Baseball team with money superior to other baseball teams with less money

by Grady. on Nov 4, 2009 10:24 PM PST in Miscellaneous Blog Stuff Comment 39 comments

Congratulations, New York.

If this is coupled with a Cowboys Super Bowl, following last spring's Lakers NBA championship, the world will spontaneously burst into flames.

Hey - evil has to win sometimes or else life gets boring. The Empire Strikes Back is still a great movie, right?

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here's an idea

How about we just give the yankees the ring at the beginning of the season, then we take it back if they don’t win it all. It would make things easier.

Vote for Butch!

by spencer peaty on Nov 4, 2009 10:30 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

You know, they hadn't won one since 3000

And had spent about a billion dollars on free agents in that time. So it’s not like it’s an exact science, throwing money around …

CougCenter

by Jeff Nusser on Nov 5, 2009 5:59 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Bill Bavasi concurs.

CougCenter WSU's second main blog

by Dancing Football on Nov 5, 2009 8:31 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

The difference is that the Yankees

throw “big money at players” that can actually play. Bavasi threw “money at big players,” Carlos Silva anyone?

by Coug1990 on Nov 5, 2009 8:38 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

By the way, I meant 2000

That’s what I get for trying to compose a coherent thought before 6 a.m.

CougCenter

by Jeff Nusser on Nov 5, 2009 9:44 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Speakerboxxx.

I saw the 3000, knew you meant 2000, but laughed anyways. I wonder who will win the 3000 World Series? Perhaps the All Griffey Team from that Nike commerical.

“Robbed by the Centerfield Blimp.”

by playerkyle14 on Nov 5, 2009 6:35 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

That is hilarious.

I totally forgot about that.

CougCenter

by Jeff Nusser on Nov 5, 2009 8:00 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

"Mr. Steinbrenner deserves another championship." --Joe Girardi,

That quote almost made me throw up. Why does he deserve one. Because he ruins the financial (And competitive) balance in Baseball? You know, I think a city with no title… Like, say, Seattle, deserves a first over Steinbrenner’s 27th.

by GoCougs on Nov 5, 2009 6:52 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I'd like to congratulate a few of the new "True Yankees"

Alex Rodriguez, Nick Swisher, Mark Texiera, and Hideki Matsui,

CougCenter WSU's second main blog

by Dancing Football on Nov 5, 2009 8:08 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

The yankees infield makes more than

19 team’s entire 40 man rosters.

Vote for Butch!

by spencer peaty on Nov 5, 2009 8:36 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Anyone Else See Similarities??

This is a no-brainer, but does anyone else see the similarities to College Athletics? I mean why are the USC’s, Florida, Texas, Notre Dame, etc. of the College Football World always ranked at the beginning of the year?

Because they are really that good or because they are dictate market share? Why is it that when Wazzu was riding high in the PAC-10 ten years ago, it was routinely snubbed by ESPN Game Day and ultra National Exposure?

The rich get richer and the poor, well……let’s just say remain poor, eh? But fair…..not in this lifetime or any other for that matter. The system is rigged to reward the rich, always has been and always will be.

Which I guess is why most people hate the Yankees (or USC, Florida, Texas, Notre Dame), but it happens anyway. It only makes the few victories we get in between that much sweeter, eh?

Go Cougs!!

by CanyonCoug on Nov 5, 2009 9:35 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

It's money

If we had donors who would pony up the kind of money USC (or Oregon’s, or Washington’s, or Florida’s, or Alabama’s …) donors do, we’d be up there, too. It wouldn’t take more than a decade.

CougCenter

by Jeff Nusser on Nov 5, 2009 9:46 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm working on it

They say the first million is the hardest, but once I get up to about $10 million net worth I’ll start giving $1m per year.

by johnnycougar on Nov 5, 2009 6:16 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Let's see, with my teacher's salary ...

If I don’t spend any money on anything — ever — I think I can get there in about … 18 years?

CougCenter

by Jeff Nusser on Nov 5, 2009 8:01 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Look.

