He's ba-ack! In NY that is!

[Olympic Fan]

Whoa, Tom Brady ... sorry to be such a burr under your saddle. Then again, I can understand how sensitive you'd be when your namesake turns out to be a closet Yankee fan:

http://thetrack.bostonherald.com/mor...ticleid=198248

Points out how phony the spin control story was (that he was wearing the Yankee hat to disguise himself because a Yankee hit would be less conspicuous in New York). It turns out he was spotting outside a Boston donut shot two years ago wearing a Yankee hat.

I can imagine that would tick me off too!

I never realized I was such a master of invective ... imagine, coming up with such a vicious insult as "that Japanese guy" ... If I was really trying, I might have called him "That $52 million bust" But if it makes you feel any better, you can call Chein-Ming Wang, "that Taiwanese guy"

BTW, when you were comparing the salary structures of the Yankees and Red Sox, you kind of left out the $51.1 million the Red Sox paid for the privilege of wasting $52 million on "that stinking load of day-old sushi" (is that less insulting than "that Japanese guy")

So, instead of the current $195 million to $143 million payroll, the real figure is $195 million for the Yankees to $194 million for the Red Sox. Before you get all huffy ... I know that's not really comparing payroll because the acquistion cost of signing Dice-BB is not salary. I just pointed it out to explain why the free-spending Red Sox have little right to criticize the free-spending Yankees ... there's little difference between the two. Now if the A's or the Royals want to take a shot, fire away.

As for the lengths you go "disprove" every point I made ... thanks for the laugh. I mean, just take the Wang reference ... I suggest Wang is back from injury and pitching like he did last year ... and your response is:

Last year: 19-6, 3.63 ERA
This year: 1-2, 3.98 ERA

Well, as I said, Ming was returning from an injury that forced him to miss the first three weeks of the season ... In his first two starts, he gave up four earned runs in approximately six innings of work each time out ... in his last start, he gave up one run (and one hit) in eight innings of work. Now, I know that's one great start, but at least he seems to be heading in the right direction, as opposed to the guy who the Red Sox pissed that $103 million away on, who seems to be getting worse (let's see in consecutive starts he gave up 1-3-2-6-4-7 runs ... without going past seven innings in any start).

Anyway, enjoy the rest of the season. Maybe the Red Sox can finish with a better record than the Yankees for the first time since 1995. Or maybe not.

[bluebear]

Whoa, Tom Brady ... sorry to be such a burr under your saddle. Then again, I can understand how sensitive you'd be when your namesake turns out to be a closet Yankee fan:

http://thetrack.bostonherald.com/mor...ticleid=198248

Points out how phony the spin control story was (that he was wearing the Yankee hat to disguise himself because a Yankee hit would be less conspicuous in New York). It turns out he was spotting outside a Boston donut shot two years ago wearing a Yankee hat.

I can imagine that would tick me off too!

I never realized I was such a master of invective ... imagine, coming up with such a vicious insult as "that Japanese guy" ... If I was really trying, I might have called him "That $52 million bust" But if it makes you feel any better, you can call Chein-Ming Wang, "that Taiwanese guy"

BTW, when you were comparing the salary structures of the Yankees and Red Sox, you kind of left out the $51.1 million the Red Sox paid for the privilege of wasting $52 million on "that stinking load of day-old sushi" (is that less insulting than "that Japanese guy")

So, instead of the current $195 million to $143 million payroll, the real figure is $195 million for the Yankees to $194 million for the Red Sox. Before you get all huffy ... I know that's not really comparing payroll because the acquistion cost of signing Dice-BB is not salary. I just pointed it out to explain why the free-spending Red Sox have little right to criticize the free-spending Yankees ... there's little difference between the two. Now if the A's or the Royals want to take a shot, fire away.

As for the lengths you go "disprove" every point I made ... thanks for the laugh. I mean, just take the Wang reference ... I suggest Wang is back from injury and pitching like he did last year ... and your response is:

Last year: 19-6, 3.63 ERA
This year: 1-2, 3.98 ERA

Well, as I said, Ming was returning from an injury that forced him to miss the first three weeks of the season ... In his first two starts, he gave up four earned runs in approximately six innings of work each time out ... in his last start, he gave up one run (and one hit) in eight innings of work. Now, I know that's one great start, but at least he seems to be heading in the right direction, as opposed to the guy who the Red Sox pissed that $103 million away on, who seems to be getting worse (let's see in consecutive starts he gave up 1-3-2-6-4-7 runs ... without going past seven innings in any start).

