The Sports Beat

OK, it happened. First CC, now AJ. Fiscal restraint be damned.

The Yankees seem headed down that familiar path of purchased glory–the one that seldom leads to sustained winning, without a continuance of cash-enhanced success. People have fallen in love with the concept that the Yankees can’t win without homegrown players, as evidenced by their inability to win a World Series this millenium. BUT, it’s really a silly notion.

The Yankees have won constantly since the mid-’90s. If it weren’t for a faulty system that allows the three best teams in the league to play in the best division in baseball and thereby discount one of them from making the postseason, the family Steinbrenner would have bought a playoff appearance even last year, when the team won only 89 games–good enough for fourth most in either league.

(In a most ironic twist the same fate befell the “chokers” over in Queens.)

The Yankees will win and win and win. They buy the best players they can each offseason and fill holes thusly. The problem is their farm system, which had returned to prominence over the past few years, will be wearing down again due to losing draft picks signing free agents. Type A, type B, type $, the Yankees are signing them all. They’re being neither clever nor creative. They’re simply doing what their business plan allows, something that is 100% within the rules and therefore can’t be criticized for any reason other than poor vision. (Unless you’re a small market fan, in which case you’re permitted to bitch and bemoan these facts, but you can blame your owners for allowing it more than anything.)

So, fret not, baseball fans. These contracts are a good thing for the game. The Yankees will remain the foil we love to crunch like the tin type cats chase after, and players will get their money. After all, baseball is America’s pastime because it tells the nation’s story, and New York is America. Meanwhile, the rest of baseball will take New York’s draft picks and restock the pantry. Let’s just hope CC doesn’t clear it out now that he’s made his money.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS