lowell, Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Julio Lugo and J.D. Drew all were either high-priced free agents or stolen from supposedly cash-strapped teams in salary dumps. The Red Sox's titles were bought as well.

So I say don't hate the Yankees. Rejoice in the free-market system. They play well within the rules. They are no different than the Dallas Cowboys, the Boston Celtics, the Detroit Red Wings, or for that matter, the Red Sox. All of those teams has an owner that will spend the money to compete for a title. The difference is the Yankees have done it better than anybody. Twenty-six titles and counting. Hopefully number twenty-seven is about 11 months away."

And the alternate idea from studyofsports.com

"In the cold of winter the abominable snowman deals nearly half-a-billion dollars in contracts from the relative warmth of Florida. Hank Steinbrenner and the Yankees are the quintessential “bully” on the block, thinking they can buy their way into the World Series, and purchase a championship. Little do they know that victory is much sweeter when you earn it.

It is clear that a club cannot buy a championship, as the Phillies showed the Mets this year. The Mets and the Tigers each blew $137M in pursuit of a championship without even earning a wild card spot. The despised Yankees spent $209M in ‘08 only to watch the postseason from the comfort of their multimillion dollar homes. Meanwhile, the feel good story of the year, Tampa Bay, went all the way to the Series with a scrawny $43M payroll. And the champs, the Phillies, snatched the trophy with a reasonable $98M roster. It looks like the Yankees spent $111M too much.

Billy Beane understands the economics of a small market team, and builds his organization accordingly. When the A’s made a run all the way to the ALCS in 2006, their payroll was only $62M. In 2008 they spent $47M, which is right around the Rays payroll of $43M. Notable talent as, Jason Giambi, Miguel Tejada, Johnny Damon, Jermaine Dye, and Mark McGwire all went through Oakland early in their careers. As A’s they developed their skills and contributed to their team reaching the post season, for considerably less than the huge salaries they would earn later in their careers. Only 2005 World Series MVP Jermaine Dye has earned a ring since leaving Oakland. Before Tampa Bay’s miracle season, the A’s were widely recognized as the small market overachievers in the AL. Since 2000 Oakland has made five playoff appearances, with four division titles. In three of those five playoff appearances, Oakland lost to a mega-franchise-New York or Boston-but in each of those three series, Oakland entered the playoffs in with a better regular season record.

Oakland, like Tampa Bay, develops young players over many years in their farm system. Oakland’s coaching staff has an eye for rough talent and raises them on the club’s style of play, so that when they reach the big leagues they are easy to coach, have already bought into the system and are positioned for success. Nick Swisher is a good example.

He was drafted by the A’s in 2002, called up in 2004, and recorded 80 homers in his four years in Oakland. They never paid Swisher more than $400K. And typical of developed talent after leaving Oakland, Swisher cashed in when traded to the White Sox in 2008, and is now a Yankee, where he signed a 5-year $26M contract.

When the nights are long and cold, and darkness seems to cover the earth, the Yankees and other large market clubs swoop in and gobble up every free agent for astronomical sums, leaving the ‘have-nots’ holding their empty coffers and depleted rosters. Major League Baseball’s revenue sharing attempts to help the teams who do not have large media markets, national television contracts and worldwide merchandising. $400M in revenue sharing was passed around in 2008, but this still does not level the playing field. This year the Yankees were hit with a $26.9M luxury tax, which is low compared to their 2005 tax for $34M. The Tigers got hit for $1.3M, the Red Sox owe $13.9M, and the Angels coughed up $927K. This will not stop New York. They still have $240M extra to play with for 2009.

Think about it. The extra change New York has to spend for the 2009 season, $240M, is more than ten times the payroll for the Marlins and more than twice the amount for the world champion Phillies. A-Rod earns more per year than the entire Marlins team, and yet the Marlins fielded a competitive squad in 2008. A-Rod chocked in September.

