What are the Yankees striving for? Do they want to wrap up the AL East by the fourth of July?

Haha. If I wasn't a fan of an AL East Rival I'd almost want to see that, just because it'd be funny. "Well, the Yankees have a 34 game lead over Boston here at the All Star Break..."

That would be sweet for Yankee fans. Roy absolutely OWNS the Yankees (18-6 lifetime I think) I don't even watch the games he pitches.

By the forth of July??? Try Opening Day.

Opening day? Try the moment he signs the contract!

If that happens then whats the point of professional baseball? It will just go furhter to point our the need for a salary cap. Thank you Curt Flood.

This is why I don't watch baseball anymore.

back in september, i said the yankees should go after halladay and GET RID OF CHAMERLAIN. in fact, i'd be glad if they gave back the prima donna burnette in the same deal. he is a jerk of the first order and to me - his pitching is just barely ok.
don't trade phil hughes. (and don't let him cut his hair again either - like sampson - that's when his slight slide occurred.) hughes is their future closer, because unfortunately, mo won't be around for too many more years.
lastly (for the moment at least), i would keep both matsui and damon. unfortunately, that is a sentimental versus practical approach and there is no place for sentimentality in business and that is what baseball is - business and the bottom line. and winning of course.

go yankees.

If they get to keep joba, hughes, montero etc... then take on wells contract. they need some power in the OF. maybe throw in gardner or cabrera in exchange for eating less of the contract.

The Dead Sox run is in baseball is OVER!!!!!!!!!!!

The Dead Sox run is in baseball is OVER!!!!!!!!!!!

What's with all the crying? So either the Yanks get him this year or they get him next year in free agency. At least if they trade for him this year they'd be giving something up, next year he'll be a free agent and they'll just outbid everyone. As far as the salary cap is concerned, the only way that would work would be to eliminate the luxury tax, which would bankrupt a few teams, and add a salary floor for teams like the Pirates who because of the luxury tax, revenue sharing etc. are making a profit before opening day even comes around. There is proportionally far more parody in MLB than any professional sports league with a salary cap, just look at the percentage of different teams who make the playoffs compared to the total number of teams in the playoffs, since nearly every team in the NHL makes the playoffs, and the number of different teams to be in and win the World Series. There's a salary cap in the NBA but the same 6 teams keep showing up in the Finals. There's a salary cap in the NHL but the same teams keep showing up in the Finals. There's no salary cap in MLB and you get different teams nearly every single year. What's broken?

July would be good, but why not get er locked up by spring training?

Salary Cap Salary Cap lame and tired excuse. Do people understand the revenue sharing that takes place in baseball. You can buy competitiveness but not wins. There are too many factors that happen in a game that determine a win and it ain't payroll. Any true fan would know that.

Competetive balance in baseball is already gone. Baseball is going the way of professional wrestling. The Yankees are "Hulk Hogan." Do you think that they will win the 2010 World Series? Of course! The owners make more money when Hulk Hogan wins Hulkamania.

Any true Yankee fan, perhaps. Payroll has a LOT to do with wins.

I agree, 'F the Yankees!

I agree.

A lot of people don't understand the underlying economics of sports with a salary cap.

Sure, the Celtics and Lakers can't outbid other teams, but their much larger markets and fanbases entice players to play for them for equal or less money than other teams would offer. Why is that? Because they have the potential to sell more jerseys, headline more events and make more money on endorsements than if they play for the Milwaukee Bucks. There are simply more perks and money available to a player in a big market than in a small market.

This same phenomenom occurs in the NFL. Salary cap systems are inefficient and socialist.

Baseball needs to slim up and either combine small market teams or simply eliminate some from the mix.

haha, thank god you aren't leading the Yanks. Chamberlain is 24 and cost controlled for at least 3 more years, he made all his starts this year and bumped his IP by 50. Give the kid a chance. Burnett(e), while a longer contract than I'd like, also made all his starts and pretty much pitched the game of his life in G2 of the WS. Ask most scouts and they'll tell you he has the best "stuff" in the game.

As for hughes as the closer, why would you waste another 24 year old as a reliever? He's far more valuable as a starter, which he should be again next year, than as a setup man.