Anyway, enjoy the rest of the season. Maybe the Red Sox can finish with a better record than the Yankees for the first time since 1995. Or maybe not.

Not sure it was necessary to antagonize other sox fanswho were having a more rational debate on this topic...

As for your points...I think it is a bit early to be talking even hyperbolically about Dice-K being a bust..a 26 year old pitcher adjusting to a new league...Most people in Boston were hoping for a 12-15 win year from him which is well within reach..

As for payroll, not sure you included Clemens or the money that the Yanks sunk into signing Igawa which again widens the gap..The fact is that there are at least 3 tiers of teams in MLB...the Yankees are in their own class, followed by the Sox, Mets, and a few others..followed by the rest of the league. I don't play the pauper when it comes to the Sox but i also know they can't go out and spend at the same rate as the Yankees..The Yanks will always outbid and can always outbid the sox (unless we are talking about a blind bidding process as with Dice-K)..Who was the last player that the Sox outbid the Yankees on?

Wang is the ace the Yankee staff..it's the other 4 starters that they have to worrry about...

As for Brady..he can wear whatever hat he wants as long as he keeps leading the Pats to the superbowl..

[Chicago 1995]

BTW, when you were comparing the salary structures of the Yankees and Red Sox, you kind of left out the $51.1 million the Red Sox paid for the privilege of wasting $52 million on "that stinking load of day-old sushi" (is that less insulting than "that Japanese guy")

And how is the $46M+ you spent on Kei Igawa working out?

It's pretty impressive that not only do the Yankees have the highest and second highest paid players in MLB, Igawa's the highest paid player in Class A ball now too.

Just wondering how you can, out of one side of your mouth call Dice-K a bust after six starts, and yet, with an equal or smaller sample size, declare everything glorious with Pettite, Wang and Mussina? Objectivity never has been a Yankee strong suit.

Now, I know that's one great start, but at least he seems to be heading in the right direction, as opposed to the guy who the Red Sox pissed that $103 million away on, who seems to be getting worse (let's see in consecutive starts he gave up 1-3-2-6-4-7 runs ... without going past seven innings in any start).

Not sure why Dice-K bothers you so darn much, but if you want to talk about pissing money away, how about Kei Igawa, Carl Pavano, Jaret Wright? Takes pissing money away to know it, I guess.

I also find it interesting that you are bothered by Dice K not going past seven innings in any of his starts. The Yankees, by my count, have had one starter go past seven innings the whole darn year. One. And if Dice-Ks IP are a problem, then you've got to admit that getting a guy who was a six inning pitcher in the worst division in baseball might be a problem for your already overworked bullpen too.

I get that you are a Yankee fan, but a touch of objectivity might make your analysis a bit more credible, you know?

Anyway, enjoy the rest of the season. Maybe the Red Sox can finish with a better record than the Yankees for the first time since 1995. Or maybe not.

That this is all you have to cling to should tell you how far your blessed Yankees have fallen, Oly.

2004.

I don't think anyone gives a d*mn that we were the Wild Card in 2004.

Didn't seem to matter in the ALCS or the World Series.

[gus]

Irrelevant. Those low numbers are in the NL, when he didn't have to pitch a full season. The NL is terrible compared the AL -- last year, the AL went 154-98 against the NL. Thats 56 games over .500 (!).

Isn't that 28 games over .500?

[gus]

That this is all you have to cling to should tell you how far your blessed Yankees have fallen, Oly.

2004.

I wonder if my grandkids will be chanting that number?

While this season looks like a rebuilding year, I think few Yankees fans would trade 3 championships in 10 years for Boston's 3 in 90.

[Bostondevil]

I think few Yankees fans would trade 3 championships in 10 years for Boston's 3 in 90.

