CrespoBlows: For those arses that booed Rivera when he blew those first two saves against the BoSox, yes some "Yankee fans" stated that no one's immune to criticism, but many, many other said even he didn't notch another save in his career, they would never shun him. I want to make it clear that I'm not going to *boo* Bernie - sorry, sometimes frustration sets in, watching those balls drop in dead center. It's not lost in Yankee fans...or at least, me, what he's done for this organization, but he was not what he once was. But as much I as I value loyalty, sincerely I do, baseball is also business, and sometimes moving toward the future means letting go of the past. It would be sad to see Bernie don an uniform other than pinstripes, or Torre go one way or another (him and McCarthy - best Yankees managers), but eventually it will happen. There's talks of Joe Girardi being a possible replacement...somewhere down the line if he doesn't leave NY before that.
Steinbrenner once acknowledged that it was a mistake to have let Reggie Jackson go. *gasp* WHAT? Regret a move? Why, I never...!
Economics, Yankees style
PLAYER SALARY (US$)
1. Alex Rodriguez $25,705,118
2. Derek Jeter $19,600,000
3. Mike Mussina $19,000,000
4. Kevin Brown $15,714,286
5. Randy Johnson $15,419,815
6. Jason Giambi $13,428,571
7. Bernie Williams $12,357,143
8. Gary Sheffield $11,496,689
9. Jorge Posada $11,000,000
10. Mariano Rivera $10,500,000
11. Carl Pavano $9,000,000
12. Hideki Matsui $8,000,000
13. Al Leiter $7,241,931
14. Jaret Wright $5,666,667
15. Tom Gordon $3,750,000
16. Felix Rodriguez $3,150,000
17. Tino Martinez $2,750,000
18. Tony Womack $2,000,000
19. Ruben Sierra $1,500,000
20. Tanyon Sturtze $850,000
21. John Flaherty $800,000
22. Rey Sanchez $600,000
23. Bubba Crosby $332,950
24. Andy Phillips $317,200
Total Team Salary: $205,938,439
KB'S IN THE TOP FIVE?! Should surpise me...but it doesn't.
Tek: On the psychological mindstate of the Yankee fans - to paraphrase Steinbrenner, losing is something Yankees don't intend on practicing anytime soon.
I think people forget before that championship run at the end of the 90's - the Yankees weren't that good; the 80's were mediocre, and the early 90's - didn't make the playoffs. Now the bar is set ASTRONOMICALLY high - but I suppose that this team's reach will always exceed their grasp.