As I'm sure everyone is aware, the New York Yankees have gone on an unprecedented spending spree in the past month, causing many around the baseball world to question the fairness in the game. While I don't see it as a matter of "fairness", but instead a question of morality. How can any fan of baseball be ok with one team having the inside track on any big name free agent? Let me say that again, ONE team. That's right, contrary to popular belief, the Red Sox do not fall into the same economic category as the Yankees do. Once you take in consideration that the Red Sox have only given out 4 contacts of over 4 years since the year 2000. Manny Ramirez, J.D. Drew, Julio Lugo and Daiuske Matzusaka. Now consider that the New York Yankees this offseason has already dished out 4+ year contracts to CC Sabithia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Texiera. Spending over 400 million dollars on 3 players would seem ridiculous to most people... unless you're from New York of course. Despite spending that much cash, they are still in contract talks with Derek Lowe, Andy Pettite, Ben Sheets and Manny Ramirez. Disgusting.
Now lets look at what these signings actually mean on the field. The Yankees will run out a lineup that will look like this.
1. Johnny Damon- LF
2. Derek Jeter- SS
3. Mark Texiera- 1B
4. Alex Rodriguez- 3b
5. Xavier Nady- RF
6. Nick Swisher- DH
7. Jorge Posada- C
8. Robinson Cano- 2B
9. Melky Cabrera- CF
Not exactly a World Series winning lineup, but it should still prodcue 0over 100HRs and 300+RBI from the 3,4, and 5 guys. The rotation looks very good,
1. CC Sabithia
2. A.J. Burnett
3. Chien-Ming Wang
4. Joba Chamberlin
5. Andy Pettite/Phil Hughes
Looks great on paper but what have these 5 ever accomplished? CC has 2+ great years and a history of forgetting to show up in October. Burnett has had 2 good seasons, coincidently in contract years and is always injured. Wang has 1 good year and has been hurt. Joba is an out of shape head case who hasn't pitched a full year as a starter.. and oh ya a history of injuries. Petttie is the surest bet of the 6 guys listed above, and he's not even under contract yet. Phil Hughes is a promising young guy but if you remember he was getting shelled last year because of oh ya MORE INJURIES. This team is still a 2-3 place team in the loaded AL East, with the potential to win it all if everyone stays healthy and plays up to potential.
10 comments:
Well put my friend. I agree for the most part on your analysis. here is where I differ.
Tex, CC and AJ are very talented and at least worth some of what they paid for. Yeah, they have had injuries but who hasn't. If they play to their potential, they will be dangerous. Think of it this way as well. most players they were trying to buy in previous years have passed their prime. These guys may still have enough prime in them to earn their pay. I see it as not just the injuries but lack of playoff experience, lack of playing in a big market (media outlets, crazy fans, production pressure), etc. these guys are in for alot this season.
Boston is smart in the way that they know who to sign to long term deals and who they need for a few years. I also think they were smart in not over bidding on Tex as it still makes their organization flexible to sign their own up and coming young guns and add pieces later. Even though the Yanks say they are trying to develop young talent and fill in the gaps, that is not what they are accomplishing. This is what will make the Yankees finish 2-3 in the division. The Rays and Boston are doing it right.
On another note, I have yet to see if the Rays are the real deal or not. the reasons being is look at the Rockies of the year before. they had young players that had great years when they went to the World Series but the next year they flopped. Hopefully this does not happen but it is hard to say. they have a group of good young players on both the field and on their pitching staff.
This will be an exciting year in the AL East. One way or another, I think the World Series Champ will come from the AL East.
Well put, the only thing I take contrast with is your spot about the Rays. Comparing them to the Rockies isn't fair, simply because the talent difference between the 2 is so big. The Rays have Kazmir, Shields, Garza and David Price. 4 quality top of the line arms, while the Rockies realistically had ZERO. The Rays also have future All Star regulars in Evan Longoria, BJ Upton, Carl Crawford and Carloas Pena. The Rockies had the very overrated Matt Holiday and aging Todd Helton.