Oakland’s payroll for 2008 was $47M. Eric Chavez pulled in the club high $11.5M, while Daric Barton earned the league minimum $390,000. There were 17 players earning less than a million dollars a year, and only Chavez earned more than ten million. The team led the AL West for 26 days during 2008. The Angels, who spent $119M, eventually won the division. Tampa Bay had no one on their roster earning over ten million a year. Carlos Pena earned the team high $6M per year. The Rays also had 17 players on their team earning less than a million a year.

Oakland has developed young pitching like, Rich Harden, Mark Mulder, Barry Zito and Justin Duchscherer. While Tampa nurtured talented defensive and offensive players like, Evan Longoria, B.J. Upton, and Rocco Baldelli. Tampa’s Cinderella season was built on stellar pitching from James Shields, Scott Kazmir and Grant Balfour. If Oakland can add young defensive and offensive talent to their abundant pitching talent over the next few years, they might emulate what the Rays did in ‘08.

A smaller franchise can compete with the colossal clubs with astute drafting, sound management from top to bottom, patient player development and strategic and economical free agent pickups. Minnesota especially overachieved in ‘08 with a record of 88-75. That was only 2 games less than the Yankees, but Minnesota spent $153M less. The Red Sox spend less per year than the chasm between the Yankees and Minnesota or a dozen other franchises.

During these long dark winter nights, when a glutinous Yankees organization is trying to buy their way into supremacy, many small clubs, like Oakland will quietly improve with baby steps and frugal acquisitions. By watching free agent spending, developing their own talent in the minor leagues and build with what they’ve got, Oakland, Tampa Bay, Minnesota, Texas and Cleveland can and will compete with New York, Boston, and Anaheim in the future. What Bud Selig has on his hands is a real David and Goliath story.

Oakland has reason to hope for success without mortgaging their future. Billy Beane has faith in his new minor league pitching prospects, RHP Trevor Cahill, LHP Brett Anderson, and RHP Vince Mazzaro. None of which are going to set the A’s back $20M a year, and just might put up equivalent ERAs to C.C. Sabathia. Many of the best deals in baseball come without the headline."

Baier- How did I know this post would get such a rise out of you?

Tim, you might have just said "Baierman: yankees, discuss..."

I wonder how long you've had all these facts waiting in the wings to spring on somebody...

wow .. there are a lot of words posted about this ... and I thought it was just a stick with a ball sort of game ...

Well it was Alex. Then money got involved. Now they just blame the Yankees for ruining things.
Just like they blamed Rockefeller. King Louis IV. Capone. And Jesus.

Two words that make any yankees fan's butthole clench?

salary cap

*leads tim's horse to water and makes it drink*

what about the player's union ?

The root of all this Alex, started way, way back.

The Yankees have been the downfall of baseball since the 1920s.

They "bought" Babe Ruth from Boston cause Boston's owner was more interesting in broadway musicals then baseball. (Every American prefers singing over sports I think.) Then the Yanks built a huge stadium for Ruth to hit home runs over the purposely short right field fence.
(People thought this was unfair and blatant tomfoolery! Especially cause the Yanks and Ruth got rich from it.)

But the year baseball really started to decline was 1927. That was they year they Yanks had "Murder's Row." An impressive lineup of superstars that killed people. That year their lineup got 975 runs on 400+ hits, 109 of which were triples & 158 were home runs.
After that year, the Yanks keep on winning and everybody wanted to play for them.

Soon it appeared nothing could stop Yankee lust for winning. When the stock market crashed and the depression loomed in the 30's, the Yankees still pursued good players for the express purpose of winning world series championships.
Most teams just hired bums, drunkards, and hobos just to provide a paycheck. But the Yankees actually hired ball players. Assholes!

During World War II, the un-American Yanks still played baseball and won.

Even when disco broke out in the late 70s, they played to win.

See 1927 started an 80 plus year run of being the Evil Empire. Of course, back then, men who were good at baseball didn't head to the Bronx to earn big bucks. Guys like Berra, DiMaggio, Ford, Rizzuto, Gomez, Dickey, Henrich, Baur, Howard, Reynolds and other champions chose the Yanks cause they won. A lot.
(Most athletes like to win. It makes them feel good. So a lot of them wanted to put on the pinstripes.)
These Yankee players then got famous for winning and being Yankees. Many made money because of it.
That made non-Yankees players and fans jealous.

