"NYK...they Yankees give away prospects because they know that they can fully replace them with an all star free agent if necessary." Or the other magnificent prospects in the system. "Do you think that NO ONE IN THE MAJORS KNEW ABOUT SORIANO????? Everyone knew of his talents....no one could afford the signing bonus " I just said he wasn't a HOME GROWN TALENT! What else do you want? The Diamondbacks (HAHA) could have had him, but instead got a bunch of old overpaid players. Buck Showalter once again shows why he didn't win **** in NY.--edit: every team in the league can afford the signing bonus he got, but if teams aren't willing to take a chance on a great talent like him they are absolutely stupid. "They still owe Gerald Williams 2 million dollars...nice to know anything about your "beloved" team...Drew Henson, again, made it clear to all the teams that it was going to take HUGE signing bonus to get him" Two million dollar mistake? I'll take that over Mike Hampton, Denny Neagle, Juan Gonzalez, ETC ETC "The A's have no shot to win the WS...they lost their best player to the...who was it...oh, the Yankees." Don't even speak bad on the A's. If the A's make it, they are the only team in the AL that can challenge the Yankees, unless, of course, Pedro and Lowe pitch 4 games in a 5 game series or 5 in a 7. You have to understand, they didn't win in the postseason because of Giambi, they won because of Zito and Mulder. Not so much Hudson anymore, but they have Lilly. "Steinbrenner doesn't want to revenue share because he says that the small market owners will pocket the 4 or 5 million per team instead of spend it on players.....well George, what the hell can 4 or 5 million get you these days??? A middle reliever??? Please. " THATS WHATS WRONG WITH BASEBALL, DAMMIT. George Steinbrenner isn't CLOSE to being the richest owner, but he spends ALL of the money, PLUS some of his own to put a god damn winner on the field. Carl Pohlad, one of the richest men in America doesn't spend jack on his team. All of the owners will just pocket the god damn money they get from the Yankees, or they'll go out and spend it on a Denny Neagle (how does he make 11 million a year? please I want someone to write a book on the man who thought he was worth that), Albert Belle (and you think Gerald Williams is a "mistake"), Jay Bell, Matt Williams, Mo Vaughn, Rusty Greer, Mark Grudzielanek, Greg Vaughn, Mark Grace, Darren Dreifort, Andy Ashby, Marquis Grissom ok I'll stop, but this list can reach the hundreds, maybe 2 hundreds.
then why are OAK, MIN, MON, CIN and ANA all competiting for a playoff spot? even STL is ranked just 13th in payroll, and you could argue, as i did above, that while large, SEA's $80M is not really comparable, to, say, ATL's, which is $94M, yet ranked one slot ahead. First off, Montreal is nowhere close to this race -- they are more than 10 games out. Second, four of these teams (I don't know enough about Anaheim) point out the exact problem in baseball. If Oakland, Montreal, or Cincinnati are in the hunt, they can't add significant amounts of payroll. They can't go out and just add Raul Mondesi without taking huge risks. Montreal Vs. Atlanta -- Atlanta can go out and add players. If they don't work out, no big deal. Cincinnati and Houston are quite lucky, simply because the NL Central has no big-spending team except the Cubs who have incompetent management. Minnesota -- last year, they were in the race vs. Cleveland. They couldn't afford to improve and eventually fell out of it. The only reason they passed Cleveland this year is that Cleveland slashed their own payroll. Oakland & Houston are the "model" responsible franchises: smart moves, good farm system, etc. The fact is that in about 3 or 4 years, all their star young players will demand money and eventually have to be traded for new prospects and repeat the process. The Yankees, Mets, Dodgers or BoSox could afford to simply re-sign them all and use the new set of prospects to fill holes. The Yankees are basically a rich version of the Houston Astros. the twins and expos are proof you can build a decent team without blowing your payroll on broken down crap. The Twins and Expos are also proof that you might be able to compete one year out of ten with that small payroll. The Yankees and Braves are proof that, with money, you can compete year-in and year-out. "Oswalt is a Top-10 pitcher" LOL! He can become a top 10 pitcher, but he's not there yet. #5 in wins, #5 in innings pitched, #4 in strikeouts, #14 in ERA; best career home record in all of baseball. He's right around that top-10 level. (to clarify, I'm referring to in a single league, not in the AL+NL)
I'm not sure Montreal is a good example right now Major, but I wholeheartedly agree with the rest of your post.
