That's an overstatement ...
OK, granted I'm a bit partisan in this whole thing, but I think Michael Rosenberg is off base in his criticism of the Red Sox's winning the right to negotiate with Daisuke Matsuzaka. Now, I don't disagree with his notion that $51 million-plus for just the opportunity to talk with Matsuzaka is crazy - because it really is - but saying Boston can't complain about the Yankees any more is ridiculous for a variety of reasons.
- First, the Yankees exceeded $200 million in annual payroll in 2006, while the Red Sox were second at $120 million. True, Boston does spend a lot of money, but to suggest they're on par with New York's bottomless pockets is absurd (even with the potential deal with Matsuzaka). The Yankees still spent more than $80 million more than the second-place team.
- This insane ability to spend puts added pressure on other big-market teams, like Boston and Anaheim and Chicago, to spend more and more, just so they can compete. Even teams with smaller payrolls, like Detroit, suddenly feel the need to pony up more coin once they obtain a level of success just so they can stay competitive with the Yankees. Do the Red Sox spend a lot? Yes, but they do so because they have to try to compete with the money machine just a few miles down the road which keeps winning A.L. East Division titles.
- Even though he hasn't pitched an inning, with the dramatic rise in player salaries in the past 15 years, if Matsuzaka turns out to be the pitcher everyone expects him to be, the money spent might just be well worth it. It's hard to justify that type of money now, but if he records a couple of 20-win, sub-2.50 ERA seasons for Boston and leads them to postseason success, why wouldn't it be a good deal?
I hate the Yankees.
- First, the Yankees exceeded $200 million in annual payroll in 2006, while the Red Sox were second at $120 million. True, Boston does spend a lot of money, but to suggest they're on par with New York's bottomless pockets is absurd (even with the potential deal with Matsuzaka). The Yankees still spent more than $80 million more than the second-place team.
- This insane ability to spend puts added pressure on other big-market teams, like Boston and Anaheim and Chicago, to spend more and more, just so they can compete. Even teams with smaller payrolls, like Detroit, suddenly feel the need to pony up more coin once they obtain a level of success just so they can stay competitive with the Yankees. Do the Red Sox spend a lot? Yes, but they do so because they have to try to compete with the money machine just a few miles down the road which keeps winning A.L. East Division titles.
- Even though he hasn't pitched an inning, with the dramatic rise in player salaries in the past 15 years, if Matsuzaka turns out to be the pitcher everyone expects him to be, the money spent might just be well worth it. It's hard to justify that type of money now, but if he records a couple of 20-win, sub-2.50 ERA seasons for Boston and leads them to postseason success, why wouldn't it be a good deal?
I hate the Yankees.
posted by Jmac at 5:52 PM
5 Comments:
Oh poor poor blinded Red Sox fan. Face it kid your team is the Yankees evil twin. The only reason the Red Sox didn't pony up the cash for guys like Damon and Pedro was because they didn't want to give them the extra YEAR on the contract...it had nothing to do with money. The Matsuzaka deal now cements your status as Fat Cat. If he gets the money that people anticipate (3 or 4 years 40-60 mil), add that to the negotiation cost and you are looking at a 3 or 4 year deal for 90-110 million dollars! Now if that ain't Yankee spending I don't know what is.
It's time for Red Sox fans to face it...they are now #1a on America's Most Despised Team list. Not only do the Red Sox spend like the Yankees but THEY ARE STILL whining about the Yankees even after 2004.
And as JMac noted in HIS column...I too am biased...I H...A...T...E the Red Sox. Sorry JMac.
Are you excited about Roy Oswalt pitching this year for .... oh, wait, that's right ...
Though the Damon and Pedro examples are kinda weird, and it would suggest that not wanting to give an extra year to aging athletes has something to do with money. Still, I would have resigned Damon and let Pedro go.
No. 1a? I'm not so sure about that either. Then again, at least folks are talking about us. The Orioles making a big splash anywhere ... aside, from you know, not actually doing anything?
Again, how is forcing the other teams to spend that much money to compete the Red Sox's fault? How are they more at fault than, say, Anaheim or Chicago or Los Angeles? If the Yankees keep raising the bar and collecting All-Stars, if you want to compete you have to spend more money. Now, being an Orioles fan, you probably don't know about this, but hey ...
And even if you pony up that kind of money, you still pale in comparison to the Yankees.
Don't hate the player baby, hate the game.
And the Yankees.
What I was getting at is that Damon and Pedro wouldn't even consider a deal less than 4 or 5 years...the Red Sox would've ponied up the dough for more $$ and 3 years if they thought those two would have taken it.
The Yanks and Red Sox are on a totally different level than everyone else ESPECIALLY now that they are on the verge of giving A-Rod money to a guy with essentially nothing more than AAA-minor level experience. I actually feel bad for Matsuzaka because he is essentially costing the red sox $30+ mil a year...more than Clemens, A-Rod, ANYONE. So if he is anything less than a 17-20 game winner with a sub 3.00 ERA he is a bust. Tough gig.
And as for the horrific attack on the peaceful and lovable Orioles. As long as they are owned by the incompetent, ruthless, vile, sweaty, stinking, rotting, satanic Peter Angelos making fun of the Orioles is like kicking the leg out from under a one-legged guy.
OK, if the Red Sox are on a 'whole different level' than the Yankees are still levels above them. And I'd argue the Angels, the Mets, the Dodgers, etc. are on similar levels to the Red Sox ... levels created by the Yankees.
If Boston has it to spend, than I've got no problem in spending it if that's what the market dictates. However, New York has considerably more to spend (and always will) and, as a result, other teams do ridiculous things to reach that level (consider the Mets' spending habits the past few years).
This could quite surely blow up in Boston's face - in fact, speaking as a Red Sox fan, I'm quite sure it will - but it was necessary to do because of the potential of Matsuzaka as well as the need to keep him away from the Yankees (which, quite frankly, I think is what this is all about).
As for the Orioles ... just be glad I didn't speak ill about Cal Ripken Jr.
Be glad? No. I'm not glad. It's impossible to speak ill of Cal Ripken (akin to speaking ill of Saint Francis of Assisi) so I wasn't expecting anything else.
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