This Red Sox fan wouldn't trade 2004 for anything. Talk about perfection. And yes, I do think the wait made it that much more (insert adjective of your choice). The night a lunar eclipse turned the moon red, I took all my kids out to see it during the 7th inning stretch, ended with a Red Sox championship.

Of course, I'm the one who had a baby for the Boston Red Sox. When my husband talked me into a 4th kid (all boys), I agreed under one condition, it had to be an October baby. I figured if I didn't get a girl, maybe I'd get a Red Sox good luck charm. True story and the baby was born 10/22/04, that's the off day between beating the Yankees and starting on the Cardinals. And for those of you who have read some of my recent posts, yes, it's the same kid. In my darker moments I think it's my fault and he absorbed some of the Red Sox bad luck.

And in the 'Is this irony?' category, I remember the exact day I became a Red Sox fan, April 29, 1986. Anybody know what happened that day? I hadn't even moved to Boston yet but it caught my attention and I've been a Sox fan ever since.

[bluebear]

And in the 'Is this irony?' category, I remember the exact day I became a Red Sox fan, April 29, 1986. Anybody know what happened that day? I hadn't even moved to Boston yet but it caught my attention and I've been a Sox fan ever since.

Let's hope there is no repeat of that night this year..unless it's by someone named Schilling, Dice-k, or Beckett)...

[feldspar]

As for the Clemens signing -- everybody except Boston fans have every right to rip on the Yankee profligate spending. As for Boston, how much did that Japanese guy with the 5.50 ERA end up costing you? Even Bill Simmons, the Boston Sports Guy, admits that the Red Sox have BECOME the Yankees when it comes to throwing money at their problems.

You know, I've just never understood this argument, and frankly, it's starting to bother me.

If the Yankees have the money, why SHOULDN'T they spend it on improving their team?

What you're insinuating is like saying that Duke shouldn't be allowed to send Coach K on recruiting trips and to recruiting targets' houses because he is too popular and iconic of a basketaball coach. It's preposterous.

Until MLB adopts a salary cap, which they won't, this flacid "the Yankees keep throwing money at their problems" argument is just what I said - flacid as a wet, limp noodle.

[CMS2478]

You know, I've just never understood this argument, and frankly, it's starting to bother me.

If the Yankees have the money, why SHOULDN'T they spend it on improving their team?

What you're insinuating is like saying that Duke shouldn't be allowed to send Coach K on recruiting trips and to recruiting targets' houses because he is too popular and iconic of a basketaball coach. It's preposterous.

Until MLB adopts a salary cap, which they won't, this flacid "the Yankees keep throwing money at their problems" argument is just what I said - flacid as a wet, limp noodle.

Sadly, I have to agree with you here bc I hate the Yankees too. But you make a good point. Which is why the comparison of the Yankees to Duke is so accurate. The hate for these two teams really derives from jealousy of what others want and can't have.

[JasonEvans]

Can I jsut chime in and say that both of your teams suck!!! Baseball is the only sport where a few teams can spend so much more than everyone else that the playing field is just unfair. When you are the BoSox, Yankees, and Mets with payrolls that are 20%+ higher than virtually every other team in the game you do not have to worry about losing your stars to free agency, you get to pluck stars from other teams when htey are about to be freee agents, you get to bid outrageous amounts on pros from Asia and Cuba and elsewhere so other teams have no chance at them.

How is any of this fair?

The luxury tax should be on a sliding scale starting at about $100 million with higher and higher percentages of tax paid the higher you get. Once you reach about $130 million in payroll, you should be taxed something like 2-dollars for every dollar more you have in payroll. It needs to be a real disincentive.

It is absurd that the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox and several other teams have payrolls that are more than 2 or 3 or 4 other teams COMBINED!!! That makes no sense.

--Jason "a level playing field, that is all we ask for" Evans

[feldspar]

Can I jsut chime in and say that both of your teams suck!!! Baseball is the only sport where a few teams can spend so much more than everyone else that the playing field is just unfair. When you are the BoSox, Yankees, and Mets with payrolls that are 20%+ higher than virtually every other team in the game you do not have to worry about losing your stars to free agency, you get to pluck stars from other teams when htey are about to be freee agents, you get to bid outrageous amounts on pros from Asia and Cuba and elsewhere so other teams have no chance at them.