"Oakland & Houston are the "model" responsible franchises: smart moves, good farm system, etc." Sounds like the Yankees. Where are they in that line? "" "Oswalt is a Top-10 pitcher" LOL! He can become a top 10 pitcher, but he's not there yet. #5 in wins, #5 in innings pitched, #4 in strikeouts, #14 in ERA; best career home record in all of baseball. He's right around that top-10 level. (to clarify, I'm referring to in a single league, not in the AL+NL"" Clarify next time, when you just say "top 10 pitcher" that means in the MLB. Not in the NL. And don't bring career W-L % or anything like that into play, he's been in the bigs for about a full year now right?
I'm not sure Montreal is a good example right now Major I don't know... Montreal this year is an odd situation. First off, they aren't allowed to add the payroll -- so there's that financial mess. The trades they have made have washed out in salary. That prevents them from getting a large number of players. Second, in order to get Cleveland & Florida to take on salary, they are dismantling their farm system to make trades -- trading their best prospects, I believe. Essentially, they are giving up ANY chance of a decent future. Of course, they are being dismantled next year, so they could do that. If they were a regular franchise that was going to exist next year, no way they make these deals, in my opinion.
"Oakland & Houston are the "model" responsible franchises: smart moves, good farm system, etc." Sounds like the Yankees. Where are they in that line? I already mentioned that -- the Yankees are a rich version of the Astros. They do the good scouting, and can afford to keep all the gems they find. Teams like the Astros or A's have to trade away those superstars when they become free agents. If the Astros could afford a $120MM payroll, they would have been able to keep Hampton, Randy Johnson (maybe), Kile, and Alou. Which is better, the Astros with a rotation of Oswalt, Miller, Munro, Redding, and Cruz or Randy Johnson, Hampton, Kile (RIP), Oswalt and Miller. That's the difference between the Yankees and Astros. No one's saying the Yankees don't have good management -- they certainly do. They just have the benefit of $50-$100MM in revenues to spend that other teams don't and can't have.
"That prevents them from getting a large number of players. Second, in order to get Cleveland & Florida to take on salary, they are dismantling their farm system to make trades -- trading their best prospects, I believe. " They have gotten more than the Yankees so far this season. The Yankees gave up half of their top 4 prospects, you could even say 3, with the uncertainty of Claussen (not like it matters, but the Expos have done basically the same). I am a firm believer in the fact that the Expos will not be contracted, and not one team will be contracted. If Selig gives a guarantee (not like anyone would believe him) that he wouldn't contract the team if they found a buyer, I think someone would buy them.
