Levine puts his spin on the spending
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Jan 07, 2009 
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Here’s Yankees president Randy Levine appearing on CNBC defending the team’s heavy spending in the free-agent market.
Clearly the front office has gotten together to spread this message. That’s fine. But as long as the Yankees play by MLB’s rules (or lack thereof), they don’t need to defend anything they do.
Wave and Laura I am with you on Andy. As A ballplayer I appreciate the effort he gave every day! I always thought we had a damn good chance to win every time he started. Didn’t matter who we were up against.
As a business person I question his leaving to the stros, and this current debacle.
As for Gammons, I think a legitamate question would be is he on the Sox payroll?
I’m not sure if it’s worse if he is or isn’t.
Tarheelyank: Gammons is a known season-ticket holder, IIRC.
Pete: They’re the Yankees. They need to defend everything they do.
It doesn’t make it right, of course, but that’s what happens when your team is the Evil Empire.
Gotta agree with Rebecca here, Pete.
The Yankees are a corporation with a product to sell. That product’s image is worth a lot of money. Defending that image is not only the prudent thing to do, it’s essential. Besides, with some owners now yapping about baseball needing a salary cap, the Yankees need to be out there pushing their view of things, too.
Maybe the Yanks should deny it, y’know like that NFL team who used to deny taping other team’s defensive signals. Ugh, what free agents?
JeffG:
So Yankees fans won’t buy that product unless the Yankees defend spending money on great players?
Sorry, not buying that. And their defense isn’t going to sway anybody who hates the team or what they do. All it will do is infuriate them more.
The Yankees have no reason to defend themselves against what anybody says. They’re not cheating.
IMO trying to add a salary cap would eventually result in another strike.
IMO trying to add a salary cap would eventually result in another strike.
oops, I commented on Gammons in the previous thread.
His interview on WEEI can be found here.
http://audio.weei.com/m/audio/.....nalyst.htm
23 minutes long. At about the 3 min mark he gets his zinger in on Tex’s wife…
Pete: I agree with you.
Jeff: I only mean that since they are the Yankees, that will make people look at them that much more closely.
To overhaul the financial structure would DEFINITELY bring about a work stoppage. The only party between the Commissioner, the Players Association, and the Owners that would push for it to happen would be the owners.
Yankees should not apologize for spending the money they do. ALL of the owners make money off of the system as is. If the other 29 ownership groups in baseball REALLY wanted to change this system there is no way that the Yankees–even the almighty Bronx Bombers–could stand in the way of that type of sweeping change.
Baseball is making money hand over fist as is. And I highly doubt the commissioner or the MLBPA or the Owners want to cut off that money flow long enough to institute a monetary system that includes a salary cap, salary floor, and league-wide revenue sharing. Until someone is willing to give back to change the system, nothing will get done. And I don’t want to hear the owners whine about the Yankees’ spending when they have the ultimate power to change it.
Levine needs to go away.
He is not a baseball person nor a business person. He is a politician.
His job is done, he got the land grab now go away.
And re-sign Pettitte Tweedle Dum!
I am fine with the Yankees pounding home the message that they are investing in the team for the fans. It gives out the alternative message that all the other teams that keep payroll low and pocket the socialistic revenue sharing and luxury tax dollars are the greedy ones.
The Gammons stuff is beyond ridiculous. He is a bitter old man who looks at far too many things through his Red Sox glasses. He is so in love with his Saux that he can’t understand anyone not liking them. Teixeira preferred the Yankees, and now Gammons is looking to trash him. Had Teixeira signed with the Red Sox you can guarantee that he would do nothing but sing his praises. Gammons slimy shot at Leigh Teixeira was unprofessional.
Pete,
It’s not about them cheating or anything like that. But if they just sit back and let their detractors run all over them, year after year, with no retort, don’t you think that eventually, SOME Yankees fans will be turned off?