...ZZZ... just more of the same ... Yanks buy another championship... more fans leave the sport ... fans tired of getting fleeced... how much for a 300 level ticket next year; $80? ... and that's against the KC Royals!! ...whose payroll is only $200 million less

Hehe, you said "parody" when you meant "parity"... interestingly, you're 100% right in either case :)

Salary Cap will not work because there will be a minimum that certain teams will not want.
Yankee haters will be very busy as this Yankee team is built to win for a few years.
Yanks dont need Doc and need to sign Wang
Let the red sox sign Doc they are not going anywhere

It would be irresponsible for the Yankees - or any team looking to improve in the pitching department - not to inquire about Doc.

Irresponsible not to...

This analysis is not correct. Players go to big market teams because it is good for the owners, not the players. Millionaires do not become billionaires by accident, it is orchestrated.

What most fans do not pay attention to is the fact that baseball has an "anti-trust exemption." This means that the owners do not have to compete like other businesses do, so they don't. If the Pirates and the Royals are in the World Series those franchises do a little better, but all the other owners make less money then they could have. If the Yankees are in the World Series, all owners win.

If the anti-trust exemption was lifted the first low market franchise to move to New York would immediately double in value and Major League Baseball would be powerless to stop the move. With the anti-trust exemption they would never allow it.

If the Yanks land the Doc--#28 is in the books! GO YANKS!

Halladay would be a "big splsh" addition, but he was clearly not the pitcher he used to be in the 2nd half of last season. Do the Yanks want to spiral down the "higher salary - diminishing production" path again? Go after a younger, steadier, less expensive starter and develope from within.

No Holliday - No Halladay - Happy Holidays!

to anyone whining about a salary cap, i'm gonna start by quoting comedian david cross, "shut up you f*cking baby!" the yankees have found a formula that works, and you're just jealous that your team is afraid to spend money on high priced free agents. but hey, you gotta spend money to make money. george steinbrenner had a vision. use free agency to your advantage, and cost effectiveness be damned. that's why the team is worth more than four times what it was when he bought it. he's a business man. he got it done, and rather than be stingy in the payroll department, has spent and spent and spent to put the best product on the field. and for who? the fans. he realized people are more likely to pay their hard earned dollars for a quality product than a shoddy one. doc halliday would be an amazing pickup for the pinstripes. i'd love to see it. see you suckers next october. this yankees fan is outta here for now.

Every other team in baseball is worth more then ten times what it was worth when George bought the Yankees. Every owner makes money when big market teams win. That is exactly why they win.

No replies from any Yankee fans on my "anti-trust exemption" post. That is because most Yankee fans do not understand the word "exemption", never mind anti-trust exemption.

Do you need a box of Kleenex Tissue to wipe your tears, Rex Ryan has a extra box.

PHILLIES IN 4!!! MARK MY WORDS!!!!

we do know anti-trust exemption means. the nfl is currently involved in a supreme court case involving their anti trust exemption. the outcome of that would likely effect any decisions being made going forward, and not just in football. granted, theirs is over their exclusive apparel deal with reebok, but it could have ramifications throughout the sports world. the nfl is arguing that the 32 teams are one single entity that exist only for competition with each other, so therefore are exempt from anti trust laws. another sports apparel manufacturer is saying that they constitute 32 separate entities, so therefor should be able to enter into licensing agreements with companies other than reebok. suck on that, forgotten.

I agree, 'F the Yankees!

another genius phillie fan........ and I quote, " suck it "

STICK TO GYMNASTICS, YOU CAN CRY ALL YOU WANT.
WHO IS YOUR TEAM, THE NATIONALS???

If this happens it will force salary caps. Seriously if the Yanks get Halladay it will be a case of buying out the competition. And that's super lame. hear that? Yankees = Super Lame!

KEEP ROOTING FOR PITTSBURG, THEY WILL WIN THE WORLD SERIES WHEN WILLIE STARGELL AND THE " WE ARE FAMILY" RETURNS, GOOD LUCK ON ANOTHER 100 LOSS YEAR AND 16 CONSECUTIVE LOSING SEASONS, THE YANKEES HAVE NO INTEREST IN THAT RECORD.WE DO HAVE AN INTEREST
IN #28 AND 4,000,000 FANS.

