Are the Yankees ruining Baseball?

[dbackjon]

Contracts
Alex Rodriguez 3b 10 years/$275M (2008-17)
C.C. Sabathia lhp 7 years/$161M (2009-15)
Mark Teixeira 1b 8 years/$180M (2009-16)
Derek Jeter ss 10 years/$189M (2001-10)
A.J. Burnett rhp 5 years/$82.5M (2009-13)
Mariano Rivera rhp 3 years/$45M (2008-10)
Jorge Posada c 4 years/$52.4M (2008-11)
Johnny Damon of 4 years/$52M (2006-09)
Hideki Matsui of 4 years/$52M (2006-09)

$644 Million for 1b, ss and 3rd alone - $70M/year for three players, higher than the payrolls of most teams.

[Willie]

If you have the money...why NOT spend it?

[Col Hogan]

Yes and no...

They have the money, so why not spend it...

But, there is a point where other investors are going to start pulling out of the business and that will ultimately hurt baseball...not the Yankees, but baseball in general...

[HI54UNI]

Is the pope Catholic?

[AZGrizFan]

Yes.

Yes.


Yes.

[wideright82]

Contracts
Alex Rodriguez 3b 10 years/$275M (2008-17)
C.C. Sabathia lhp 7 years/$161M (2009-15)
Mark Teixeira 1b 8 years/$180M (2009-16)
Derek Jeter ss 10 years/$189M (2001-10)
A.J. Burnett rhp 5 years/$82.5M (2009-13)
Mariano Rivera rhp 3 years/$45M (2008-10)
Jorge Posada c 4 years/$52.4M (2008-11)
Johnny Damon of 4 years/$52M (2006-09)
Hideki Matsui of 4 years/$52M (2006-09)

$644 Million for 1b, ss and 3rd alone - $70M/year for three players, higher than the payrolls of most teams.

Ruining baseball? Please. Baseball was ruined once steroids were introduced. The team is a marketable entertainment function, that if anything HELPS baseball. The hatred for the Yankees is one of the things that keeps most people into the sport. Who gives a crap if your DBacks beat the Devil Rays. When you take down the giant organization, the evil empire, that puts people in the seats. Warren Buffet hasn't ruined the stock market by investing as much as he can, he makes other people want to do the same. To get better and better. The Yankees are the upper echelon of Major League Baseball, and all other teams strive to do what they can. They have access to the greatest sports marketing arena, New York City, and they take full advantage of it. People come out to see names and people come out to see people beat the Yankees. Might as well put all the names on the Yankees so you get a twofor. Sing a new song everyone, we haven't won in almost a decade, and yet still you bitch.




And yes this is a soft spot for me

[AZGrizFan]

Contracts
Alex Rodriguez 3b 10 years/$275M (2008-17)
C.C. Sabathia lhp 7 years/$161M (2009-15)
Mark Teixeira 1b 8 years/$180M (2009-16)
Derek Jeter ss 10 years/$189M (2001-10)
A.J. Burnett rhp 5 years/$82.5M (2009-13)
Mariano Rivera rhp 3 years/$45M (2008-10)
Jorge Posada c 4 years/$52.4M (2008-11)
Johnny Damon of 4 years/$52M (2006-09)
Hideki Matsui of 4 years/$52M (2006-09)

$644 Million for 1b, ss and 3rd alone - $70M/year for three players, higher than the payrolls of most teams.

Is that their lineup, or the lineup for the 2009 All Star game?

[wideright82]

Contracts
Alex Rodriguez 3b 10 years/$275M (2008-17)
C.C. Sabathia lhp 7 years/$161M (2009-15)
Mark Teixeira 1b 8 years/$180M (2009-16)
Derek Jeter ss 10 years/$189M (2001-10)
A.J. Burnett rhp 5 years/$82.5M (2009-13)
Mariano Rivera rhp 3 years/$45M (2008-10)
Jorge Posada c 4 years/$52.4M (2008-11)
Johnny Damon of 4 years/$52M (2006-09)
Hideki Matsui of 4 years/$52M (2006-09)

$644 Million for 1b, ss and 3rd alone - $70M/year for three players, higher than the payrolls of most teams.

Is that their lineup, or the lineup for the 2009 All Star game?

It'll probably be both since we have the most fans voting on the ballots. Regardless of how good or bad the players end up doing,

[JMU DJ]

This spending has yet proven to win championships. Look at the Rays and Marlins. Spend all the money you want Yankees, hasn't worked yet... it's like an arms race every year in the North East... nobody cares if the A's and Giants are stacking their rosters in the off season. EAST COAST BIAS!

[wideright82]

This spending has yet proven to win championships. Look at the Rays and Marlins. Spend all the money you want Yankees, hasn't worked yet... it's like an arms race every year in the North East... nobody cares if the A's and Giants are stacking their rosters in the off season. EAST COAST BIAS!

That is exactly my point. Spending can be attributed to the very very average decade we have had, and even though the 90s were great, we were a relatively home grown team compared to now. People like to use it as the reason the Yankees have ALWAYS been great. That is right ALWAYS. We win more than you, and you can't take it. NO HOMO!