The Steinbrenner family has a very real interest in letting their fans know, repeatedly, that while ticket prices are going up, and stadium beers require a financing plan, that the team is plowing profits back into the product.
It’s easy to say everyone knows that. But everyone knows that because Yankees officials are saying it. Nobody says it, nobody reports it, nobody reads it, and eventually, everyone doesn’t “know it.”
The Yankees don’t need to feel any shame about what they do(they aren’t breaking the rules), but they sure do need to explain it (defend it) in this exact manner. Their empire won’t crumble if they don’t, but making the point that they put profits back into the product 1) reassures the fan base and energizes them, and 2) puts some shame on cheepskate owners around the league who are pocketing those revenue and luxury tax funds.
Shorter version of the above: If people are going to smack talk the Yanks, why shouldn’t the Yanks fire back?
Yes, the haters will continue to hate, but passionate Yankees fans will defend
strike that last run off sentence from my above post…lost sight of it while editing…apologies
All this talk about implementing a salary cap is all just a bunch of bull. Does anybody really think that John Henry really wants a salary cap after spending 700 million for the Sox. The owners with teams that have a financial advantage paid big bucks for that financial advantage. What are the Pirates/KC/Marlins worth, 100MM?
Why should the Yankees be defensive? Why doesn’t the press beat up on the Brewers, Pirates, and other “small market teams” for mismanagement and for pocketing their revenues instead of plowing them back into the business? These “small market teams” are basically welfare queens sitting around waiting for revenue sharing checks from the Yankees. I don’t hear them complaining when Yankee fans buy seats in Oakland and Kansas City that are usually empty when other teams are in town.
This whole Peter Gammons obsession is annoying, we all know he’s a homer.. Deal with it, talk the Yanks
If the owners were to push for a salary cap they would end up having to watch the Yankees put a ton of money into the minor league system and the players union would make them have a minimum salary level they had to spend to.
There was a lame idea of the luxury tax money going to the same division as the team that was charged the tax.
The thing is that most teams don’t put much into their teams, they look to make a profit over building their franchise. Big George invested in the Yankees and THAT is what made them into the financial powerhouse they are. The Red Sox followed that model somewhat and it increased their financial power.
Its the old adage, you have to spend money to make money. All these other teams could do much better than they do if their owners put back into the team like the Yankees have over the decades. That requires sacrifice though, and these are businesses that are looking for profit without investing as large a percentage.
I don’t apologize for the Yankees spending on the best players they can get, I applaud it.
if you want a good chuckle… listen to the Gammons WEEI interview at the 14-15 minute mark.
He compares Penny favorably to Burnett.
“Who would you take Burnett or Penny?”
“Basically they are the same guy” –
“Just one makes 16 million for 5 years, the other 5 million for one year”
He loves Penny….. what a surprise… haha
a strike is just a transfer of wealth from the players to the owners
Art, beyond that, those teams teams love when the Yankees come to town so they can charge more for the tickets. Its not enough that they sell far more tickets, they raise the prices as well.
I have no problem with them pushing the “we are doing it for the fans” message. In fact, it’s a good message to spread. Not for the rest of the world, but for the fans to hear. The fans are the ones plunking down some serious cash for the new stadium. They need to know that they are going to get their money’s worth.
I don’t see the need for Randy to go on CNBC and defend anything the Yankees do.
They aren’t breaking any rules. If folks don’t like their spending, who cares?
There are two types of baseball fans in the world. Those who love the Yankees, and everybody else.
Who cares what anybody else thinks? Nobody is going to convert them. The heck with them.
The Yankees should just keep doing what they are doing and stop being so damn sensitive to what the haters have to say.
You want to really tick them off this year? Win the World Series.
That will really get them going!
“Who would you take Burnett or Penny?”
“Basically they are the same guy” –
How can I get some of whatever it is that Gammons is smokin’?
“Who cares what anybody else thinks? Nobody is going to convert them. The heck with them.”