THE YANKESS ARE CHAMPIONS OF BASEBALL ..AGAIN!

You have no idea what you are talking about. But thats good, the world needs burger flippers, too. How much Yankee apparel did you buy because the Yankees won the World Series? All you could afford I'm sure. (A hat)

DUDE, U R SO LAME IT IS UNBELIEVABLE.

its parity...not parody. idiot.

Dude , The YANKEES GATE COUNTED 4,000,000

Jelly Roll- Jimmy Rollins- is that you

I'm so sick of this tired argument that the Yankees bought all their championships. They have 27 rings. 20 of them came before free agency. The next two came in the first 3 years of free agency when they had exactly TWO free major free agents, Reggie Jackson and an aging Catfish Hunter. We then went 18 years without a championship and didn't when again until home-grown talent, (the core four along with Bernie Williams and others) brought the WS back to the Bronx. The ONLY championship that really fits the whole "bought a championship" label is the last one. Know your history or close your mouth.

It's "it's"...not "its". Idiot!

"There is proportionally far more parody in MLB than any professional sports league with a salary cap."

You said a mouthful there, buddy.

A QUICK JOKE I HEARD ON MLB THE OTHER NIGHT, THE PIRATES HAVE A GOOD YOUNG OUTFIELD AND SOME OTHER GOOD YOUNG PLAYERS THEY CAN BUILD AROUND AND THEY CAN COMPETE WITH ESPECIALLY IN THEIR WEAK DIVSION.THEY WILL TRADE THESE PLAYERS BY THE ALL STAR GAME.

HOW ABOUT CLEVELAND MUST HAVE BEEN REAL NICE AND ENCOURAGING TO THE
FAN BASE WATCHING LEE vs SABATHIA PITCH 2 GAMES A PIECE.

CRY ME A RIVER

THE YANKEES ARE CHAMPIONS OF BASEBALL....... AGAIN.

CASH - MAN IS PROBABLY JUST PUTTING HIS TOE IN THE WATER TO DRIVE UP THE COST OF DOC. IT WILL COST THE SAUX ALOT TO LAND HIM, I HOPE
LESTER AND BUCHOLZ, ARE THE GOING RATE.

It's true. This year or (I think more likely) next, Halladay will be made Borg. If the Jays are willing to trade him for anything this year to a team in their own division - let alone the Borg - they can probably expect to compete with the Marlins to see if the Rogers Center can be evacuated any more efficiently than Jeffrey Loria and his uncle Scrooge McDuck have managed to empty Joeprodolshark Stadium.

Jealousy is an ugly thing. GO YANKEES!!!!!! By the way, Yanks might as well sign Lackey and Chase Utley......why? Because they can!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well that may be true, but it sure beats being "super Lame"! Mark my words the Yankees are dangerously treading an area that will bring salary caps, which I'll welcome.

hahaha

Last time I checked, anybody can open a checkbook, and buy a player. Sorry to the rest of MLB (NOT)......Yankees are stacked and gonna be deep for a while. SPEND ON CASH-MAN!

The Yankees suck-the fun out of baseball.

nother classic case of the ahole stankies just buying championships.

[Quote=Forgottenbaseballfan] This analysis is not correct. Players go to big market teams because it is good for the owners, not the players. [/QUOTE]

Forgotten, I was referring to players in sports leagues with a salary cap. You don't seem to be referencing my analysis so please explain why it is incorrect.

Your second sentence doesn't make any sense. Players are always out for themselves and don't care about the owners except in rare cases like with the Oakland Raiders. Players typically pick the team that offers the most money (both directly and indirectly). Other factors play a part, but almost always take a back seat to the payday.

I agree with everything you said...Joba and AJ are both headcases... and they both have attitudes for some reason...which they shouldn't because they're not that good...AJ gets paid 16 million for throwing pies and having meltdowns...Joba is a big baby and neither one of them are true Yankees! Keep Matusi...who is a true Yankee and warrior...Damon too...who is a positive role model and a game changer like when he did that double steal.

