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Fighting Against Stupid

State of the Blog

Yea. No. That idea sucked. Not gunna do it anymore.

last answer was Lou G. again.

–Blog is being shut down temporarily to find an identity–

Yankees 2009 Payroll

So because this is such a hot topic of conversation, I decided to start a running post with updates as contracts get settled/information gets updated.

*all estimates are done based on pattern of raises when available or slight raises from last years salary if pattern was not available

Line up
Damon LF – 13
Jeter SS – 20
Teixeira 1B – 20
Rodriguez 3B – 32
Matsui DH – 13
Posada C – 13.1 (what a jerkoff with that .1)
Nady RF – 5 (*Arb eligable* 3.35 was last years salary, due for a raise, figure hell get 5 or so)
Cano 2B – 6
Gardner CF – 400k (estimate)

Rotation
Sabathia – 14
Wang – 5
Burnett – 16.5
Chamberlain – 600k (estimate)
Hughes – 400k (estimate)

Bench
Swisher – 5.3
Molina – 1 [update - He signed 2 years/4 mil but he made 1.75 last year and .25 was given as a signing bonus]
Ransom – 400k (estimate)
Cabrera – 600k (estimate)

Bullpen
Rivera – 15
Marte – 4
Bruney – 800k (estimate)
Veras – 500k (estimate)
Robertson – 400k (estimate)
Ramirez – 600k (estimate)
Coke – 400k (estimate)
Giese – 600k (estimate)

01/05/09 Update: Apparently, signing bonus are prorated over the length of the contract so instead of +9 for CC and +5 for Teix are actually +1.28(CC) and +.55(Teix)
Other Signing Bonuses:
Arod – 10 mil over 10 years = 1 mil
Jeter – 16 mil over 10 years = 1.6 mil
Swisher – .5 over 5 years = .1
Molina – .25 over 2 years = .125
______________
2009 – [202.6 - 14(original CC+Teix signing bonuses) + 1.83 (prorated signing bonus amount) +2.825 (existing signing bonuses -
193.25
That is the estimated salary of the 2009 yankees

01/04/09 – Yankee Trivia

01/04/09 – Who was the oldest Yankee player to collect 200 hits in a single season?

1/1/09 – Who is the only Yankees pitcher to toss two no-hitters in the same season?

ANSWER: Allie Reynolds – July 12, 1951 v. Cleveland and September 28, 1951 v Boston

1/2/09 – Who was the first player in the history of the American League tohit four homeruns in a single game?

Lou Gehrig – June 3, 1932

1/1/09+1/2/09 – Yankee Trivia

So for the new year I am going to try and give a Trivia question each day. The answer will follow with the following days question. Attempt to answer in the comments if you wish.

1/1/09 – Who is the only Yankees pitcher to toss two no-hitters in the same season?

1/2/09 – Who was the first player in the history of the American League tohit four homeruns in a single game?

Enjoy.

Woe is me.

Dit wanted a reaction to the Mike Francessa-ish rhetoric so here it is:

Isolating numbers – check the ticket prices for the rest of the stadium, season ticket prices range from $12 (bleachers) a seat to $325 (FIELD LEVEL) a seat. On the whole, the people who are getting charged more are the people who can afford it…and acting like the Yankees havent had a corporate crowd for the last 10 years is assanine. It is easy to make a situation look bad when you ignore the surrounding numbers and isolate one number. Good job though Mike, er I mean FranDitta.

failing to give the whole picture/do any research whatsoever, regurgitating WFAN caller rants (60 MiLLioN MoRe!11!11 – its pretty obvious they made the very questionable decision of not trading for Santana because they figured they could get CC for just money. If outbidding everybody with your strongest asset to ensure that the non-trade wasnt a complete and utter mistake and to complete the plan made one year ago is wreckless and not buisness savy then I’m glad they are wreckless. (If you want to see playing the free agent game backfire just google Redsox and Mark Teixeira.)

