Ever receive a slight tap in the billiards, just enough to wonder if it'll hurt? So you wait a few seconds and think - nope, false alarm! - and then the pain slowly engulfs your soul?
This week, the Yankees gave their fans just such a love tap.
While Boston and Arizona - two franchises that historically hate us - were signing David Price and Zach Greinke, the "Evil Empire" - (what a joke) - signed a Brendan Ryan clone named Pete Kozma.
Now, I've nothing against Kozma, or against signing spare parts, because it may be Brian Cashman's greatest skill - his relentless ability to roam the scrapyard and find a used scraper for his gas grill. But the move symbolized Hal "I'm Not Cheap" Steinbrenner's plan: While others seek to improve, he sits back with a hand in his pocket, jiggling his coins. Much of the Yankiverse has become so accepting of this strategy that it rehashes the bla-bla reasoning why the team cannot do anything - those consarn players make so much money - sounding like diaper-crapping retirees in the rec room, awaiting the next Lawrence Welk fund-raiser on PBS.
I have yet to see a sportswriter ask Hal to lay out the Yankee budget. We accept that our players have huge contracts, and that they got old - and, thus, it's their fault. Last time I looked, the Yankees were sitting on the most lucrative market in American sports. They sit on the biggest TV money machine, playing in a new stadium financed by taxpayer money and blind fan loyalty, hardwired by a generational legacy must older than Hal. In fact, the owner sits atop an unprecedented volcano of revenues. If I'm wrong about this, I'm Not Cheap should explain to everyone why the Yankees cannot afford players - that we must wait until contracts "come off the books" to do anything.
I get it that MLB owners - the most ruthless capitalists on the planet - established a communistic system to run the sport. They set up a de facto salary cap, in the form of luxury taxes. But where is all the extra money going? Will Yankee employees get bonuses? (I'd be happy to think it means parking lot attendants get a bump, but I don't see that happening.) If Hal cannot spend on players, where is the money going? To horses? To stake holders? To politicians? Where?
I can scream this question, but I'm Not Cheap will play deaf. It's time for sportswriters - I'm talking to you - NY Times, NY Post, NY Daily News - and bloggers - I'm talking to you, Lohud, River Ave, all of you - to ask a simple question. And it's not, who will play 2B.
This winter, one question roils the Yankiverse:
Where the hell is all that money going?
HAL IS HIDING BEHIND THE COMMENT HE KEEPS REPEATING FROM A COUPLE YEARS BACK....... "I KEEP SAYING YOU DON'T NEED A $200 MILLION PAYROLL TO WIN THE WORLD SERIES. IT HAS BEEN PROVEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN." ..............THE PROBLEM WITH THAT THINKING IS, IF HE HAS NOTICED, AS THE YEARS GO BY, AND THE YANKS DON'T BID ON ANYONE, THE PRICES ON THESE PLAYERS KEEP CRAZILY CLIMBING!.....BY THE TIME HE FINALLY DOES DECIDE TO BID ON A BIG FREE AGENT OR 2, THE PRICES WILL BE SO HIGH, GUESS WHAT?....WE WILL BE BACK AT $200 MILLION FAIRLY EASILY!....... HAL MAY BE CHASING SOMETHING (THE $189 MILLION), THAT MAY NOT BE ATTAINABLE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU WANT TO WIN........AND THERE LIES THE TRUE QUESTION...... DOES HE REALLY WANT TO WIN?......(NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF THE LUXURY TAX)..........US YANKEE FANS HAVE TO START BOOING HIM LOUDLY WHEREVER HE SHOWS UP, (PROBLEM IS, HE DOESN'T SHOW UP MUCH)......HE HAS TO FEEL OUR WRATH.
ReplyDeleteIs Pete Kozma real? I feel like you made him up to drive the point home that Hal is Jewish.
ReplyDeleteWe know you can win with a smaller payroll but it takes a team with young talent to accomplish that.
ReplyDeleteThat's not this team.
EXACTLY JD...
ReplyDeleteI really want the world to know about this great man who brought back happiness into my life again after my husband left me and the kids 3 years ago for another women online when i contacted Dr Believe he cast a love spell for me within 48 hours my ex husband start calling me and begging for forgiveness for everything that have happened between us. I was so happy to have my family back together with love again here is the email of Dr Believe via believelovespelltemple@gmail.com a man with the great powers you can also call him or add him on Whats-app: +2348156148821
ReplyDeleteGod bless you
I am very grateful for your help in my marriage.