Pick up another starter because don't think Wang will ever be the same...This team can win again next year with just a couple of changes and additions...love this team...Repeat in 2010!

I didn't realize how many cry-babies there are about the Yankees. Don't all teams try to win? Don't all teams try to field the best possible team in order to give their team the best chance of winning championships? All these whiners must be Dead Sux fans or dejected Philly fans. Dead Sox are whiners-Yankees are winners. 27-7.......shhhhhhhh.

The Yankees have been winning championships ever since they "BOUGHT" Babe Ruth!

And, call the Yankees anything you want.........but you also have to call them WORLD CHAMPIONS for the 27th time.

Curt Flood lost his case. You need to thank Andy Messersmith for free agency.

If I were the Yankees... just to annoy everyone that hates them...I would get Lackey and Halliday, Holliday, Granderson or Bay...Next year go after Cliff Lee and Carl Crawford...then watch the whiners..Cry!!! Love it....

All you Yankee haters...you're so jealous you can't stand it...Get over it...we're going to be around for a very long time.

Go Yankees...2009 World Champions...best team in baseball...Repeat in 2010 for #28!!!!

If I were the Yankees... just to annoy everyone that hates them...I would get Lackey and Halliday, Holliday, Granderson or Bay...Next year go after Cliff Lee and Carl Crawford...then watch the whiners..Cry!!! Love it....

All you Yankee haters...you're so jealous you can't stand it...Get over it...we're going to be around for a very long time.

Go Yankees...2009 World Champions...best team in baseball...Repeat in 2010 for #28!!!!

Hey, slow down everyone. See what they have to give up if they do get Halladay. He is a great pitcher, but still we don't know how he will pitch in the future (injuries etc.). Besides that, if they give up more than they should just to get him, it may hurt them more. Also, how long can Pettitt [pitch? He was lucky to do so well this year. What if he folds next year like he did in Houston? How long will Rivera pitch as he is today? A lot of questions to answer before we crown the Yanks again.I think the best competion will come from the angels or even Tampa Bay. I think the Bosox are dead. It doesn't look like they will be able to sign Bay at a level to afford Halladay too.It is either Bay or Halladay, and I am not sure they are in the running for Halladay. The best advice I can give to them is to try to convince the Jays to trade him to the NL.

In 2008 MLB baseball transferred 400M in revenue sharing and luxury tax. This is in addition to the $35M each MLB gets from MLB for licensing/merchandising/etc. So a team like the pirates made $25M before the season even started. What happened to the $25M? Why not invest in your team like the Yankees do? You can't fault Yankess ownership/management by spending every dime they can to win and please their fan base.

Can't blame them for that. You can blame them for a salary cap, which is bound to happen at the rate the Yankees are going. Then they'll have to do real work to put together teams to win championships, instead of just tossing money around as they do now. LAME!

Yankees suck.

The Microsoft Yankees strike again! It's going to be different this time....TRUST ME

The rules are set up by ownership, whose main goal is to make money. In baseball, the most money is made when big market teams win. Yankee fans would abandon the team in droves if they were not perpetual winners. Bigger payroll means better players meaning better chance of winning meaning more money for owners. Of course the players are going to go to the team that pays them more, so owners can indirectly control who has better players and therefore who wins and therefore how much money they make. And they all make plenty of money when a big market team wins. The owners of the Royals and Mariners and A's are HAPPY when the Yanks sign all the big free agants. They make more money as well. They are not really trying to win. They are trying to make more money.

Are you aware that the Yankees bought Babe Ruth? I think that they bought every single championship.

Everyone's got his answer, his opinion, etc. You all sound like a lot of mislead democrats. You know you have 4 democrats in one room with 12 opinions. Athletes have to earn a living just like anyone else. The difference is, they are willing to give up their time, their body, and know well in advance they are doing this for a limited time. Let's see if I can get a rise here: if your boss offered you an outrageous salary would you turn it down? In fact, would you want to be scrutinized by everyone for accepting it? There is a reason you have an agent; there is a reason for free agency, and it's called protecting your interest, insurance if you will. As to the individual who refers to the great Curt Flood, how dare you soil his name? That man suffered by himself, and then he died. You obviously just know how to throw names around before knowing the facts. I have a great passion for this individual and respect, and people who are enjoying the game of baseball and are basking in its fruits, have Curt Flood to thank. Just food for thought.

