One of my good friends was IMing me on Facebook the other day. We talked about ministry and moved into a common passion- baseball. He asked if my Sox had bought up the good players yet. He kiddingly expressed a common sentitment- that we are the Yankees Jr.
Since the new owners took over the Red Sox have signed precisely 2 big bucks free agents: Dice-K and J.D. Drew. They inherited Manny (Pedro came in a trade). They have built this team on trades (only Schilling was a big dollar, big name guy at the time), prospects and under-valued free agents (Big Papi for instance). Yes, they have re-signed a few guys. But they have done nothing like the Yankees. Admittedly, they may break from their pattern with Teixeira (he fits the citeria for them to break the pattern).
The Yankees are trying to out-Yankee themselves this off season. They want to return to the playoffs and World Series dominance. Can’t blame them for that! And they realize that pitching is how you get there. On this level, the offers to Sabathia and Burnett make lots of sense. They are trying to rebuild a championship quality team- which last year’s team was NOT. They didn’t re-sign lots of high-end contracts and they have a big revenue stream working for them.
Here’s what I don’t understand:
- They basically pled poor by asking for more public funding for their new stadium. Quite the mixed message. That’s like saying you need help paying the mortgage while you continue to buy expensive toys or status symbol cars. Are they next in line for a Federal Bailout?
- They overpaid, grossly, for Sabathia. The highest competing offer was about $100 million. They went to $161 million. I cries either desperation or Sabathia not wanting to play there except for such an outrageous deal. He’s very good, but he’s not the best left-handed starter out there.
- His great girth is reason for caution for a long-term deal too. Will he become the next Sidney Ponson, or will he be able to pitch well like David Wells?
- More curious is his weak record in the playoffs, and particularly against the arch-rival Red Sox. In other words, CC does great against fair-middling teams but struggles against top-tier teams.
- They are also over-paying to keep Burnett from signing with the Braves. He’s got great stuff, but is in his 30’s and hasn’t been healthy except in contract years (hmmmmm).
So, the Yankees are spending money they inadvertantly claim they don’t have, at a premium when they don’t have to, for long-term deals on guys who are risky (see Kevin Brown, Jason Schmidt and Barry Zito). The Yankees continue to make a big splash, but the waves overwhelm the other people in the pool. They aren’t just accumulating talent (which is fine) but doing it in a reckless, gawdy fashion that disrupts the economics of baseball in a dangerous way.
Cavman Considers 