Gom

Interesting little program that shows payroll vs. team performance for every day of the season. Biggest losers last year: Cubs, Red Sox, Giants. Biggest winners: Twins, A's, Tigers. It's kind of cool to see how it changes over the course of the year.

I know you are all Sox fans, and I'm on the other side of the battle between good and evil, but this is one thing I can't really get, and no one on any of the other boards I am on gets either. I like Mike Mussina, and would like to see him back. However, I figure Schmidt would cost about 14 million per, and Mussina is asking for 12 million per. Why not just go for Schmidt? I realize that he wants to go to the West Coast, but what have you got to lose? Just offer him 14 million for 4 years, and if he accepts before Wednesday, let Moose go [Wednesday is the day the Yankees have to decide on his option]. Schmidt is younger, better, and just as, if not more, durable. Why not pull a Damon signing, put it on the table, take it or leave it, 24 hours kind of thing. Not only that, but if the Yankees go to 15 million per for 4 years for Schmidt, they just upped the salary for Matsuzaka as well. Is there an angle here I am not seeing?

I see your points, and they are valid. I just think giving up a major league capable player for him was way too much. Maybe I'm jaded, because of how bad he was last year, but from the Yankees viewpoint, it was a no-brainer of a deal. Literally, something for nothing. It actually isn't all that bad for the Orioles as well. I just think the Yankees would have accepted a mid-level Double A prospect, not someone who could make their 25 man roster next season. Trust me, they weren't keeping this guy.

Actually, it was the Baltimore Sun, not the NY Post. Where did you get the NY Post from? Also, AP picked up on it, as well as foxsports. I didn't see any reason to post other links. I do believe so. Just because you work for a professional sports team does not make you a true "professional" at your job. Professionals have made serious errors in judgement, most notably trades and signings. Kazmir for Zambrano, Twins letting Ortiz go, the list would number in the thousands...there was also this guy named George Herman who was traded. I absolutely believe that one or more of the following happened 1) they did not hear the rumors that the Yankees were going to release Wright 2) They were afraid he would sign elsewhere 3) They didn't want to risk Wright going onto the market, lol 4) the Oriole front office are a bunch of morons

Better than to go to the Sox where we would have to face him 19 times instead of 6 with the Tigers. Also, with the Twins, a resurgent Guardians team, and the White Sox, it's anyone's division. I'm sure that Cashman would have rather have traded him to the NL, but in the end, the best quality of players he was getting back was from Detroit. Makes no sense otherwise.

Just to prove a point, and to let your fellow Sox fans know, I will answer your post in detail about payroll fairness tomorrow. I'm too tired to deal with it tonight. Apparently, you need your nose shoved in it, it's not good enough that your office has demonstrated exactly what I have been saying, but now I have to explain it to you since you still can't get it. Fair enough. I know, I know, I understand nothing about baseball, revenues, free agent compensation, how to tie my shoes, walk and chew gum at the same time, etc., but it shows that what little you know about baseball is circumvented by your inability to realize when someone exhibits they know more about a specific subject, case, or point in general. The truth is, if you knew half as much as you think you know, you'd know ten times more than you actually do. It's funny how what I called happening was right on the money, both about Sheffield and about the Red Sox fiscal ability. However, you decide to call it luck. So I'm the idiot who got lucky, and you are the baseball genius who for once got it wrong. Holy s***, would I love to have you in my fantasy league. The average guy in my league would smoke you...but that would be luck...nobody can know more about baseball than you. We should just give you the trophy right now. I'll accept that my "wishful thinking" was luck if you accept that your prediction was complete and utter stupidity, mixed with a lack of understanding about how baseball economics work. In other words, fat chance, buddy. It's not that I am some baseball soothsayer, or have inside knowledge. I just use common sense, one ability you are lacking, and I am able to look at things from an objective point of view, another ability you are lacking. Are you really this clueless? I'm getting to the point where I am losing IQ points debating things with you.

I think you are off here, JM. I think that the Yankees will make a serious push and get at least one, if not both of the remaining free agent starters [i am already writing off Matsuzaka to the Red Sox]. That said, I can see them dealing all for a front line starter. I don't know much about the prospects the Yankees got, however, I wonder, and stress wonder, if they would be enough for a Peavy, Oswalt, or Sheets. Can anyone give me an opinion here?

Well, I'm not sure what pitchers are available for trade. However, I can see the Yanks packaging some of the new prospects they have for an established starter. Either that, and/or an incredibly aggressive Yankees front office in the starting pitching market.

I think we can agree with each other that management in Baltimore is about as dumb as they get. The fact that the Yankees got what should be a serviceable reliever who should make their staff this year for someone they were going to buy out anyways in 24 hours is amazing [and incredibly short-sighted by the Orioles]. Unlike Sheffield, the Yankees didn't hold an option for a year. They had an option to expire in 24 hours. I'm sure the Red Sox didn't quake in their boots when you found out Wright was starting. Neither will we. Mazzone does well with pitchers, that is a given, but this is the AL East, which, last I checked, had better hitting than the NL East two years ago.