The problem is this with the salary cap is this. You say that "There is proportionally far more parody in MLB than any professional sports league with a salary cap" which is farsical at best considering that the divisional championships have repeated almost %73 of the time in the past 10 years whereas in the NHL and NFL those numbers are closer to %47. And the reason why most of the teams in the NHL and NFL mentioned continue to win is because the rules of a salary cap enviornment create a cause and effect factor whereas the organizations are forced to put more emphasis aquiring talent through thier drafting and scouting programs. Look at the Detroit Red Wings for example, yes they have won the Western Central division I believe 7 out of the last 10 years, but the fact remains the reason being is that aside from a few free agents here and there, the fundementals of thier team which have allowed them to be so successful is because of thier organization approch to developping talent from within thier farm system. So ask yourself, when was the last time the Yankees groomed a top prospect for 3-4 years in the minors? THEY DONT, why? Becuase with no salary cap, and the fact that baseball is much less of a team driven sport and much more of an individual sport in comparrison to the other 3 major sports, this gives them ZERO incentive to continue riding the high tides of thier cheque books and sign top free agents. Also, another danger which the Yankees (and other teams too) have exposed us to is going out and getting talent for the sake of not letting other competing teams aquire them. Remember in like 02, 03 or 04 (whenever it was)when they last signed Conseco? The reason why they did that shortly before the deadline was to prevent the A's from aquiring him, not because they wanted to make him a part of thier organization, but because they wanted to lessen the chance of another teams competitiveness. The fact is a salary cap enviornment has its pro's and con's. And I agree with you that yes it does impact the teams on the truly low part of the totem pole like the Pirates, but if in a salary cap world if you as an organization cannot make money then in reality, you probably shouldnt have a team. The fact of the matter is in the NHL prior to the salary cap you had 3 teams in Canada where they drew sell outs every night, almost in bankruptcy and barely making it by, but now with the cap world those teams are each running well and profitable. Plus, a salary cap energizes people in places like Milluiwake, San Diego, Minnesota, Kansas City and many others because they can walk in to each season knowing that with the proper scouting, organizational efforts and principled signings they have just as much of a chance contending for thier divisional titles in July which would allow them to go out and make that big trade or signing which might push them over that hill. The salary cap world, with both its pro's and con's works as it was intended. the current system allows for reckless management descisions as well it also undermines the efforts made by the smaller organizations to get better as a team from within.

Personally I feel like if they dont want to do away with the salary cap system then make the divisions more balanced, the same idea like UEFA soccer. Put the Yanks, Angels, Red Sox, Dodgers, Mets etc...all the teams with the highest payrolls in thier own divisions to fair out the process.

This is no place for politics you pillhead. Go drink some more Limbaugh Kool Aid.

Douche

Your statement is almost laughable because there is no one player, not A-Rod, not Matsuei, not Jeter, not nobody who is worth Halladay straight up. Injuries? Look it up, as far as injuries go Halladay has only had two instances where he suffered season ending injuries, one of them being from a comebacker pitch in Texas that almost tore his shoulder out. Halladay is Mr. Consistent. Name me any other pitcher over the past 10-15 years that consistently goes out there and pitches 8-12 complete games a year? Nobody! Addiing Halladay would only VASTLY improve this team, no if's and's or but's. Halladay is so geared to win a championship a Mack Truck couldntn injur him right now. He is far and away the most consistent and dominating pitcher of the last 5 years easy. there have been pitchers (Lee, Santana) who have had better seasons over those years but over the last 5 years, its not even close. The only reason why you probably dont recognize how good Halladay really can be is because you are probably an American in an American market where very few out of town ballgames are shown especially Blue Jays games. I have watched Halladay pitch 38 times in the past 10 years living in Toronto and do you know how many games he gave up more than 5 runs in those games? 0 And trust me on this one, Paul Godfried will NEVER allow a divisional trade for Halladay, EVER.

Joba is the reincarnation of Hideki Irabu. He is never going to live up to his hype. Get something for him now before everyone sle figures it out.