The Closer – it is easy to get a bargain deal with the supply exceeds the demand. Buisness 101. A front line the caliber of a Santana/Sabathia costs alot. Look at the numbers at the end of Santana’s contract when he gets his option to vest and add in the talent you gave up…Don’t throw stones when you live in a glass house.

It’s not so much about the money the Yankees have spent because I do agree that they shouldn’t just pocket the money; however, the Yankees have signed most major FA this offseason preventing other competing teams from, well, competing.

The Yankees keep other teams from competing? really. Really? The Redsox couldnt afford that 1.5 mil/year for Teixeira…really?

Now to the argument with comparing them to the Mets becasue of the same market. Before the last two or 3 years the yankees were blowing the mets away in attendance and unfortunately the win column, which clearly means they have made a ton of more money the last 10 years or so. The Mets spend a respectable amount of money, while staying under the luxury tax.

This was my favorite one of them all.
Do you know why the Yankees were blowing the Mets away in attendance? It was because of the win column…and what have the Yankees done to maintain their presence atop the win column? spend money. Gotta spend money to make money.

I am not advocating throwing money at every tom dick and harry just because they have the name and yes the Burnett sigining was “rediculous” and stupid but I am not going to feel bad about the team I root for giving me the best product possible, I am sorry. It isn’t the Steinbrenners fault that the Mets signed Castillo to a Burnett like, wreckless contract (and outbid nobody in the process – look in the Orange and Blue mirror). Everybody and their mother knew that O-Hud was going to be available this season. So because they made that one mistake they cant do their fans a favor and eat the contract and make the right move now? They have the money to do it…what is stopping them? If it makes the difference between winning and losing can you really put a price tag on it?

Stop playing the victim. The players are there for the taking, the division is there for the taking, the world series has been there for the taking. If your ownership/front office isnt willing to take the necessary steps towards attaining that goal then I hope you enjoy paying a lower seat price to watch a mediocre product.

Those Damn Yankee Fans

Well here we are again…I apologize for missing the past few days but let me respond to an incompetent post which was published on Christmas Eve. Hmm…where to start. It’s not so much about the money the Yankees have spent because I do agree that they shouldn’t just pocket the money; however, the Yankees have signed most major FA this offseason preventing other competing teams from, well, competing.

Now to the argument with comparing them to the Mets becasue of the same market. Before the last two or 3 years the yankees were blowing the mets away in attendance and unfortunately the win column, which clearly means they have made a ton of more money the last 10 years or so. The Mets spend a respectable amount of money, while staying under the luxury tax.

Next…the Yankees have OVERSPENT for their players giving 60 MILLION MORE to Sabathia than any other team offered and giving an oft injured A.J. Burnett more than 80 million dollars…So while the Yankees may spend their money, it doesn’t mean they necessarily spend it wisely. All this while the Mets got a top closer in the game for just half of what he was asking for…god only knows what K-Rod would have gotten paid if the Yankees were in on that one.

Next, which reallllllly pissed me off is how someone so passionate about a column can be so wrong at the same time. Maybe Hew just is following suit and writes this blog wrecklessly as the Yankees spend wrecklessly but thats a discussion for another day. Back to my point…Maybe the Mets realize in this rediculously bad economy this is not the time to spend 500 million dollars in an offseason all while charging $2,500 for ONE ticket for ONE game…well, no wonder why they can afford that 200 million dollar payroll, it’s embarrassing that some people will actually pay for this…O well it’s not really people that are buying these tickets it’s major Corporations, because the Yankees have made it impossible for the Fans they care sooooo much about to purchase these tickets…talk about raising ticket prices which the mets haven’t really done all that much. Last year I spent $400 on bad upper deck tickets on a Sunday pack which was 13 games. This year I purchased a 15 game weekday pack which INCLUDES Opening Day and many other games against top teams in the NL. I bet your wondering how much this cost me, huh?…..$360 ANDDDD my tickets are way better…All while tickets to the exhibition game to the Redsox are close to HALF the price of a regular season game, not to mention this is the first time this stadium is open to the viewing public…