How is any of this fair?

The luxury tax should be on a sliding scale starting at about $100 million with higher and higher percentages of tax paid the higher you get. Once you reach about $130 million in payroll, you should be taxed something like 2-dollars for every dollar more you have in payroll. It needs to be a real disincentive.

It is absurd that the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox and several other teams have payrolls that are more than 2 or 3 or 4 other teams COMBINED!!! That makes no sense.

--Jason "a level playing field, that is all we ask for" Evans

You make a valid argument for a luxury tax and round-about for a salary cap, but the reality is that neither one exists as you envision.

To criticize organizations for spending money they are well within their rights to spend is petty and immature, in my not-so-humble opinion.

And, FWIW, it's only been a few short years since the Braves' payroll topped $100 million so, you know, let's not throw stones.

[greybeard]

Roger Clemens is back with the Yankees. He signed a minor league contract so he can get himself into game shape. Very dramatic in-game announcement by Roger himself during the 7th inning stretch at the Stadium today - I can't wait to see it on Sports Center.

Equally important, the Yankees won their 2nd straight game with a strong pitching effort by their starting pitcher.

Look out Boston - that team making noise over your shoulder is the Yankees and here they come!

You might recall that I called this several weeks ago when everyone was concerned about how the Yankees were freefalling, yadayadayada. Roger, the Texan, is playing out a version of the old TV western, the Lone Ranger, Pallidan, come to mind. Of course, those guys did not get paid 18 big ones. Before you go patting yourselves on the back, Steinbrenner just bought the pot. I'm with Mr. Simon on this one, "Where have you gone, Joe Di . . . ."

The answer is, "Nowhere." The Yankees always bought the pot, Snider was better than Mantle, Campy was better than Yogi, Gil was better than Moose, and Carl Furillo remains the single most distinguished and accomplished player to ever have been blackballed from baseball and the hall of fame!

[CMS2478]

You might recall that I called this several weeks ago when everyone was concerned about how the Yankees were freefalling, yadayadayada. Roger, the Texan, is playing out a version of the old TV western, the Lone Ranger, Pallidan, come to mind. Of course, those guys did not get paid 18 big ones. Before you go patting yourselves on the back, Steinbrenner just bought the pot. I'm with Mr. Simon on this one, "Where have you gone, Joe Di . . . ."

The answer is, "Nowhere." The Yankees always bought the pot, Snider was better than Mantle, Campy was better than Yogi, Gil was better than Moose, and Carl Furillo remains the single most distinguished and accomplished player to ever have been blackballed from baseball and the hall of fame!

I will pat you on the back for calling that. However, if the Yankees turn things around and make the playoffs it won't be because of The Rocket. It will be bc their whole team improves, particularly the rest of their starting pitching. Sure he helps, but one starting pitcher doesn't guarantee success.

[tombrady]

Isn't that 28 games over .500?

98-98 is .500. If you play 56 more games and win them all, you get to 154-98. Thats 56 over .500.

[tombrady]

I wonder if my grandkids will be chanting that number?

While this season looks like a rebuilding year, I think few Yankees fans would trade 3 championships in 10 years for Boston's 3 in 90.

This season is most definitely not a rebuilding year for the Yankees. If it were a rebuilding year, they would have not gotten Clemens. They are trying to win it all.

[CMS2478]

This season is most definitely not a rebuilding year for the Yankees. If it were a rebuilding year, they would have not gotten Clemens. They are trying to win it all.

Isn't it funny that the Yankees have that monster of a lineup and some people refer to it as a rebuilding year.

[tombrady]

You know, I've just never understood this argument, and frankly, it's starting to bother me.

If the Yankees have the money, why SHOULDN'T they spend it on improving their team?

Until MLB adopts a salary cap, which they won't, this flacid "the Yankees keep throwing money at their problems" argument is just what I said - flacid as a wet, limp noodle.

