Asymmetrical Information

I still wonder why we invaded Iraq when nothing has yet been done about George Steinbrenner and the New York Yankees. Saddam Hussein is a second rater next to him. Is there no justice in the universe? When will our troops be sent to Yankee Stadium?

The Yankee owner should be tried in a Belgium World Court for crimes against humanity. Even the Old Europeans might consider the death penalty in Steinbrenner's case.

The best team money can buy.

Baseball started the draft in 1967. Prior to that, teams could sign anyone the wanted. The Yankees had the most money and signed the best talent. And won a lot of championships.

After the draft started, the Yankess couldn't win. But due to the Messersmith arbitration case, free agency came to baseball in 1975. The Yankees immediately took advantage by buying up some of the best talent in the game and began winning championships again.

Interesting to note that during that time when everyone was on equal footing and money couldn't buy the best talent, the Yankees never won.

I tend to agree. Rooting for the Yankees is kind of like rooting for the British to win the Revelotionary War. "Go Evil Dynesty!" is hardly a chant I'm interested in.

I am thrilled the Cubs made it though and that the Red Sox are still in it (for the next 12 hours or so) is very exciting. I am, like so many other people, still hopeful for a Sox/Cubs series. No matter who should win that I will be both happy and sad. That'll be fun and interesting baseball.

As for the Yankees...well, if they should end up playing the Marlins in the World Series this year I think I'm going to switch to football or hockey.

Yawn.

Go Sox.

In a related development, the U.S. Postal Service delivered more catalogues than anyone else, extending their unbeaten streak. Go U.S.P.S.!!!!

the yankees were in the playoffs?

Why am I not surprised that you're a Yankees fan?

The Yankee owner should be tried in a Belgium World Court for crimes against humanity. Even the Old Europeans might consider the death penalty in Steinbrenner's case.

Unfortunately, in the most short-sighted move of his presidency, Ronald Reagan issued a presidential pardon to Steinbrenner in 1989.

Hey, I was with the yankees in the eighties, okay? My grandmother hasn't missed listening to a game in approximately five eons. At my first game, Dan Pasqua hit three home runs to win the game, securing my heart forever (before descending into total obscurity). I take no guff from people who don't understand the love.

See, you think that's an excuse Jane...but it's not. If you were a Mets fan since the 70s (as some of us are)...that shows true fan spirit.

We all have the ability to see the error of our ways despite what our emotions tell us.

"The best team money can buy"

There's only one thing baseball can do about the Yankees - increase the local competition! Move the Expos to NYC, let them split time between San Juan and Shea or Yankee Stadium.

George will make less money eventually and lose the ability to throw money at any free agent he needs. Makes perfect sense to me! Of course, after the Baby Boomers head to the nursing home, who will care anyway?

Anyway, just a thought!

"Interesting to note that during that time when everyone was on equal footing and money couldn't buy the best talent, the Yankees never won."

Interesting and inaccurate. How could you make such a conclusion based on the sample size of 9 years?

This ignores people who were already on the team's minor leagues prior to the draft. It also ignores that for 3 years prior to the draft while in the grips of the loathed CBS corp. the Yankees finished 20 games + out of first.

I guess the Yankees playoff drought from 82 to 94(or championship drought from 79-95) proves that money doesn't buy championships? Of course it doesn't. In fact the 80's are an exception as more different teams won the Series than any other decade in baseball's history.

Basically it comes down to this. Money is a big factor but it is hardly the only factor.

OH, quit the robotic babbling. The curse has not been lifted, it's not your year, and...oh, it says "Yankees". Sorry, thought you were one of them Cubs fans.

All you Dickensian/Marxist sore losers who see the Yankees' winning as another example of unbridled capitalism, go read Moneyball.

Also, in case you missed it, their defense is not gonna rate that highly on the all-time lists; an extra base here, an extra base there, & soon it's an extra run, as in game one. And re the offense, all those guys LOB in game three....

And was yesterday's game a one-shot deal for Johnson & Giambi? Hope Not.

TomCom

I hate the Yankees as much as anyone raised in a Red Sox household, but I have yet to hear any "market size" explanation for why the Yankees always win that also explains why the Mets, one borough over, (almost) always suck.

(And let's not bring up the... unpleasantness... that happened sometime between late 1985 and early 1987...)