Once again, I fail to see any reasoning here. Jaret Wright averaged 4.68 innings per start. Karstens, his replacement, averaged 6 innings per start. Now, I won't say that Karstens will have a 1.20 WHIP like last year [who knows how he will do in a full season], but I believe that there is little doubt that he will average any worse than Wright did last year. Wright's biggest problem was an inability to pitch deep into any games. He severely taxed the Yankee bullpen, as they had to pitch 4-5 innings in pretty much every single start he had last year. Wright cost the Yankees more than you think due the overworking of the bullpen. Another classic example of addition by subtraction. Considering the Yankees were going to buy him out anyways, getting anything at all, even a bar of soap for him, was an upgrade. Cashman got a decent young player for someone he was going to buy out anyways. So they got Britton for nothing when all was said and done. The fact that he is reunited with Mazzone is irrelevant. Unless Mazzone was going to coach him in NY this coming season, it makes no difference to the Yankees plans this offseason. What should worry the Sox is that the Yankees have successfully cut 32 million by getting rid of Sheffield, Wright, and Mussina's salary. I highly doubt that the Yankees are going to sit on this money. Also assuming that Matsuzaka ends up with the Red Sox, I see the Yankees seriously pursuing both Zito and Schmidt, who they could easily sign now with the money they saved AND still coming out with a savings. In fact, they could resign Mussina as well [say 12 million], and only come out with a net increase in payroll of about 3-4 million per year. I won't say it's a complete raping, but Cashman is having a hell of an off-season so far. John Heyman of CNNSI also states that there is trade interest, believe it or not, in Pavano. If he goes too, which is a long shot, the Yankees could conceivably sign Schmidt AND Zito AND Mussina. They might be able to anyways at this point.

Hmm..being right once is one more time than you have been since I've been here. When was I wrong? I've only made one prediction so far, and been right. No reason to even answer your post about fairness in payrolls at this point. Keep trying dude. Sooner or later you will get lucky. Good luck, lol. By the way a700, if they pan out great. If not, they got rid of him for nothing, and even that wasn't a bad thing for them. At least they got to control where he goes. The fact another team was willing to give him an extension was their choice. The Yankees got more than pretty much everyone here thought possible. The Red Sox look to have paid through the nose to get Matsuzaka, and it has a high potential for not being worth the money. If anything, the Matsuzaka signing shows that the Sox have the ability to pay like the Yankees IF THEY WANT TO. Which is what I have been saying all along. Guess you guys can't cry poverty anymore. If the rumors are true, can you imagine the heat you guys would have given us for blowing away everyone with a 38-45 million bid? Your FO claim of not being able to hang with the Yankees on the Damon signing sure looks like a case of serious ********, doesn't it?

BY the way...um...like I said, Sheffield got traded WITHOUT the Yankees picking up any of his salary. Just like I predicted. Holy cow..and they also got three decent prospects. Wow. I must be really lucky. Others out there [not to name names, but ORS comes to mind] thought I was an idiot to presume so. Gosh, I'm glad they were wrong. They know SO MUCH about baseball, and I'm still learning. I love players who hit quadruples! Like I often say, go back to sleep. It's okay, guys. Try real hard, and one day you may get it right. LOL!

I disagree here. I truly like what the Yankees are doing, they are finally learning to use their money WISELY. I see the Yankees always having the top payroll in baseball [unless the rules change]. What I believe the Yankees will start to do is to sign their young players to lucrative deals for a long time, thus locking up their core when they are younger. Expect to see the Yankees to lock up Wang soon. That will give them some buying power down the road. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Yankees sign free agents, based on todays market, for about 25 million a year every year starting in 2007 or 2008. With the Yankees starting to replenish their farm system, look for the Yankees to be able to turn these players into something else they need, either now or down the road. The Yankees will stop-gap their rotation for now. By trading Wright to the Orioles, as suspected, they will continue to free up money for more suitable players. I think that the overall decline will hurt the Red Sox more than the Yankees in 2007. Their centerpieces, Ortiz, Ramirez, and Schilling are older than Jeter, Arod, and Wang. The only real worry is Mariano. I will cry the day he retires.

Of course Yankee fans would have wanted him. It's not our money. However, I wonder, I truly wonder if a player who never threw a pitch in the majors is worth that kind of gamble. Figure at least a 12 million a year salary, that means that player cost a team $50 million for one season, lol. For the money to get Matsuzaka this season, a team can sign Soriano, Zito, and Schmidt. We will see how it all plays out. I'm more sold on Zito, and a little scarred from Contreras, but of course I wanted him. I wasn't going to go crazy if we didn't though.

What actually worries me is that you actually came up with this.

I didn't realize the contract stipulation for Sheffield. Of his 13 million salary, 4.5 million is to be deferred without interest starting in 2008 until 2016. So for most teams, this is a steal, lol. 8.5 million for Sheffield, then 500K a year for the next 8 years. Hell, in interest alone, you get back 15% of that compounded, lol. Latest rumors, coming from the NY Post, is that the Yankees rejected the Orioles offer of Benson and a reliever, and have offers for Scott Linerbink, Gerald Laird or Wil Ledezma. The Astros deny interest. I wonder if they can't convince Sheffield to play 1B for a year and then let him go. With that kind of salary, he may be worth keeping.