The Yankees will end up with Bay Holliday Halliday Lackey. They will then be declared AL Champions and will not have to play until the World Series.

Boras is on their payroll and is also an advanced scout.

The owner is on his way out and will spend whatever it takes.

They will build a new stadium next year to move in the right field
fences closer for more home runs.

Baseball is now done! And who cares with the salaries.

Not for nothing , and I agree with your post by the way, but the Yankees were purchased by The Boss for $10 million. Theya re estimated to be worth $1.3 BILLION today (Forbes Magazine). That is 130 times more, not 4 times more

What's the problem? Did I hit a real nerve? You are a fool if you think politics are not involved.

this is still a free country for now...if you have the money and want to spend the way you'd like , you should have that right. if you work harder , come up with a better game plan and make more money why should you use the resourses that are available to get ahead...? other teams have seen the business model that the yankees have built. they can do the same things. even if they don't have as many fans , win a few times and you'll see how the fan base increases. after all , these teams are not owned by welfare recipients. these owners are multi millionare, billionare types. they just have to decide that they want to win and that they are willing to spend to do it.

Phil Hughes and Montero.. If the BJs (lolz) take it we will have the east by July 4th.

2010 Rotation: CC,AJ,Halladay,Lackey,Andy... Is that 28th I smell?

Perhaps the Yankee Empire should just declare war on Boston Nation & just be done with them once & for all...

btw, the toronto ownership group is the richest in baseball.

Unintentionally funny mis-spelling, parody, instead of parity. Good bit. Yes, there is a lot of parody in the American League, like the idea that all the teams are really major league teams, instead of AAAA farm teams for the Yankees, Red Sox, Angels, and Tigers.

Sign Halladay, let Matsui and Damon go and sign Jason Bay.

The crying should be coming from "the other 3 teams" in the AL East who have only a marginal chance, at best, of ever making the playoffs. Every single move has to pan out for these teams to have a even a remote shot. It's not a level playing field. Since '94 the Yanks or the Sox have won the division every year except '97 (O's) and '08 (Rays), with the Yanks qualifying as the wildcard in '97 and the Sox in '08. You're right, they don't always win the big prize, but one or the other and most times both of them play for it EVERY October.

Yoo two smart four hour feeble brains...

Between 1921 and 1964 the Yankees won the series 20 out of 44 years before free agency and finished 2nd or 3rd. 95 % of the time. Which shows the best team rises to the top with or without money ..class is class..be afraid ,very afraid of the pinstripes

4 years?

hahahahahahahahaha...good one

Still crying about the Yankees? Get over it.

Actually, I'm hoping the 27 Time, World Series Champions, the Legendary New York Yankees wrap up their repeat and the next year in their brand new Yankees Dynasty before Christmas 09'. And, getting Roy "Doc" Holliday will make that a reality. The only thing that I'm not in agreement with the Yankee brass is, who they will trade to make this happen. I don't think the Yankees should have to trade Joba or Hughes to get this done. I was thinking more in the line of Swisher, Kennedy, Iqawa and maybe eating Veron Wells's big contract, which is only money to the YES Network Bank. This should be plenty to bring the Yankees their next chip. This, along with the resigning of Yankees Legend and future Hall of Famer Andy Pettitte, the resigning of Johnny Damon, and also the signing of John Lackey will be enough of Christmas gifts for the Greatest Fans in the World, the New York Yankees Universe! Hey Cash! let's get these moves completed so we all can enjoy Christmas 2009'.

what you dimwitted Yankees bashers fail to grasp is this: there are 12 other owners with more personal wealth than the Steinbrenners... so all you people are doing is bashing a family that invests in their product. THEY understand business... you invest in your team, your team wins, it generates more ad money, you re-invest, repeat cycle. THAT'S how you build the richest franchise in sports. Maybe some of you fans should be bashing the ownership of your own teams, chances are they CHOOSE not to spend the money ... they rather pocket the luxary taxes, as revenues, consession monies they collect and field sub standard teams. When Stienbrenner bought the Yanks, he paid 10 million for them, they were at the bottom.. over the next 35 yrs he BUILT that franchise up.. and lost a lot of money in those earyl years, be figured out what most owners failed to understand. Winning teams generate more revenue, which in turn help generate more winning teams.

