Congratulations Sox!

[jimmytheg]

Exactly. There is only so much out there on the free agent market every year. And they can't get em all. They cant get better through trades.

It adds up to a team of high priced talent, that isnt really a team. Paper champions. I bet most yankee fans wish they still had guys like scott brosius and paul o'neil and tino martinez. These guys weren't superstars like giambi and arod and sheffield, but they played balls-out, and were team first guys. Same goes for Wells and Pettite over Brown and Vasquez.

This new Yankees team is just a bunch of paper champions, and the only way for them to improve is to go out and sign more high priced alleged superstars.

The Red Sox dynasty is upon us

[eddo31]

i dont think that the yankees can even be called paper chamnpions, since they havent won anything since 2000, when they had all of the old players still.

even with the ability for an enormous payroll, i think that you have to build a team through the traditional player development system. i am not sure that you can build a great team only through trades and free agent signings.

[jimmytheg]

paper champions was a phrase coined by some athlete, describing another team that on paper looks like the best, but doesnt come through in the end.

these yankees are a bunch of overpriced primadonnas. no heart at all. and i totally agree that you can throw all the money in the world at that problem, and it won't fix it

[GeoffM]

Ya, but you know what guys, just because they don't make prime time prospects, doesn't mean they spend more. Jeter was a farm product, and he makes close to $20 million a year now. I think they have simply diverted much funds out of player development in the minors and put it right towards their major league roster.

As guys leave, guys will come in. Lieber, gone, Quantrill, gone. They are cutting salaries yearly from unnecessary players and adding each year.

They will make a big move again next year. This is I believe the most profitable MLB team, despite carrying that massive payroll, so perhaps that justifies their payroll.

[jimmytheg]

[quote=GeoffM]Ya, but you know what guys, just because they don't make prime time prospects, doesn't mean they spend more. Jeter was a farm product, and he makes close to $20 million a year now. I think they have simply diverted much funds out of player development in the minors and put it right towards their major league roster.

QUOTE]

And that's a short term answer to a long term problem. These aren't just interchangeable parts like in a machine, they're ballplayers. The Mets have tried that approach for years and they have one world series loss to show for it. You throw all these high priced supposed stars together and expect them to become a team? It just doesnt work. And they do spend more by always going the free agency route, because they are forced to shell out the highest price for the guys they bring in. yes, jeter was a farm product who they had to pay top dollar, but he's not worth 20 mil, and they only gave him that much because he is the "heart" of the yankees

[GeoffM]

The Yankees have no long term problems. As long as Steinbrenner is in charge of the well, it will not dry up. I would not consider division champions of the last 8 years as long term problems. And their only short-term problems are not winning the whole enchilada the last few years, but as long as they make it every year, they will win their share.

[jimmytheg]

Of course they do. They didnt win their championships by just going out and signing the highest priced guys on the market. They built a team with a couple superstars and a bunch of team first guys who played hard. During their title run, guys like Brosius would hit the game winning home run, or tino martinez. They emphaized pitching, and had the best bullpen in the game.

Now, they have one front line starter in Mussina, an aging Rivera who the Sox got too twice in the playoffs, and really nobody else. Their cant just go out and sign everybody, and they have no talent in the wings to fill in holes.

And they havent made the series every year, twice in 4 years, and in 2003 they wouldnt have made it if not for the Pedro debacle in Game 7.

The problem isn't having money, they will always have money.. the problem is decision making....think about what has beaten them the last 4 years....pitching, and clutch team hitting, things that the Yankees used to do. The Mets have a ton of money too, but they dont use it wisely. Nor did the Orioles for a long time, or the Dodgers.

To say they have no long term problems is just wrong. Too much money on not enough players, coupled with no farm system to fill in holes, and a mindset from the front office that all they need to do is throw money at the problem....is a problem.