thats where you are dead wrong Thats really funny...how long have you been a Yankee fan??? The Yankees offered Juan Gone a 140 million dollar contract...he turned it down. The Yankees paid Denny Neagle 8 or 9 million for the year and a half the had him. You just rebutted your own argument...only one team can challenege the Yanks....is that really fair? THAT IS EXACTLY CORRECT
"Thats really funny...how long have you been a Yankee fan??? The Yankees offered Juan Gone a 140 million dollar contract...he turned it down." He wouldn't have busted as a Yankee! Detroit just built a pitcher's ball park and got a god damn power hitter. Its no coincidence that they are the morons that wouldn't have made payroll Monday. "The Yankees paid Denny Neagle 8 or 9 million for the year and a half the had him. " The Yankees had him for half a year, not a year and a half, and they paid about 2.2-2.5 million for him. He was a quality starter for about 2 months (tailed off at the end of the season), and he pitched well in the World Series. "You just rebutted your own argument...only one team can challenege the Yanks....is that really fair?" When that team is small market, then it shows SMART teams can compete without money. Unfortunately there are only 4 smart teams in all of baseball. "THAT IS EXACTLY CORRECT" And they have their attendance numbers to show why "THAT IS EXACTLY CORRECT"
even with revenue sharing and a salary cap in place, NY would remain a much more favorable destination than milwaukee. for instance, if the yanks and brewers both needed a RF, unless there was a disportionately large difference in what they're able to offer, the yanks, with their history, location and greatness, would still be the choice for probably 9 out of 10 players put in that situation. IOW, revenue sharing and a salary cap doesn't make milwaukee a more desireable place to live and work. sure, IOW, the lure of los angeles (hollywood) was more important to him than money or, at the time, championships. that's kinda the point i've been making about NYs, CHIs, LAs, et al, inherent advantage over places like MIL, MIN and TB. but six games back in the wildcard race, same distance houston has to make up in the central -- ready to count them out? you're making an inaccurate correlation between one's salary and their ability to play the game. check raul mondesi's stats; one could argue he doesn't necessarily make the yankees appreciably better. note also that yesterday, both the expos and reds added quality starters to their roster who, combined, make less this year than raul mondesi will. it may be impossible to add salaries, but it's not impossible to add talent. don't confuse one for the other. to my recollection, the expos have added bartolo colon and cliff floyd in recent weeks, two very good players. STL's payroll is $1.5 less than CHI's. uhm... not exactly. last year, MIN added rick reed, who makes $7M/year. understand, i don't disagree with you... baseball's financial structure needs fixin'. yes, i would support revenue sharing and a cap of some kind, and yes, i think it would level the playing field some... some. my contention is that, even with a level playing field, the yankees are still going to be a great team, the braves are still going to be a great team, and the brewers are still gonna suck, and the devil rays are still gonna suck. money's not what separates them, baseball IQ is. where money might separate, say, HOU from ATL (though i'm not sure it really does, HOU's always been good enough to beat them), teams near the bottom of the standings are there as much for their incompetence as they are because of a lack of revenue. give tampa bay the same money as NY, and i say they'll still suck whales.
That is just plain assinine...Juan Gone hits 45-50 HRs a year (barring injury) and you think because they move the fences back 10 feet it makes a difference? You are embarrassing yourself. They paid him 4.5 million the 1/2 yr they had him...prorated....thats the equivalent of picking up a 9 million dollar pitcher just as icing on the cake. Oh, and quality starter??? He was like 6-7 with an ERA around 6 if memroy serves me correctly.
NYK - do you realize that if a hard salary cap were put in place (I really hope it is) then the Yankees, Braves, Dodgers, etc. won't be able to spend more than other teams and baseball might actually be fun to watch again? Didn't the 97 Marlins and the Diamonbacks from last year spend a lot of money on payroll? You can't win without spending, but one team shouldn't be able to outspend the others, it isn't fair. If I was a Yankee fan I would be pissed to. I remember when the Orioles used to spend $$$, they used to win too. (quit talking smack about Albert Belle! ) I hope that a player strike results in a hard salary cap and drug testing, this will only make things better for the fans. Hopefully with the cap and revenue sharing the price of tickets will go down and attendence will go up. I bet that is too much to hope for.