No truer words have ever been said.
Peter Gammons is a pathetic bitter loser. FYI. Get over it, Tex signed with us, no one wanted to go to Boston.
Gammons believes the Red Sox would sign Jason Varitek if he offered his services for $2MM. Gammons still believes the Red Sox would prefer to take the draft picks and trade for a different catcher.
Gammons says the player’s association was “strongly advising” agents to turn down arbitration offers, but that in the end it cost players like Varitek a lot of money.
Gammons says a lot of players could be looking for jobs in the spring, noting that AJ Burnett’s agents did a great job considering the Yankees wanted Derek Lowe. As a result, Lowe (a Boras client) is now without a job.
Gammons called Mark Teixeira Scott Boras’ “ultimate client” and that Teixeira is “very well-programmed.”
He notes that there was a lot of “testiness” between Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez in Texas and Gammons wonders how Teixeira will handle the high expectations that come with playing in New York.
Brad Penny is better than AJ Burnett?
Man, the guy has really lost it now. Wow.
In the past eight years, we’ve had the Yankees, Diamondbacks, Angels, Marlins, Red Sox, Cardinals, White Sox, Red Sox and Phillies as champions.
We’ve also had the Mets, Yankees, Giants, Yankees, Cardinals, who-the-heck-did-the-Cardinals-play, Tigers, Rockies and Rays as WS competitors
Aside from the Red Sox and Yankees repeating, you can’t really argue that there isn’t a variety of teams represented there.
CNBC is probably good publicity for the Yankees, those viewers are the people that buy the high-priced seats.
You know what I would consider doing to REALLY tick off the Red Sox and Gammons, while (possibly) helping the Yankees?
Sign Curt Schilling at mid-season.
Now, I hate Curt Schilling. Just can’t stand him. But, to tweak the Sox and Gammons, and fill a need (if necessary), I’d think about it.
Providing of course, he’s healthy enough to pitch.
If he’s healthy to help in the second half of the year, you have a battle tested playoff pitcher.
Not saying I’d DEFINITELY do it. But, I’d consider it if they need another starter at the midway point of the season and Schilling is healthy enough to pitch.
Could you imagine if Schilling, who harbors some bitterness with the Sox, ever signed with the Yankees for the stretch drive. I think we could have a “Nancy Kerrigan Moment” (crying “why, why”) from Gammons should that take place.
peter gammons is a freaken idiot. true story.
GreenBeret7
January 7th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
SJ44
January 7th, 2009 at 7:46 pm
GB,
The way I describe Arod to people that ask me about him is, he’s socially awkward.
He is a nice guy. Just awkward. Best word I can use to describe it.
——————————————————————————————
LMAO. That’s what I just said. I needed the extra words for typing practice. You can type, so, you only needed two words….socially awkward. Perfect, short description.
Gammonsfreude: the gift that keeps on giving.
Donnie Baseball 23
January 7th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
Thanks Green even if I dont agree with it at least your thinking long-term and put pieces that may fit for teams. Good to see some1 with some baseball smarts.
——————————————————————————————
I was looking at a center fielder with a good glove, good hitter with some speed and a utility infielder that could move to a full time SS spot in 1 or 2 years until Angelini or Muruzak are ready to take over shortstop full time for the next 10-12 years. NYY won’t be able to resign or extend Nady and Ramirez isn’t really needed
Pete is right the Yankees dont have to defend anything they do. They are the Yankees and will always get bashed, its fine with me as long as they win some titles now. The Yankees are good for baseball, no one crys when they come into town and sell out the ballparks or when they lose. What about the Pirates, Royals teams like that, they are worse for not trying to win.
Very good points and all are valid. Your right about Nady and I think thats why he is prolly the one Yanks would wanna move so they can get something for him. CF is a need and I think every1 agrees. A utility IF also and seems like a SS is the hot spot because of Jeter. So we will see what the Yanks do. Also Yanks dont need to trade for a SP since there is enought out there on the market to go sign.