AL East for 2009:
1. Boston- 95 Wins
2. Tampa- 93 Wins
3. NYY- 92 WIns
4. Toronto- 85 Wins
5. Baltimore- 60 Wins.
Even with the young arms, they still need to have good years for the next few years to show they have staying power.
Same with Longoria, Upton, Crawford. They only had last year to go off of. They need to continue to get better an produce. If they can't, there goes the team.
They have amazing upside, I agree. With their pitching staff and position players so young (Pena is a vet since he has been in the league longer than the rest). However, they still have to prove they are the real deal by having another good year next year.
Maybe the comparison was not warranted. I can agree with you there. But my point was that there are teams that have a good year and amazing runs to the playoffs/World Series and then drop off the next year (Rockies just recently). The Rays have alot to prove this year especially when the Sawks will be good and since the Yanks keep spending money to make themselves better.
Bottomline as we agree, one of these teams in the AL East have the inside track to getting and most likely winning the World Series next year.
GO TWINS!!!!
I actually checked the age of Pena and he is 30. Still has a few good years ahead of him. Man they look real dangerous for next year.
GOD I AM GETTING SO JACKED FOR BASEBALL TO START!!!!!
GO IRISH!!!!
And as we look at the AL East as a whole, it is bar none the best division in all of baseball. If Toronto played in the NL West they might win a hundred games and make the world series.
The latest free agent updates have the Red Sox signing Josh Bard and Brad Penny. These moves seem to signify the end of the Jason Varitek era, as well as an upcoming trade of either Clay Buchholz or Justin Masterson to acquire either Taylor Teagarden(C-Tex), Prince Fielder(1b-Mil) or Hanley Ramirez(SS-Fla).
Derek Lowe is looking like a good fit for either the Mets, Phillies or the late team to enter the race the Blue Jays.
Manny is in the middle of a bidding war between the LAD and San Francisco Giants. Rumors from the newspapers in SoCal have the offers from both teams at around 4 Years for 90 Million, or 3 years and 75 million with an option year. Regardless of who he signs with, he's going to rake in the NL this year.
Adam Dunn, Pat Burrell, Jason Giambi, Rocco Baldelli, Bobby Abreu, Garret Anderson, Milton Bradley, Cliff Floyd, and Mark Kotsay are still available this off season, and its disturbing to me that the Twins have not offered a single one of these guys a contract. Any one of these guys would add some pop to the order, and not cost a whole lot to do so.
Agreed. If the Twins continue their terrible small ball way of things, they will never get past a first round of the playoffs.
What bothers me the most is that they need a bat or two to get some pop into the lineup to score the likes of Span, Mauer or anybody else that gets on base. Until they do so, just expect mediocre power numbers. Besides, if Morneau had another bat that hit dingers in front or behind him, it could make him more effective. He cannot hit anything low and away and they will continue to pitch to him like this until they get him some protection. Young or Cuddyer are not the answer.
By the way, the Smotlz and Baldelli signings by the Sawks....I LIKE THEM BOTH.
Regardless of what they pay them, low risk high reward. Plus, Smoltz could help in the bullpen if needed.
Baldelli I think will flourish in the Sawks lineup when needed. Plus, he is insurance if any of the starting OF players get hurt.
Once again, the Sawks are looking smarter and better then any of the other teams in the AL EAST (mostly the high spending Yanks).
With the addition of Smoltz the Red Sox no boast the deepest rotation in the entire league. Think about this:
1. Josh Beckett
2. Jon Lester
3. Dice K
4. John Smoltz
5. Brad Penny
6. Tim Wakefield
7. Clay Buchholz
8. Justin Masterson
SICK.
I think 'SICK' is an understatement.
They could also use any of their young arms if they need them for a trade later down the road.
Like I said, the Sawks under Theo Epstein are just effin brilliant when they make their moves. just goes to show what type of organization they run. Maybe other teams like the Yanks/Cubs/Mets should be taking notes.
Correct, it actually makes me cringe to think the Yankees could get that smart... because with unlimited resources and money like they have, if they ever figure out the smart little moves that determine the world series champions every year, their will be less of a chance of anyone else having a shot.
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