Yes, you can be an idiot with a ton of money and thereby manage to lose a lot. You can also be reasonably smart and manage to win a helluva lot more than equally smart people, simply because you have more money. As a sports fan, I don't think it serves me to have the team with the largest cable T.V. contract with a gigantic advantage in adding talented players. When I am the customer, I expect to be served, or I tend to spend more money or viewing time with entities that serve me better. I think baseball is a superior sport on a purely spectator level, but the NFL does an infinitely better job of serving their customers, so for all those Yankees fans who label current critics of MLB's structure quasi-marxists, I say the proof is in the pudding. NFL teams are very profitable compared to MLB teams, and I doubt if any NFL franchise can be had for less than 250 million, whereas several MLB franchises could be had for 150 million, and yet no buyers are available.

... I actually think this is the year the Red Sox will win the World Series. My editors, told of this, have already suggested a suitable "employee drug rehabilitation program." But I have my sober reasons.

Red Sox' Alignment of Stars By Thomas Boswell

Best, shortest rejoinder to the "budget means everything" theory of baseball success that I can think of:
2003 Mets.

Will,
I don't compare the NFL and MLB for several reasons. The biggest is that MLB cannot equal the NFL in terms of national TV money. You have a 16 game season vs. a 162 game season(not including postseasons for either of course). If baseball could equal football in national TV money and could spread said money around there would be no need for local broadcast rights. But that simply isn't going to happen.

Waiting in earnest for tomorrow's game which I'll be privy to.

Thanks to the Sox for pitching not one, but two starters in last night's game. Not a bad thing. Remember - the Sox may have outslugged the Yanks a couple times, but they a> lost the season series and b> have NO clutch performers in a close game, offensive or pitching-wise.

Go Yankees!

ryan, the trend has already started; the Yankees will be forced to share more of their revenues with each succeeding labor agreement, because the other owners will, not unreasonably, point out that the Yankees local media revenues only exist because there is a league available for the Yankees to play in. If the Yankess feel otherwise, they are free to set up a league with the Mets, play each other 162 times, and see how many fans tune in.

"ryan, the trend has already started; the Yankees will be forced to share more of their revenues with each succeeding labor agreement

But Bud promised us the last one would solve everything....he couldn't be lying as so-called small market teams continue to pocket said revenue sharing instead of making the onfield investment. This is after all about the product on the field not the bottom line isn't it?

", because the other owners will, not unreasonably, point out that the Yankees local media revenues only exist because there is a league available for the Yankees to play in."

LOL...everytime I hear this argument I laugh. Especially since it is usually forwarded by people who would be aghast if some teams that are not performing financially were contracted. But hey I thought over 1/2 the teams were in such desperate financial straits especially 5 teams or so that were on the verge of bankruptcy(the only team I truly believe that about is the terribly run D-backs). I guess $25M in tax from the Yankees solved that problem or maybe the problem was overblown because it was never about "competitiveness" but improving some owners' bottom line.

"If the Yankess feel otherwise, they are free to set up a league with the Mets, play each other 162 times, and see how many fans tune in. "

Actually I like that idea. Have a top tier like they do in European soccer. Stink too long and you get sent down. Do well and you can move up.

But frankly revenue sharing as a means of creating a more competitive league is a joke. It is a populist facade the owners like to hide behind.

Ryan, you can laugh at whatever you wish, but from a purely business standpoint, the league that shares revenues the most is also, in aggregate, is the most profitable. Now the hard salary cap certainly plays a role in this, but it is also undeniable that the NFL has become vastly more popular; don't take my word for it, go peruse the T.V. ratings. Hell, NASCAR may be as popular as baseball these days, and not suprisingly, NASCAR does much to ensure that contests are close. Go ahead though, keep on pretending that the status quo is fine, or that shrinking your market is a sign of economic health. Ya see, Ryan, industries and businesses generally prefer that their market share grow, rather than shrink, and when their market position is overtaken by a competitor, it just may be a sign that their competitor is doing a superior job of satisfying customers.

I would like to propose as national holidays, the days the Yankess are eliminated from playoff contention and the same for the Celtics. Rooting for the Yanks is like rooting for the IRS, you know they'll win but no one outside the agency will be happy about it.

I still wonder why we invaded Iraq when nothing has yet been done about George Steinbrenner and the New York Yankees.

He is still only a regional threat, as the Red Sox are learning.

The Yankees are going to take and that's pretty much all i have to say on that topic!

The Yankees are going to take it and that's pretty much all i have to say on that topic!

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