Matsuzaka would be number one on the list. No arguement there. He's also older and more established. Whether Hansesn is a prospect or not is kind of silly. He's in the majors to stay now. All of a sudden, in mid-may, he's no longer a prospect? LOL!

It doesn't make things negligible. It is your team's decision to not spend money. We deal with it. Unlike you, we aren't hypocrites. We know that it gives us an advantage, and we choose to use it. If you don't like it, go watch football, which has no leeway in payroll. Personally, I miss the NFL dynasties, but that's me. There is no doubt that the Yankees spend the most money. Deal with it, and stop whining. The Red Sox have nearly as much money from their revenue stream. According to Forbes Magazine [here's the link: http://pdf.forbes.com/lists/2006/33/334613.html], the Red Sox lost 18.5 million, while the Yankees lost 50 million. However, Henry and Werner bought the team in 2002 for $380 million, and it is now valued at $617 million. Not a bad investment. In 1998, the overall value of the Yankees compared to the Sox was about 150 million difference. Now it is nearly 400 million. Was this luck? Get real. There is NO REASON why the Red Sox can't compete on fairly even terms with the Yankees if OWNERSHIP wanted them to. They don't. There is nothing the Yankees have that the Sox don't. The average income in both areas is similar, the stadium revenue is similar [smaller crowd in Fenway, more expensive tickets], now the media stream is similar in profits. The actual profits between the two teams isn't that far off. It's significantly closer than the difference in payrolls, thats for sure. As for the fact of the Red Sox winning the World Series as a wild card, you obviously don't see my intent, as you are not too quick on the uptake, at least not as much as I thought you were. You're actually quite thick. The Wild Card allows teams with a disparity in payroll to make it and gives them a chance. Without the Wild Card, and the old two division system, the Sox would have had no chance of ever winning against the Yankees. You would have not even made the playoffs in 2004. Or any year for that matter since 1998. Under those circumstances, your gripe has some legitimacy. The Wild Card gives teams with lower payrolls to get into the playoffs. Like we have all seen, anything can, and does happen there. Wake up. With your payroll, you should lock up the wild card every year. Not only did that not happen, but you finished behind the Blue Jays in the division. You know what's pathetic about your whining? Fine, the big bad Yankees absolutely destroyed you and left you in their payroll dust. Fair enough. We are supposed to, by your argument. We have done so for the last 12 years. Fair enough. Explain the following then: How do you let the Blue Jays, with an opening day payroll of over $48 MILLION LESS THAN THE RED SOX beat you in the standings? How does the team with the SECOND HIGHEST PAYROLL IN ALL OF BASEBALL not even finish in the top 50% of teams in the American League. Where are your excuses now? Wake up.

I agree Castigs850. However, I don't think Papelbon is a good choice due to injury. Most of baseball thinks he will drop off due to his shoulder problems. So far, I love the Wang/Rivera call. Haven't heard one I love from the Red Sox.

Plus, Mussina wants more than Pavano, considering he has thrown a pitch for the Yankees in the last 18 months. I don't think Matsuzaka will set the bar. He is an unknown commodity, and everyone acknowledges that he is a risk [irabu, Contreras, etc.]. I think the more established pitchers will have more to determine the market than Matsuzaka. Folks, keep in mind, baseball has never been RICHER. It has more money than at any time during it's history, and as for overall financial health, it has never been stronger. Money will fly this offseason. Especially with the Yankees, since they broke ground with the new stadium, and can use those costs to offset the luxury tax. Brilliant move by George. Take money out of the pockets of other teams and put it into your talent, all the while avoiding the tax. As for Red Sox fans complaining about salaries, talk about a bunch of hypocrites. At least us Yankee fans admit that the money helps us more than anyone else. What about you guys? The Red Sox are almost always number two, but bitch like crazy about it. There is no reason, considering your revenue stream, you should not blow away every other team on the way to your post-season. Remember, you got your only World Series win in the last 88 years as a wild card. Do you think you could have signed Schilling to that extension when you got him? Without him, no championship. Same goes with Manny, picking up Lowell and Beckett in what was supposed to be a salary dump, extending Ortiz...the list goes on and on. Admittedly, it's not as long as the Yankees, but talk about the pot calling the kettle black. The Red Sox have taken advantage of the same loopholes the Yankees have. In fact, their stadium revenue is actually higher than the Yankees. Now the Red Sox have their own TV network, so they will make even more money. Stop whining about salaries already. You are #2 on the list of most priveledged, 17 million more than the #3 team [As of Arpil 7, 2006]. Enough. If your front office is going to whine about it, then drop your salary to the league average. The A's have a right to gripe at #21. You don't at #2. Last I checked, they made the playoffs, you didn't. You will see some crazy salaries this winter. That is my prediction.

Great post, elsrbueno. I love the way you went out on a limb to pick Wang and Youkilis, and then backed it up. I love it! Keep 'em coming, boys!

I would trade Sheffield for a night of Anna Benson if I were Cashman.