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KEEPING UP WITH THE JONE'S
January 4, 2009
We keep hearing about how much better the Yankees have gotten this season and we have to start spending some money so we can keep up with them. Let's look at this a little deeper.
2004: After losing the 2003 World Series the Yankees opened up their checkbook and added Kenny Lofton, Gary Sheffield and A-Rod to their line up. They also added Kevin Brown, Javy Vazquez, John Lieber, Tommy Gordon, and Paul Quantril to their pitching staff. Mid-season they also picked up Esteban Loaiza and John Olerud. That's a whole lot of big names, big numbers, and big money. And what happened? That expensive collection of talent went on to win 101 games and then be the team that was responsible for the biggest post season collapse in baseball history. 182 million (That's not counting the deferred money from A-Rod's contract as well as the 15 million the Rangers paid that year or Kevin Brown's salary) just doesn't buy what it used to.
2005: Let's spend some more money and add in Randy Johnson, Carl Pavano, and Jaret Wright (One first ballot HOF, the other two had won 15 games the year before) Let's also add in Mike Stanton, Tony Womack, and Tino Martinez to get some October MOJO from previous seasons. That 208 million $ payroll got eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
2006: Let's spend a whole lot of money on Johnny Damon, pick up Bobby Abreau, Mike Myers, Kyle Farnsworth, Octavio Dotell, Ron Villone, Terrance Long, and let's get knocked out of the ALDS by Kenny Rogers and the Tigers. That was 194 million $ (Not counting Bobby Abreau's salary or the 15 million of A-Rod's contract the Rangers paid of course)
2007: We got Dice-K so the Yankees counterd with Kei Igawa (Who has spent most of his time in the minors) Let's sign Andy Pettitte, Luis Vizcaino, Jose Molina, and Doug Mientkiewicz,. And does anybody else remember Roger Clemens's address from the Papal Balcony at Yankee Stadium (That's the onwers' box for those of you that are slow on the uptake) and Susan Walthman's "OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS!!!" There is 189 million (Not counting A-Rod's 15 million from the Rangers) to get knocked out of the ALDS by Paul Byrd and the Indians.
2008: Let's go in a different direction and use boy wonders Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, and Joba Chamberlain. Anybody else remember the Generation Trey hype? We'll sign A-Rod to a ten year deal, we'll add in LaTroy Hawkins, we'll steal Xavier Nady and Domasso Marte from the Pirates, pick up Sidney Ponson and Richie Sexson from the scrap heap, even make a trade for Pudge Rodriguez. There is 209 million $ for a third place in the East finish.
And these are the Jone's you wanna keep up with? Yeah, to have over 200 million $ worth of payroll every year and still come up short. It's a pretty sad state of things when people are afraid of a Yankee team just because they brought in some big names by spending a lot of money but haven't even played a game between the lines yet.
-∞Lyresto∞
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