Yankees: $200 Million doesn't buy you a Soul

[hexagonian]

Go Sox

Us Cub fans want to have the lock on cheering for the most cursed team...

[dudemanjack]

Now that the Red Sox have beated the Yankees, I officially couldn't care less who wins the World Series. It should be a good series though.

[The Emperor Fabulous]

I just want to add: woot

[pchang]

The Sports Guy's column was a little anti-climactic. It was good, but somehow... I was expecting more...

[Lawrence of Arabia]

its funny cuz i also had a countdown of outs left. first mentally, and then with 9 to go, on paper, crossing out the numbers as outs were taken.

[Lawrence of Arabia]

10/20 - the last nite of the yankee dynasty.

[GePap]

OK, now that was a funny statement.

The Yankees lost miserably and embarassingly last night-but we will be back as always.

[Lawrence of Arabia]

with what? no pitching and everyone is signed for next year at least except for jon lieber who you are gonna pick up his option anyways. so you already have $175 million in payroll locked up for next year and you need one more left hander in the bullpen at $3 , a new centerfield beltran at $15, new 2B (maybe nomar) at $8 and a left handed starting pitcher at $10. so you're now looking at $200 + in payroll, + $30 in luxery taxes at least. thats huge. can steiny do it? probably.

[Arrian]

We most certainly don't need a new 2b. Cairo did just fine. Beltran is not necessary. Nice, but not needed.

Pitching IS needed. Payroll will probably hit $200 million.

-Arrian

[GePap]

All the things you said about them were true this year, and it got them 3 out away form a pennant - which they blew, but they got there anyways.

Personally I see 2001 as the last year of the Yankee dynasty of the turn of the century-the 1998 team was amazing, and from 1999-2001 we did very well (ok, we did great). The teams from 2002 on have not been that great-even if we got to the 2003 WS.

[Arrian]

Agreed, GePap.

The thing is that the '96-'01 squads were not dramatically higher priced than the teams immediately following them. A few million dollars would seperate them from the #2 team. And they won the WS.

Now, spending 50% more than the next most expensive team, they get to game 7 of the ALCS. Still an accomplishment, but not at all cost-effective.

-Arrian

[GePap]

The only players I trust in the Yankees are the old ones, like Jeter, Bernie, Posada, and Mariano. I like Matsui and think is he very good. Sheffield did fine this year. Brown and Arod were a waste.

[Arrian]

I may trust those guys somewhat, but it's clear none of them - except for Mo, oddly enough, is what they once were.

Jeter's career year was 1999.
Bernie's last really good year was, what, 2000?
Posada was awesome last year, and good this year, but he cannot keep this up. Next year, the year after... sometime soon he will decline as all catchers do.
Mariano is still awesome, but teams know they can get to him now. The aura was broken in game 7 in '01, and the Red Sox in particular have his number.

Brown - waste
A-Rod - ugh. Don't even get me started. Stats are ok, attitude and play under pressure are awful.
Sheffield - Better than A-Rod, but did you watch him flailing away when the going got tough?
Vasquez - Another name to add to the list of "talented players who cannot cut it in NY"
Gordon - Regular season good, postseason bad. Armando Benitez, anyone?

-Arrian

[Imran Siddiqui]

Beltran is not necessary. Nice, but not needed.

Yeah, but you are getting him. Steinny will spare no expense.

As for A-Rod, without him, I wonder if you would have won the East (like that matters now). He was important during the regular season.

And 'when the pressure is on' doesn't mean jack. It's proven that there is no such thing as 'clutch' play. It was one postseason (for A-Rod his absolute first), so a tiny sample size.

Hell, I'd take A-Rod and Sheffield on my Mets anyday . We'll take them off your hands for you.

[Arrian]

Imran,

I'm generally on your side with the "clutch" argument.

That's actually not what I was talking about. I was referring to the "slap" play. That was totally unsportsmanlike. The act of a desperate loser.

-Arrian