I don’t want to type some long winded diatribe like I already posted on my blog, but here goes:

We hate the Yankees because we’re jealous. Anyone that thinks I’m dumb for saying that isn’t thinking clearly. Why do we hate SEC teams, USC, Texas, Ohio State, etc? Their boosters actually give money to the school. The Yankee fans demand perfection, and get it. They’re willing to pay $375 for a box seat as opposed to $175. It seems to me like everyone that isn’t a dynasty wants to complain about how unfair it is. I’m not sure how it’s unfair? They have a huge payroll generated by the YES network, amongst other things. Their fans are willing to pay for a new stadium, and players want to go there and play.

We can bitch and moan about it not being far for the Cougars and Mariners, but what’s not fair is the fact that we demand results without willing to donate money.

Look, I want to hate the Yankees. I really do. But hating them because they’re good is a dumb reason to hate them. I envy them.

by playerkyle14 on Nov 5, 2009 12:09 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Well said.

CougCenter

by Jeff Nusser on Nov 5, 2009 12:30 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I understand what your saying, but

just because they have a larger fanbase willing to spend more money on a ticket does not mean they should be able to spend money endlessly. Look at the NFL. There is both a salary cap for the rich teams and a salary floor for the smaller market teams. I believe it is like $132 million cap, $90 floor. This way, every single team (with competent management) can compete.

What is so hard about increasing revenue sharing in the MLB and grandfathering in caps and floors? I dislike the Patriots and the Lakers, but only because they are good and they get all the attention. I hate the Yankees because they have an unquestionable direct advantage over other teams.

Vote for Butch!

by spencer peaty on Nov 5, 2009 1:48 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Luxury tax?

They don’t spend money endlessly. The way you make it seem, they have an infinite amount of money (eh, they sorta due in part to the YES network) and never take a hit in the red. When in all reality, they have to pay more in luxury tax than anyone else in baseball.

In 2008, the Yankees cut Major League Baseball a check for $26.9 million dollars

Also, looking at the list of payroll by team, the ‘spending money endlessly’ arguement is kind of moot. If it were true, then the highest payroll would be the best team, the 2nd highest would be the 2nd best, and so on and so forth.

Here’s a list

So are the Indians better than the Twins? Money matters, but the Yankees don’t have an unfair advantage. What about all the free agents they gave huge contracts to that fizzled out? No one is asking for money back from Carl Pavano or Hideki Arabu (or maybe they are?). It’s just the nature of the beast, my friend.

Besides, the way they got the money was within the rules, so it’s not like they did something that is unfair. Steinbrenner bought the club in ‘73 for $10 million, created YES, and now they’re worth over $1.3 billion. So what’s to stop teams in other large markets from doing the same?

Don’t hate the player, hate the game. And Joba Chamberlain. Hate him.

by playerkyle14 on Nov 5, 2009 2:23 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

You just proved my point.

Look at all the free agents they signed that fizzled out: Pavano, Matsui, Abrau, Giambi. If any other team makes mistakes like that, it cripples their ability to compete. If the M’s sign Silva, Batista, Johjima, it means they can’t afford anyone else! Hence why this offseason the only thing that Mariners (who are relatively wealthy) can do is resign the guys they got. Heck, they can even afford to give Felix what it will take to keep him here. If the Yanks make a bad signing, they can still turn around next year and sign a replacement.

In the NFL, you won’t see a team not be able to afford their young star player. Could you imagine how crappy it would be if Atlanta had to be worried about Matt Ryan leaving in two years to play for the Giants or the Jets? The NFL is so much better in that regard.

Vote for Butch!

by spencer peaty on Nov 5, 2009 2:39 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

This is a big reason why I stopped watching baseball.

Its musical chairs, and I got sick of trying to keep track of players. It makes me mad whenever a player is given a chance with a lesser known club, only to have them use that club as a springboard to get them to the yankees or red sox (tony bennett?). Its not necessarily the yankees’ fault, but I still don’t have to like it.

by displacedcoug on Nov 5, 2009 5:02 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't think the players intentionally use it as a spring board.

But if someone is offering you ten million more than the other guy, wouldn’t you accept?

CougCenter WSU's second main blog

by Dancing Football on Nov 5, 2009 5:10 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh, I absolutely would.

My point was just that it was that kind of thing that drove me away from baseball.

by displacedcoug on Nov 5, 2009 5:28 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Fair enough.

Also Miguel Batista.

CougCenter WSU's second main blog

by Dancing Football on Nov 5, 2009 5:51 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Well, sorta.

