The YANKEES Win! The Yankees WWWWWWWWIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!

tomder55

I'd go for a cap if they had a hard minimum salary ...and don't say the small market teams couldn't afford it either since there is already a socialized revenue sharing going on.

Let me ask you though ;following up Elliot's point. The Mets in your division were the 2nd highest paid team in baseball. What did it get them ?

If the dynamics changed the Yanks would still come out ahead . Why ? Because they would put their money into scouting and the minor league system like they did in the days before free agency.
My point remains .They are successful because they are willing to spend their money on their franchise instead of pocketting it.

tomder55

Spit .......just curious .......do you think Ryan Howard played like a $15,000,000 player ? How about Lidge ? Did he pitch like a $12,000,000 pitcher ?

spitvenom

Yes Howard played like a 15,000,000 player up until the world series. Closers are an entirely different breed of players. The guy had what 41 straight thats why he got paid what he did. The Mets are the mets they could buy the entire yankees team and still suck

ETWolverine

So then you agree that winning or losing isn't a function of money.

Elliot

tomder55

John Middleton just one of 5 owners of the Phillies sold his cigar company John Middleton Inc for $2.9 billion last year. The others in the ownership group all represent great wealth . It's not that they can't spend the extra money on the Phillies. They won't or didn't until recently .

spitvenom

ET. If the player doesn't have the chemistry with the other players it is not going to work out. But maybe he would have had chemistry with the Pirates. But the Pirates never get that chance because they can't compete money wise.

ScottGem

Its not just Yankee money that attracts players. Players have always been attracted to the Yankees because the NY location represents more endorsement opportunities. Getting to the World Series, year after year also meant extra income from WS shares.

If the Pirates fielded a perennial contender, they would attract more players.

Steinbrenner didn't create free agency, the players did. Steinbrenner just made the most use of it.

ETWolverine

Great point, Scott.

George_1950

No sour grapes; I love baseball. But it is very difficult not to pull for the underdog. ARod is a fantastic player; he just doesn't look normal, in my eyes. And tip of the hat to the Yankee manager cause he has to put-up with all that bs up there; he did a great job with the team. I like Joe Torre, too.

I couldn't care less how much an owner invests in his team. But, there should not be protection from competition by the government, to the extent that Congress protects professional sports through an exemption to anti-trust - it should be stopped.

spitvenom

You guys are right. I just hate NY from the Yankees to the lowly Knicks. They could spend 0 dollars next year and I'll still B*tch and moan about them. Right now it just hurts more. And if the knicks end up signing Lebron James next year I might kill myself