Wow SJ44. I will certainly grant you this that along with your considerable baseball knowledge you continue to amaze with some of your suggestions.
Two seasons ago it was quite evident that Schilling had to use a lot of smoke and mirrors to pitch effectively.
Obviously he didn’t pitch last year. I don’t think there is a lot left in the tank. The Yankees are welcome to sign him just in my opinion.
“…Cardinals, who-the-heck-did-the-Cardinals-play…”
I think it was the Red Wings? It was an Original Six team, as I recall. Might have been the Maple Leafs.
SJ: Ahahaha.
It would be a fairly horrible thing, I can’t stand Schilling, but, at the same time…the look on Gammons’s face…
As Nick said, Gammonsfreude is the gift that keeps on giving!
I’ve got home late, and am now catching up on the posts.
Man, being a longtime Yankee fan, I am just eating it up, reading about the Red Sox/Gammons/Tex issue. It’s the perfect end to a long day to read such negative stuff, which I am so willing to believe, lol!
SJ – You are 100% right – if the Yanks sign Curt Schilling at mid-season, and he actually wins a couple, the thought of Gammons doing a Nancy Kerrigan session is priceless! It would make signing Schill so worth it!
The Yanks dont have to defend anything and either does any other club. The Twins owner who just passed was worth over $3 BILLION dollars and no made him defend whey HE doesnt spend $$$$$ on his team, now did they??
I said if he’s healthy and could give them 10-12 starts, its something I’d consider.
Obviously, if he can’t pitch, and they have no need for another arm at mid-season, its a moot point.
Curt Schilling for 75 innings, and the post-season, if he can pitch? I’d take that shot.
SJ44
Brad Penny is better than AJ Burnett?
Man, the guy has really lost it now. Wow.
I always knew what color socks he wore, but he’s really gone off the deep end.
“Penny could end up being a TREMENDOUS addition, I really believe that”
Gammons could turn into the 2009 version of E.F. Hutton.
When he talks – people listen and laugh.
Aaron(the better Aaron)
January 7th, 2009 at 7:58 pm
This whole Peter Gammons obsession is annoying, we all know he’s a homer.. Deal with it, talk the Yanks
————————————————————
Because everything else has been beaten to death and hammering Gammons helps kill the time and makes for some great laughter.
I think that Hal and the rest of the front office should be proud of what they are doing.
They have money, they spend money, they reinvest money. As a result they create a great team that returns their investment. It’s good business; the team wins, the fans win, and MLB wins.
You can walk the streets of Dehli and see more than a few Yankees caps. The same in any city in the World.
You’d be hard pressed to find a Brewers cap outside of Milwaukee. Who’s fault is that? Is it Hal’s? No!
The Stenbrenners are not the richest owners in the sport. Just the most committed.
I’m glad they run my favorite team. They are doing the right thing. They should hold their heads high and not have to defend anything.
Journalists (I don’t mean Pete) should be asking other owners why they are not as committed as the Yankees. Why do they not care about extending the sport internationally, or increasing their own brand value by increasing spending? Many, many of the other owners can well afford it.
Why aren’t the jealous fans of other teams complaining to their front offices, rather than moaning about the Yankees?
It’s funny reading about Gammons’ opinions of Tex this week, and two weeks ago when he was a god. true story.
What’s funny is, how many people posted on here about the sons not “being the father” and “refusing to spend to win”?
Look at the last two off-seasons. Over 800 million dollars in guaranteed money.
If that ain’t spendin’, I don’t know what is.
Or sign Varitek for 1 year at 3mm.
Then getting Schilling who claims Varitek is the best game calling catcher ever would be easy.