What is this nonsense about Yankee fans leaving in droves if the Yankees don't win. Since you have obviously been sleeping from 2000 until now, I'll give you an update. The Yanks did NOT win a championship in that time while a number of smaller market, smaller payroll teams DID. At least try to make your argument in some way remotely supported by facts. The Yanks attendance figures have been great despite not winning it all, and as long as their ownership keeps spending the revenue on the team, fans will still be there win or lose.

I heard the Yankees are going to buy the entire starting rotation from the Pirates as their bullpen, and get Chase Utley, AND Joe Mauer for back-up DH's.

ICE WATER IN YOUR VEINS.

Thanks for straightening out everyone. I am tired of the Yankees taking it on the chin. Do you remember 1996 after Baltimore lost to the Yankees in the playoffs, the following year they spent an outrageous amount of money for their team, which was one dimensional and in fact, has never reached the top again? Thanks again. People have to realize it is chemistry first and foremost.

David is absolutely correct...BASEBALL needs a salary cap. They have to create a level playing field for each team. If the majority of the teams cannot afford Halladay (or any other 'franchise' type player), there is no equity. Who can say that teams like Pittsburgh and Kansas City have the same chance as Boston, NYY, LAA and the Phillies. Yes, every team has a POSSIBILITY of winning, but it is NOT an EQUAL chance.
GREED is everywhere in baseball...why did we have a day off in between games in the LAA-NYY when there was no travel - for the money that MLB gets from TV prime time. I laugh when I hear about 'parity' in baseball. True, there has not been a team that won more than twice in the past ten years, but in the past ten years, how many teams with a below average payroll made the playoffs....and how many teams in the top quartile in payroll did not make the playoffs...look at these numbers and then let's talk about equity. Money doesn't guarantee a title, but it sure does give you a MUCH BETTER chance, and that is not fair, and not good for BASEBALL. (By the way, I would not oppose a Minimum Salary Cap and an individual team profitability cap).

You may get different teams winning the WS from year to year, but what percentage of teams in the lowest quartile of salary payroll get to the PLYOFFS? What percentage of teams in the highest quartile of salary payroll get to the playoffs? Compare those percentages and then let's talk about 'MLB parity for the whole league'. I give the NYY credit for spending the $ to give themselves the best chance to win, but is that fair when most of the other teams do not have the $ to spend even if they wanted to. The $ does not guarantee a championship, but it does create a VERY UNEQUAL 'playing field'.

The Yankees will take on the hugh contract of Vernon Wells, then the Jays will send Roy Halladay to the Yankees, with the Yankees only giving up a couple of essentially secondary minor leaguers and cash for the second best pitcher in the MLB(behind CC Sabathia)in Roy Halladay and the Yankees 28th 29th and possibly 30th World Series Championships. Thanks Jays! Now, all the Yankees have to do the rest of this 2009 off-season is to sign John Lackey, Chone Figgins, resign Johnny Damon and future Hall of Famer Andy "Mr Clutch" Pettite. Then,after the 2010 Season, Andy Pettite will retire, thus opening a spot on the World Champions rotation for their next big Free Agent signing of Cliff Lee, thus completing the Yankees rotation of:

CC Sabathia
Roy Halladay
AJ Burnett
John Lackey
Cliff Lee

Relievers
Joba
Hughes
then the Greatest closer in MLB History
Mariano Rivera

Yankees lineup

Chone Figgins
Johnny Damon
Derek Jeter
A-Rod
Tex
Wells
Posada
Cano
Swisher

Introducing the Next New York Yankees Dynasty!!! GO Yankeess!!!