[dbackjon]

what it does is give the Yankees depth. They can afford to make some mistakes. Other teams can't.

But, you are right, it is no guarantee.

Where it will hurt other teams is it pushes the price of other FA's out of reach of many teams.

[putter]

Yankees have not ruined baseball. The Rangers started the mega contract by giving A-Rod that obscene amount of money and it went from there. I think they have wasted more money than any other club and, like another poster said, the Yankees dominated when they had pure talent and not overpriced "stars". Look how the Rays did this year.

IMO, having the Yanks and Sox so successful is good. When does Kansas City sell out their home games? When the Yankees and Sox come to town. I attended a Mariner game this year against Boston and they had over 38k at the game (mostly Red Sox fans) which was well above the season average because of the crappy season they had. Revenue for the Mariners they would not get playing the Royals or Brewers

[JMU DJ]

Spending all that money seemed to work out pretty well for Mr. Burns....

[wideright82]

what it does is give the Yankees depth. They can afford to make some mistakes. Other teams can't.

But, you are right, it is no guarantee.

Where it will hurt other teams is it pushes the price of other FA's out of reach of many teams.

Yeah, the Yankees should really worry about the other teams not being as Competitive. Distribution of wealth in sports coming next?




"Hey mommy, the other team has more good players than mine does, so we can't win"
"Well, little tommy, I'll just have to talk to the head of the league, you are ALL winners"

[grizzaholic]

What does it cost for 4 people to go and watch a game in Yankee stadium? tickets, food, program, couple of beers?

[wideright82]

What does it cost for 4 people to go and watch a game in Yankee stadium? tickets, food, program, couple of beers?

How big is your 401k? The new stadium is outrageous




However, there is also a cost of living factor. NYC is an expensive place, and it shows in everything from their sports team to their tunnels, to their cigarettes, to their booze. If you wanna see em cheaper. Watch an away game.



I should say though that i paid about 150 total for 3 tickets and food for my younger brother and my cousin. Brother was in a wheelchair at the time though so it was cheaper. Also, it was in the now previous stadium which is much cheaper than the new one.

[Col Hogan]

If the Yankees are making so much money (and spending it on free agents)...why are they scamming the federal government and NY State for all the money for their new stadium???

[dbackjon]

what it does is give the Yankees depth. They can afford to make some mistakes. Other teams can't.

But, you are right, it is no guarantee.

Where it will hurt other teams is it pushes the price of other FA's out of reach of many teams.

Yeah, the Yankees should really worry about the other teams not being as Competitive. Distribution of wealth in sports coming next?




"Hey mommy, the other team has more good players than mine does, so we can't win"
"Well, little tommy, I'll just have to talk to the head of the league, you are ALL winners"

You like the NFL?

[dbackjon]

If the Yankees are making so much money (and spending it on free agents)...why are they scamming the federal government and NY State for all the money for their new stadium???

No kidding.

[grizzaholic]

If the Yankees are making so much money (and spending it on free agents)...why are they scamming the federal government and NY State for all the money for their new stadium???

No kidding.

What do the tax payers have to pay now. Last time I checked it was almost a billion. Then the very same tax payers have to pay to go into the stadium.

[JMU DJ]

I catch the Phils when they come down to Atlanta... you can get into the game for a Dollar and sit in the Budweiser Pavillion... which really isn't a bad location, it's just above the lower level and right next to the Braves bullpen. Which is good for heckling Mike Hampton... what, do you think you are actually going to pitch? Why don't you just sit back on the bench and earn your ridiculous contract for doing absolutely nothing.

Braves also have all you can eat seats for $30 bucks which also aren't in a bad part of the park. Even better, they have all you can eat and drink seats for $65... talk about getting sloshed and stuffed at a ball game.

http://houston.astros.mlb.com/atl/ticketing/ayce.jsp

Charging so much for a game takes the average fan out of the game... especially when they decide to black the games out on TV. Do they still do that in NY?

[Col Hogan]

No kidding.

What do the tax payers have to pay now. Last time I checked it was almost a billion. Then the very same tax payers have to pay to go into the stadium.

And climbing...

http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2009/0 ... _plan.html

[wideright82]

Yeah, the Yankees should really worry about the other teams not being as Competitive. Distribution of wealth in sports coming next?




"Hey mommy, the other team has more good players than mine does, so we can't win"
"Well, little tommy, I'll just have to talk to the head of the league, you are ALL winners"

You like the NFL?

Hinting at Salary caps I see. Good luck implementing that when these players are all ready banking the big bucks. You wanna ask a question about ruining baseball? Wait until that strike occurs.


And no, I hate NFL football as a whole. How many MLB players do you hear bitching about salary?

[dbackjon]

Actually, more hinting at REVENUE SHARING, which the NFL isthe master of...

And I hear bitching from both, more so from baseball players.

[wideright82]

Actually, more hinting at REVENUE SHARING, which the NFL isthe master of...

And I hear bitching from both, more so from baseball players.

wellll then, touche. Nevermind. but no I do not like the NFL, and i LOVE major league baseball, so apples and oranges for me.