Not if Milwaukee could offer them a much bigger contract because they have the cap room. How about the fact that in order to add a guy with talent AND a small contract it costs prospects....and then there is no guarantee that you can afford the guys raise the following year....so you are basically giving away players that are the future of the team because its the ONLY slim chance you have to win....the RJ trade was a perfect example of this yeah as a matter of fact..As an Astros fan, I can honestly say that unless they add another high profile guy to the rotation or maybe a 3B, they have ZERO chance to win the WS
"That is just plain assinine...Juan Gone hits 45-50 HRs a year (barring injury) and you think because they move the fences back 10 feet it makes a difference? You are embarrassing yourself." You are MORONIC. He played so much worse at that field than he did at Texas it isn't even debatable. "They paid him 4.5 million the 1/2 yr they had him...prorated....thats the equivalent of picking up a 9 million dollar pitcher just as icing on the cake. Oh, and quality starter??? He was like 6-7 with an ERA around 6 if memroy serves me correctly." No, Denny made about 4.5 million for that whole SEASON. I forgot to make it 2.2-2.5 because he came sometime early July, and he had a good first 2 months or so, then in September he started getting rocked, but he had a good outing in I think Game 4 or 5 of the WS. That's well spent money if you ask me. "NYK - do you realize that if a hard salary cap were put in place (I really hope it is) then the Yankees, Braves, Dodgers, etc. won't be able to spend more than other teams and baseball might actually be fun to watch again? " It'll never happen, but I'd be willing to bet the Yankees would win the WS this year, regardless. Sure they have the money, but Giambi was ready to sign before the season (at 13-14 million per, what he DESERVES) with the A's if they gave him a no-trade clause. Well, we all know what happened. Maybe if his brother got sliding lessons, he'd still be an A, and he'd be wearing his ring already. Giambi has been a fan of the Yankees ever since he was a little boy, and he has wanted to play for them. I don't think the extra money was the really big thing that swayed him.
"NYK - do you realize that if a hard salary cap were put in place (I really hope it is) then the Yankees, Braves, Dodgers, etc. won't be able to spend more than other teams and baseball might actually be fun to watch again? " It'll never happen, but I'd be willing to be the Yankees would win the WS this year, regardless. Sure they have the money, Take your current team and give it a $70MM payroll. What players would you cut out? Who would you be left with?
He didnt even play 3/4 of a season in Detroit because of injury. You cant even compare it to all the years he played with texas. do you usually go out on a limb this often? Oh and by the way, you are rebutting your own argument again genius.
Excellent question...and dont forget to figure in the pitching staff (Clemens + Wells+ Moose+ Weaver + Pettite) Id say thats close to 60 % of the 70 mil right there
"He didnt even play 3/4 of a season in Detroit because of injury. You cant even compare it to all the years he played with texas. " He missed 3/4s of it, but he still had remarkably low power numbers, and a low batting average, a low slugging %, and a low OBP. Notice a trend? "Take your current team and give it a $70MM payroll. What players would you cut out? Who would you be left with?" That would be impossible, the team wouldn't have went for the same players in free agency, trades etc. Asking a question like that is insane. I probably could get an AL East winning team down to about 95, which would come about 12 million short of the Red Sox, or an extra player. "(Clemens + Wells+ Moose+ Weaver + Pettite)" You are sadly mistaken if you think Clemens would make the cut on a team like that. Some players are worth the big bucks, but he isn't.
noooo, he played in 3/4 of the season and he played HURT...remember the back problems he had ? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.....for the 3rd time you are defnding the argument AGAINST you. Of course they wouldnt have gone for those players....I'll do you a favor and list a few... Mussina Clemens Karsay Giambi Rondell White (who by the way makes 5 million a year and SUCKS) Mondesi ONeill (when he was there) And if they HAD gone after any of those guys, then the following guys would possibly be on other teams... Pettite Posada Bernie (Jeter would have never been let go under any circumstances)
That would be impossible, the team wouldn't have went for the same players in free agency, trades etc. Asking a question like that is insane. Exactly my point. Other teams don't have the options that the Yankees have to go after those players in free agency, make trades, etc. The Yankees do those things because they can spend money and make the team better. If they could've built a team just as good with $70MM, there's no doubt they would have - $70 million more in profits. There are 4 "Big Market" teams that should have the most resources, by far - NYY, NYM, BoSox, and LA. Then two more have bigtime resources due to national cable deals - Atlanta and Chicago Cubs. Those 6 teams have a ridiculous advantage over everyone else in the league. Granted, only NYY & Atl have used it effectively up until now, but that doesn't mean its not there.