This is true -- The yankees have money for a reason (though that reason is they happened to be located in the largest American city). If teams are good enough to generate revenue, and they reinvest it into their team to produce more victories, then there is nothing at all wrong with that. Call it what you wish -- buying a team, buying championships, etc...but its the market that we live in, and the Yankees (and red sox, and mets, etc) play it well. But "the Yankees keep throwing money at their problems" -- this isn't a flimsy argument, it is fact. Theres nothing wrong with this, however. Its how the system works. The problem comes when Yankee fans cry foul for people pointing this out. Its a fact, so they need to accept it. I accept the red sox went out and got the best right fielder (JD Drew) and a great new shortstop (Lugo) and the best Japanese pitcher (well, second best next to Okajima . And I point out that the red sox recent string of success has provided them the revenue to do this. and i'm fine with it. But the yankees are on their own level with a seemingly unlimited amount of funds, unlike every other team (including the red sox -- look at my abreu example in an above post). The fact is, if JD Drew or (heavens forbid) Matsuzaka flame out, it will seriously handicap the red sox for the next few years -- they will have to end up eating that salary in a trade or put up with poor performance. If these players were on the Yankees, it would be a blip on the radar, and full steam ahead.

you get to pluck stars from other teams when htey are about to be freee agents, you get to bid outrageous amounts on pros from Asia and Cuba and elsewhere so other teams have no chance at them.

How is any of this fair?

It is absurd that the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox and several other teams have payrolls that are more than 2 or 3 or 4 other teams COMBINED!!! That makes no sense.

--Jason "a level playing field, that is all we ask for" Evans

First off, revenue sharing/luxury tax has allowed small market teams to resign many of their best players the last few years (see Johan Santana on the Twins and Ben Sheets on the Brewers, etc). Its not perfect, but its helping. Those stars are no longer reaching free agency with the hometown teams having no shot at offering fair value.

The system is fair when the Florida Marlins won 2 WS in the space of 7 years while being an overall low-income franchise. Its fair when the Yankees (by far the highest) haven't won in nearly a decade. Its fair when this year the Milwaukee Brewers (18th), Indians (23rd), Braves (13th) are leading their divisions.

Its fair when last year the Cards (11th) played the Tigers (14th) in the WS. Also when the As continue to make the playoffs as a low-income team (though not have much success...)

There are ways to make a team successful on a limited payroll. In the last 7 years, there have been 7 WS champions, and 11 different teams playing in the WS. Baseball has parity, without a salary cap.

By comparison, with a salary cap, the last 7 years in the NFL there have been 5 different SB champions, in the NBA there have been 4 Finals champions in 7 years.

[Dukerati]

Bluebear asked who was the last player the Sox outbid the Yankees on... someone correct me if I'm wrong here, but didn't they blow everyone out of the water for Matsusaka?

I'm a Braves fan so I am certainly not taking sides here but ever since the Red Sox won in 2004, I believe there has been a spending trend with the Red Sox spending more and more money every year and the Yankees attempting to "slash" some payroll. I don't think it is far-fetched to believe that the Red Sox and Yankees will be on comparable payrolls in the very near future...

[feldspar]

In any event, it's still safe to say that having a huge payroll and winning World Series do not necessarily go hand in hand. Sure there's inequality in baseball, but it's not like the Yankees and the Sox are winning the Series year in and year out. It's almost MORE comical to watch the Yankees come up short every year because of the fact that they have the highest payroll in baseball every year.

[bluebear]

Bluebear asked who was the last player the Sox outbid the Yankees on... someone correct me if I'm wrong here, but didn't they blow everyone out of the water for Matsusaka?

I'm a Braves fan so I am certainly not taking sides here but ever since the Red Sox won in 2004, I believe there has been a spending trend with the Red Sox spending more and more money every year and the Yankees attempting to "slash" some payroll. I don't think it is far-fetched to believe that the Red Sox and Yankees will be on comparable payrolls in the very near future...

I think I clarified that in the sentence before that question...the Dice-K bidding was a blinded process where no team knew what the other was bidding...The Yankees have offered more for every other player that the teams have both gone after in recent years..

The sox certainly spent more money this year but there is no way they will match Yankees in spending..they don't have the revenue to do that...I would expect the Sox payroll to drop in upcoming years as big contracts like Manny's come off the books and are replaced by younger cheaper talent. They will continue to spend more that almost every other team but still substantially less than the Yankees..