Now, to be honest, Yankee opponents and other teams still tried to win. But most teams would only try hard every few seasons or so. They hated the yanks for trying hard all the time!

When free agency loomed in the 70s, the Yanks were the first to jump on the band wagon and "buy" a championship team. They didn't play a full season like everybody else, or over come any adversity, they were just handed a trophy cause they had players who made lots of money.

Over the years they've thrown billions at baseball players. Some worked out, some didn't. People have always hated them for this. And for winning. Especially other sports fans who chose to support other teams.

(Oh, and never ask a Cubs fan what they think of the Yankees. I mean, their team hasn't won in 100 years. After a century of losing and being a laughing stock of baseball, the last thing a Cubs fan wants is their team to do whatever it takes to win a World Series. Cubs fans prefer misery to the thought of spending ungodly amounts of money to possibly ensure winning. Nobody in Chicago or Illinois wants a championship if it means doing it like the Yankees try to do it.)

But I'm rambling. My point is we really need to blame the Yankees historically, not just what they've done the past 10 years.
If they hadn't won so much, had so many great hall of fame players, become the most famous sports franchise on the planet, then baseball wouldn't be in the situation it's in today.

okay .... I think I got it now ...

the yankees play better and harder .. their business end of things deal better and harder .. and their fan base cheer better and harder ...

so they win .. alot

aren't they the epitome of the american dream then ?

didn't some other team from boston win once ... recently ... a few years back ?

Kinda.

Except Yanks fans are assholes. Mostly.

Tim - I'm just playing. It's nice to know that's coming though load n clear.

I'm dumbfounded by the yanks decisions. I really was hoping they stuck to the youth movement. Honestly, after they went through the pitching issues last year, it doesn't surprise me what they gave CC. As much as I didn't want him on the team. I was also hoping they'd add some good role players, I loved the Swisher deal, thought he might make a good story - but now what's the point of it all.
Ugh.
I still have to be a fan though. My other favorite team is the Islanders and they just fucking blow. Matt Kenseth didn't win a race last year either so I struck out with NASCAR.
(I like the Giants too, but can't consider myself a big football fan.)

9 months later I completely reverse my previous entry.

Still love Swish,

Love CC, Love AJ, Love Tex.

Love being in first place!

Now, if we don't win the World Series I reserve the right to change my mind again.

Twins down.
LA A next.

Lets go Yanks, eh Tim?

JW, martinis on Friday night?

My prediction? Angels beat the yanks, LA has a freeway series, nobody east of the rockies gives a shit about baseball 'till next year.

I love being a pessimist.

If the rockies are your only hope Tim, then you need more help than even god can give you.

Only a rally monkey Tim.

Is anybody watching Game 2? Arod, w o w

Yow. It's looking favorable to the Yanks right about now. A Phillies/Yanks showdown would be somethin. Old school. If only Steinbrenner was alive to see this.

You can't be considered "alive" if you never had a soul E. I'd like to see Yanks/Dodgers. Good ol' coast to coast series.

That would be good too. Then again, I wouldn't be opposed to an all Cali fandango with the Halos and the artists formerly known as the Brooklyn Dodgers (AKA the Bums back in the day).

Someday someone will figure out how to pitch in Coors field... Someday.

Someday, but not any time soon.

A freeway series in LA would be interesting to say the least. I still hope that SOMEONE from east of the Rockies makes it though.

Phil's v. Yanks.

Now who's got some cash to help b-man scalp WS tix?

Not me, but, here is my face.

Damn right I'm smiling right now!

Fucking A!

Wooooooo!!!!

Well, the Yankees won. That means the rest of the MLB Failed to defeat baseball's Final boss.

Basically, the Yanks are EXPECTED to win, and it is the job of other MLB teams to attempt to defeat them. So nice try guys. Maybe you can knock 'em off next year.

Yankees fans? Enjoy your reign of terror for another year.

We will.

But now it's on to 5 months of suffering watching the Islanders. Ugh.

Course Feb. starts Daytona so there's that to look forward to!