And STOP trying to make it sound like the Yankees aren’t charging alot for tickets, .25 cents for tickets, blah, blah, blah…how embarrassing that they attempt to make it sound as if they’re doing they’re fans a favor…all this while they charge as much at $2900 for certain ST season tickets…JOKE

SNY’s “Yankee guy” Steve Lombardi

thank you SNY for your attempt to poorly represent the Yankees, again. This guy is the picture perfect example of embarassing, archaic, irrelevant, carriers of the ring mentality that has plauged and divided Yankee fans over the last ten years. The holders of the dynasty and the believers of the “Yankee way.” The guys who think it is better to try and win with a 40 million dollar payroll because its more “respectable” to those around the league. In his latest musings, he has taken on Brian Cashman (yet again) over at his blog (which I refuse to link because I dont want the 3 of you who look at this page to give him hits).

In a nutshell, Mr. Lombardi hates Brian Cashman, he thinks he is a terrible GM, he believes that all he has done is spend money and that he has not had any sort of plan since taking over *fully* in 2005…he attempts to make all of these arguments less any statistical analysis whatsoever so I am now going to face fuck him with the one statistic that is most relevant to his post.

Brian Cashman has said repeatedly that the goal of the team was to build the farm system because everything stems from the farm system.

In 2005, Baseball America listed the yankees 24 out of 30 teams in terms of organizational talent below the major league level. Only six teams were worse. In 2008, the Yankees were ranked 5 out of 30 teams So since Cashman took over and reorganized, reinforced, and revalued young talent the Yankees jumped from the bottom five to the top five…Uncle Stevey conviniently left that out.

Furthering the anti-Cashman rhetoric that he spews, Uncle Stevey tries to tell the sheep:

So, since the Stein-dollars were there for the taking, Cashman ran with it. And, when we look back at Yankees history and Brian Cashman’s “autonomy-run” from 2006 through 2008, we should note that his “plan” (or perhaps lack of a “plan”) cost the Yankees about a half-billion dollars…actually, it’s very close to that if you take the $423.5 million (spent on Tex, CC and Burnett) and add the $86 million that Cashman wasted on Carl Pavano and Kei Igawa to it.

Always the beacon of objectivity isnt he? You see Uncle Stevey, when you are just a lowly blogger with 5 loyal viewers, you can be subjective; but when you accept the position to put yourself on TV as a face of the Yankee fans, you should probably try and err on the side of caution. It is easy to look back now and say Pavano was a bust you Monday morning quarterback. However, a quick search of your own archives reveals this gem from April 20, 2005:

Carl Pavano is starting to remind me of a right-handed version of Andy Pettitte. Both of them have that Betty Davis eyes thing going at times. Both of them are big body pitchers that you would expect to throw harder than they really do chuck. Their uni numbers are close – 45 now for Carl, 46 then for Andy. And, it seems like they are alike in the sense that they’re capable of throwing a great game or a hosting Tee-ball session. I know many were down on the signing of Pavano based on the “one-year wonder” theory. But, I think I’m going to like him – as I did Pettitte.

Like any general manager there are many pros and cons to Brian Cashman, there are many good moves and many bad moves. But to nit pick a couple bad moves and cloak it in the fact that you dont agree with spending the money that the team makes on the team (go root for the Marlins) is insanely unfair given your position, platform and exposure. It seemed that the signing of CC Sabathia in hindsight (which you apparently only use on bad moves) was part of Cashman’s plan all along. The reason the Yankees *outbid themselves* is because Cashman’s plan was to sign the lefty instead of trading prospects and money for Santana. His PLAN was to protect the farm system and use the Yankees biggest strength (MONEY) to make the team better. Seems like a prettttty, prettty justifiable plan to me.

Just do some knowledgable Yankee fans a favor and do a little research before you try to herd the sheep down the path of fan self loathing.

More Good Decisions from the NY Sports Media

So I heard on Friday that Chris Carlin will be doing the pre-game and post-game for the NY Metropolitans.