I would like to say, just like the teamsters was, MLB, and their enforcers, a.k.a. the yankees, are just businessmen, like me and the Teamsters used to be. All us businessmen are here to make money and the best at making money are the best...so what's your problem...yankee fans like good business, like at lehman, AIG, etc. etc...what is this, a school playground, golden rule stuff?...make me the commissioner and I say, close all the teams except the yankees cuz that = more $$$$, no crying...what's the diff if the yankees beat those loser mlb teams or high school teams, it's still a win, right?...after all, a high school coach can get the best players if he's smart...

p.s. teamsters + yankees rule!!!

sincerely,

jimmy

Not sure that acquiring Halladay would guarantee the Yankees make the playoffs, but it would help a great deal. Also, it would be great insurance if CC Sabathia were to develop arm problems. Considering the workload the Brewers put on him during their playoff run and then the Yanks last season, there is potential for problems soon.

Halladay pitches a lot of complete games but he uses only 90-100 pitches to finish the nine innings. He was never asked to pitch on short rest with Toronto.

Also, Jesus Montero is a great hitting prospect, but his defense has not improved to the point that he will be able to play in the majors at Catcher. He is a 1B, DH at this point. Unless the Yanks are looking to release Teixeira and play Montero at 1B they might as well use him to acquire a top player.

I think it is hilarious that you think CC is honestly better than Lincy,Grienke and other pitchers in the MLB. bottom line: CC isn't that good on his own, it is his team...

Halladay is coming to Philly. That's where he wants to come and he's in charge of his own destiny. The Phillies have all the pieces the Jays want. And contrary to common belief they do have the extra loot to land him. Blanton will be a part of the trade. Everyone knows Halladay would rather not become a Yanker. :>P

you couldnt be more wrong sir. where do you get your information?

...ZZZ... just more of the same ... Yanks buy another championship... more fans leave the sport ... fans tired of getting fleeced... how much for a 300 level ticket next year; $80? ... and that's against the KC Royals!! ...whose payroll is only $200 million less

actually i pay 12 dollars a seat to go to yankee games on my plan and i sit 50 ft from the field. and on stub hub you can get them for no more than 20 to see the royals. Yankees know baseballs a business as does every other team. they make by having loyal fans and putting a winning team on the field. if they put anything less than what they do on the field then they finish 3rd or 4th in their division. so should they finish 4th? or 1st? should they get their stars by free agency because we make money and keep our prospects or have a never ending flow of prospects because we give away our talent every year like the marlins. in case you didnt know when someone else signs your top guy you keep getting first round picks and when you play in the nl east you can get away with having a team with no one over 30 who are all first round picks still in their rookie contracts. when you play in the big boys division and league AL East that doesnt exactly work. Every year baseball provides great stories and a cinderella team to make it to the series from either league more than any other sport so whats the issue? your team sucks?

thanks for saying it joe...all we ever hear is the yankees are buying the title but if that's the case they would win it every year...if i'm not mistaken, they've had the highest payroll for as long as anyone has kept track but they hadn't won anything in nearly a decade...baseball is the most unique of sports...where else can a guy be successful just 30 percent of the time and make the hall of fame...when they had the great run in the 90's it was all home grown talent...don't get me wrong, sabathia was a HUGE factor this year but so were rivera, jeter, petitte, posada, hughes, melky and yes even chamberlain to some extent

Before baseball players made any money and payroll really meant anything....

The yankees dominated....the 40s, 50s......

Actually George screwed it all up in the 70s and 80s with spending....

90s and 2Ks have gone pretty well....

EVERYONE is all pissed off at the Yankees...

GUYS THEY PAID 60 M $ in competitve tax this year....so YOUR OWNER CAN GET BETTER PLAYERS !!

You know what they do with the money they put it in their pocket !!

The Yankees come to your town, sell out your ballpark, make YOUR owners tons of money AND you get a check for millions every year in tax...

I bet every team the yankees play outside of the East gets 5 to 10M ALONE from the yankees in sold out home games and luxury tax....

GO SIGN SOMEONE !

if yankees paid half his salary do you think bluejays would take Arod for Halladay straight up

arod sure knows how to lie http://bit.ly/arodliar

There were TWO blogs today; in one the Red Sox are giving Lackey a physical in preparation to closing a deal and, in the other, the Yankees are TALKING to the Bluejays. Yet, in this string of comments, it appears that only the Yankees are 1) buying another championship, 2) bringing about the end of parity in baseball, and 3)causing MLB to re-visit the salary cap and anti-trust laws. Seems we have a goose/gander deal going on here!!!

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