The New York Yankees are turning the page, reportedly
anyway, on the era of George Steinbrenner as the entire organization begins to
shift in an entirely new direction. No longer are the Yankees, again
reportedly, going to spend heavily on the free agent market for 30-somethings
buying out the last season of their primes and a few seasons of their decline.
The new plan in New York is to build the farm system, work the trade market and
actually show some financial restraint. We all know the Yankees spent in excess
of $500 million before the 2014 season and we all know it was management driven
decisions that ultimately led to those signings. It seems like Cashman is back
in control in the never-ending struggle for power and austerity is on the way
once again for New York. Austerity is contagious apparently because it looks
like it may be coming to a Los Angeles Dodgers run household near you this
offseason.
The two richest franchises in Major League Baseball and the
two biggest spenders annually are going to cut back this offseason if you
believe everything you read on the internet, because it must be true. Between
the two teams in 2015 a little over $500 million was spent including over $300
million by the Dodgers alone including the luxury tax, both teams may finally
be seeing the error of their ways. Hal Steinbrenner has expressed a desire and
willingness to get the team under the $189 million luxury tax threshold, or
whatever it increases to after the 2016 collective bargaining agreement is
reached, at least for one season and now the Dodgers co-owner Toddy Boehly is
also expressing a desire to cut payroll, Boehly wants to cut payroll by $100
million to be exact.
This is awfully convenient timing for both clubs as this
year’s free agent class marks one of the deepest classes in many, many years.
The idea of winning a World Series without outspending the rest of the league
combined makes sense, the Kansas City Royals won a World Series in 2015 with
just $116.6 million in Opening Day payroll this season, but the most important
fact that these owners leave out is the fact that it took 30 years to
accomplish that. 30 years of building, tearing it down and rebuilding. 30 years
of drafting high only to tank the next season and draft high again. It’s not
apples to apples, it is apples to oranges.
I hate austerity but I think I dislike $200 million mediocre
teams and Scott Boras a little bit more… so you convinced me. I’m a patient
man, build from within.
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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)