Seems about right all things considering

I will never understand stupidity being promoted…

Point/Counterpoint – The Money Myth Rebuffed

*all estimates are done based on pattern of raises when available or slight raises from last years salary if pattern was not available

Line up
Damon LF – 13
Jeter SS – 20
Teixeira 1B – 20
Rodriguez 3B – 32
Matsui DH – 13
Posada C – 13.1 (what a jerkoff with that .1)
Nady RF – 5 (*Arb eligable* 3.35 was last years salary, due for a raise, figure hell get 5 or so)
Cano 2B – 6
Gardner CF – 400k (estimate)

Rotation
Sabathia – 14
Wang – 5
Burnett – 16.5
Chamberlain – 600k (estimate)
Hughes – 400k (estimate)

Bench
Swisher – 5.3
Molina – 2 (AAV)
Ransom – 400k (estimate)
Cabrera – 600k (estimate)

Bullpen
Rivera – 15 (AAV)
Marte – 4
Bruney – 800k (estimate)
Veras – 500k (estimate)
Robertson – 400k (estimate)
Ramirez – 600k (estimate)
Coke – 400k (estimate)
Giese – 600k (estimate)

+ 5 million signing bonus – Teixeira
+ 9 million signing bonus – Sabathia
______________
2009 – 203.6 – That is the estimated salary of the 2009 yankees

2008 – 222.5
2007 – 218.3
2006 – 201.5
2005 – 207.2

so now I am supposed to believe the Yankees are all of a sudden doing business any differently or any more aggressively than in years past?

I am supposed to believe that the Yankees have widened the gap? The playing field has been unevened again? How is 2009 different than any year since 2005? Moreover, I am supposed to believe the Yankees are ruining baseball when they stand 18.9 million dollars lower than last year??

So the Florida Marlins pay for their entire roster and pocket 40 million in profit just from revenue sharing/luxury tax/television/radio deals (that is before a single ticket is sold A SINGLE BEER IS SOLD, BEFORE IT ALL), the owner pockets tens of millions of dollars, watches his team compete with no proven talent, refuses to get involved in a very, VERY, lucrative free agent market, then cries poverty and I am supposed to feel bad?

The Mets get a brand new stadium, play in the same city (see below for further arguments) and it’s the Yankees who are ridiculous for putting every cent the team makes BACK INTO THE TEAM???…Our loyal commentor emgisawesome is on to something…you do not lose 350 million and move forward business as usual…it is not the Steinbrenners fault that Wilpon got played.

“The have jumped away from us again” – John Henry. – Really? The Redsox are a billion dollar machine. They sell merchandise all over the world and sell out every baseball game. Their final offer to Teixeira was 168 million over 8 years, 12 million dollars less than the Yankees…a grand total of 1.5 million dollars less per season. The Boston Redsox could not afford 1.5 million a season on an elite talent? This is what I am supposed to feel bad about as a fan of the Yankees? One point five million dollars for the Redsox is too much? The fact of the matter is that the Sox tried to beat Boras at his game with a client that wanted the most money possible. They got cute and it came right up and bit them in the ass.

The only difference between the 2009 season and the bloated payroll of the past 5 years is that the Yankees are actually spending their money on young players, in their prime, rather than aged/roided up vets way past their prime. It is fear that fuels the prosecutors.

I love you Dit but really? you are really going to go with the 400 million dollar argument? The Yankees filled two *need* positions this offseason with the best talent that has been available and will be available for the next couple seasons and for this, they are wrong? Would it be better to not use the money coming off the books this season to get talent that is not going to come around again in the near future and then spend the same money on lesser talents next year? Would that be more logical?

Next – the Yankees better win now – HA and 2009 is any different than every other year?

Let’s not get this confused, I am not arguing that the Yankees spending 200 million dollars every year is good for baseball or the fair thing. I am not saying that in the least. All I am saying is that the outrage of this offseason is completely unwarranted. Nothing has changed. Their payroll is the lowest it has been since 2006…EIGHTEEN POINT NINE MILLION DOLLARS LOWER THAN LAST YEAR….

Those. Damn. Yankees.