It kinda did cripple them. I mean, as weird as it is to say this, they haven’t won a WS since 2000. With all that money, that’s a long time. They didn’t even make the playoffs last year. This offseason, they gambled (more calculated this year) and got CC, AJ, and Teix. All 3 of those guys (well, more CC and Teix, but AJ to a lesser extent) killed it this year and CC was a friggin’ horse in the playoffs. No matter how much money you have, you have to hit on at least one big time free agent.

Giambi hurt them, as good as he was. Damon is hurting them, Matsui (even though he ended up MVP) probably won’t be resigned. So I understand that it didn’t set them back 15 years like it would if the Royals did the same thing, it still set them back a few years. Plus, they play in the best division in baseball. So it’s all the more impressive.

by playerkyle14 on Nov 5, 2009 6:34 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

And by the way, I don't blame the Yankees

They should do whatever they can to win. I blame Selig for letting this payroll disparity get out of control (not unlike steroids) under his watch.

Vote for Butch!

by spencer peaty on Nov 5, 2009 2:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Don't just blame Selig

He does not have unilateral control. The owners and the players union have something to do with it as well.

Kyle14, regarding hating the Yankees, why does hatred of them have to make sense?

by Coug1990 on Nov 5, 2009 4:05 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Well said.

Hey, I don’t want to seem like a Yankee lover. I don’t like them at all. But I just got tired of the unfounded, irrational bashing (not on this board) and I felt the need to voice my opinion.

I love CougCenter because we all can have different opinions and it doesn’t end up with a “you’re so dumb/stupid/etc and wrong” or anything childish like that. People present their opinions with facts and are respectful of other opinions. Kudos to everyone.

by playerkyle14 on Nov 5, 2009 6:31 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

good point

originally i wrote selig and others, but then i didn’t know exactly who ‘others’ were, so i changed it.

Vote for Butch!

by spencer peaty on Nov 5, 2009 8:26 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Love It or Leave It

This has turned out to be a very interesting thread and has caused me to think deep about some points made, in particular the one about big money demanding results, which was my point exactly about not liking the USC, Texas, Florida, etc’s of the College Football World. I mean, this IS College Athletics we’re talking about, right?

Since the Yankees have the where with all to spend money like a druken sailor, a fanbase to support it, the mentaility that goes with it, they should demand championships and get them.

But isn’t College Athletics suppose to be all about healthy minds, bodies, and fair competition? Call me naive, but I enjoy the student/athlethe concept and allowing for an even playing field.

When you examine so-called dynasties there is always an unfair advantage lurking in the background (e.g. UCLA dictating that ONLY the conference champion plays in the NCAA Tournament/Wazzu being the runner up year in-year out probably capable of beating many other tournament teams).

Bottom line: I love the Cougar Spirit that lives in all of us whose blood pumps crimson and understands that it takes hard work to achieve greatness vs. those you have it handed to them on a silver platter and believe they are entitled to it whether they deserve it or not.

Go Cougs!

by CanyonCoug on Nov 6, 2009 8:25 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

This is the best article that I have ever read on the subject

It is well worth the read.

*Here’s the thing about the New York Yankees huge payroll: It has been talked about so much that, in reality, it is hardly talked about at all. I know this makes little sense, but what I mean is this:

A. Everyone knows the Yankees spend much more money than any other team to win games.
B. Because everyone knows it, people have been complaining about it for many years.
C. Because people have complained about it for many years, everybody is sick of hearing about it.
D. Because everyone is sick of hearing about it, nobody really listens.
E. Because nobody really listens, people don’t talk about the Yankees spending much more money than any other team to win games.*

As I said continue reading here, it is well worth it.

http://joeposnanski.com/JoeBlog/2009/11/05/the-yankees-payroll/

by Coug1990 on Nov 6, 2009 5:26 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Just about everything Joe Posnanski writes is well worth the read

CougCenter

by Jeff Nusser on Nov 6, 2009 7:29 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

He outlined exactly why I stopped watching.

What’s the point? Whenever a team starts building a good team, the yankees or the red sox or some other big team is just going to come an cherry-pick the best players every time. How much fun would it be to watch the Seahawks if they had to compete against the NFC all-star team every year?

by displacedcoug on Nov 6, 2009 10:35 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs