OilerBuck: "They've destroyed the sport of baseball."
What a bunch of garbage. That beautiful pure sport you long for was the same way in the 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's, and 60's. The Yankees won all the time, and there was no free agency, $200 million payrolls, haves & have-nots, or any of this b.s. then. What was wrong with baseball when the Yanks won 20 Championships before free agency. Hmmmm? I'm waiting on that. The bottom line is, jealousy.
I don't hear any crying when the Mets, Dodgers, Red Sox, and Cubs throw $100 million payrolls around and don't win shit. But when the Yankees do it AND win, its a federal case.
"Any self respecting fan of a small market team (I'm a Reds fan) should hate the Yankees for what they have done to a once beautiful game."
Let me premise this by saying, I like the Reds. I have a lot of friends who're Reds fans, I've been to Riverfront, and who can't love Rose, Bench, Morgan, and the Big Red Machine. HOWEVER! The Yankees haven't "ruined" shit. The Yankees make more money than the other teams. A lot more. Its a fact. There's no revenue sharing in baseball (neither the owners OR the Player's Union would allow it), so George has 2 options: he's taking in $100 million more than anyone else. He can a.) spend it on his team, or b.) pocket the money. What's more admirable in your eyes: George spending the money he takes in on his team, or just pocketing the money, taking $100 million home with him, and keeping his payroll low so other teams can compete. Its ridiculous.
Before the money became astronomical, all these crying small-market teams threw away money like it was water: the KC Royals signed Mark Davis, Storm Davis, David Cone, etc. to HUGE deals at the time. The A's were the first team to break the $5 million barrier with Jose Canseco. The Cardinals signed journeyman Bryn Smith to a $2.5 million deal back in the day (he was the 3rd highest paid pitcher at the time). The fact is, they're ALL guilty of "ruining baseball," and they were stupid enough to keep paying more, more more money, until they priced themselves right out of the market and into George's hands.
And they're still doing it: the Blue Jays sign Clemens and realize they can't afford him two years later, so they ship him to the only team that can take his contract. How bout A-Rod? Ditto. David Cone? Same situation. George didn't sign any of those guys to ridiculous contracts. Someone else did. Go blame them.
"This is like playing baseball in the back yard with the neighborhood kids and they stack the team so they can blow you out every game."
Huh? Relax, son. The Angels had a $50 million payroll when they beat the Yankees and won the WS. Or how bout the Marlins? Instead of crying about it and making excuses, why doesn't your team adopt the same philosiphy and GO BEAT THE YANKEES! Money is not the be-all, end-all in baseball. Correct baseball decisions are. Josh Beckett, Miguel Cabrera, K-Rod, etc. aren't big contract guys. Last time I checked, your team could've signed those guys (except for Beckett) as undrafted free agents and didn't.
You want a stat? To this point, no team has won the WS with a player who has a $100 million + contract. Not a single one. Instead of using money as a crutch, crying, and Playa-hating, why don't you put the blame where it really belongs: the inadequacies of YOUR team. The Reds passed Derek Jeter down in the Amateur Draft (the Reds picked # 5 & the Yanks drafted him # 6): big mistake there. No one twisted the Reds' arm and made them sign a washed up and oft-injured CF to a $100 million deal that would kill all their payroll flexibility. You got no excuse for the Reds not being the Twins, A's, Indians, Expos, Padres, Giants, Marlins, or even the D-Rays (who're LOADED with talent). The bottom line is, your team hasn't made the right moves, you need an excuse, so you dump it in George's lap.
And keep in mind, I love the Reds, Cincinnati, the fans, and hate criticizing them.
"I realize Boston has adopted much of the same philosophy of big spending as the Yankees, but that has just been to stay competitive."
Huh?? The Red Sox entire team is BOUGHT!! ManRam, Ortiz, Pedro, Schilling, Foulke, AND Damon were all acquired by salary dumps and high-priced free agency. There's not one star on that team that was brought up through the Boston farm system.
You complain about all this stuff, but the bottom line is, the Yankees do things the right way: Jeter, Posada, Pettite, Mariano, Soriano, Bernie Williams, Jim Leyrtiz, Ramiro Mendosa, Ted Lilly, Mike Lowell, Yhancy Brazoban, Jake Westbrook, Nick Johnson, Eric Milton, Christian Guzman, and "your boy" WILLY MO-PENA ARE ALL PRODUCTS OF THE YANKEE FARM SYSTEM!! None of those guys are "bought." Hate to break it to ya. And that's why the Yankees win.
Enough with the jealousy, please.