I am so sick and tired of everyone bashing the Yankees spending. The fans are all willing to pay for tickets that have doubled or tripled in price in the last few years. We pay 10 dollars for a flat beer, and 5 bucks for a hot dog. I have gone to some other stadiums and ticket prices and food, shirts, programs etc are cheaper. I guess the bottom line is the Yankees should not defend themselves for spending there own money and putting a competitive team on the field and they are reinvesting there resources into there product. I don’t see the Royals doing that. Didn’t the owner pocket the revenue sharing money a few years back. They are playing by the rules everyone agreed upon.
Also I just want out and bought my CC jersey today. can’t wait for opening day.
The statement that always puzzles me is when you hear people say, “How can they spend that kind of money…in this economy?!!!”
I don’t get it. They have the money. What does their spending it on players for the team, their core business, have to do with the state of the nation and the world’s economy? How does not spending it help? Are they supposed to use it to build a factory and put millions of people to work building Yankee widgets?
What’s scaring so much of the rest of baseball isn’t simply the money that the yankees are spending – the gross total will be less than 2008.
What’s scaring the rest of baseball and why they are so up in arms about this is that it finally appears that the yankees are spending they’re money rationally.
That’s what’s got everyone so worked up. They know that CC and Tex are talents that you just can’t knock.
This is no longer the yankees picking Sheffield instead of Vlad or Randy Johnson instead of Beltran.
This appears to be an organization that is getting their at together and are now behaving more rationally and more efficiently.
There’s talent in the minor league system for the first time in year. And the team has steadfastly refused to trade it in wasteful ways.
Instead they’ve waited until bad contracts came off the books and have been aggressive in what is the best free agent market talent wise since 2000.
It’s not simply the money – it’s how it’s being used that’s causing the fury and bitterness.
The Yankees shouldn’t be on the defensive, should on the offensive. The Pirates hoodwink their way to a publicly-financed park, saying they need it to compete. They get it and pocket the money.
Forget a salary cap, there should be a payroll minimum. Either that or the payroll has to go up by putting half or 75% of revenue sharing into player salaries.
If these guys or cities can’t afford to run a MLB team then get lost. Someone or somewhere else will!
Basically the question is this:
Pretend for a moment, Hal Steinbrenner and co. are the CEOs of Toyota.
Would you rather them spend vast sums on their private vacation condos that no one else ever gets to see, or would you rather them spend it on improving the Prius, which benefits consumers as well as themselves?
Have your answer?
Right. Then what sense does it make lambasting the Yankees for spending money on their product?
CB, while I agree with what you said, you have to see how these contracts play out. No one knocked the Giambi signing at the time. No one even knocked the Pavano signing at the time. But you are spot on with Sheffield, and they’ve burned plenty of money on dumb moves in the past.
CB,
Post of the day. Completely agree. That’s what has everybody in an uproar.
There is a finally a plan and that scares the daylights out of the haters.
Best of all, Hal Steinbrenner is a steady hand at the wheel.
Has his dad’s competitiveness without his impulseness.
Great combination for an owner to have.
jason
January 7th, 2009 at 8:22 pm
Or sign Varitek for 1 year at 3mm.
Then getting Schilling who claims Varitek is the best game calling catcher ever would be easy.
If you sign Varitek, you’d have to give up a first rounder to the Sox.
Oh wait… since the Yanks have already signed 3 FA’s – that would just be a 4th rounder!
I can hear the Gammon’s howling now…
I don’t see the need to trade either Swish or Nady, it’s really pissing me off..
I agree Aaron. Why trade Nady or Swisher when it is unlikely either of them would bring back a CF’er or mid rotation starter that would help the Yankees.
I just read the Peter Gammons article. And that has to be the biggest load I’ve ever read. I really don’t know how to even reply to it.
Listening to Gammons on WEII, and had to turn it off or risk spewing my acid indigestion. Would like to hear Ray[boston fan] take on his interview.
SJ
Manny hitting (watching it sail over the green monster, flipping his bat, then pointing at the Sox dugout) a bomb off of Papelbon would kind of be cool too.
“while I agree with what you said, you have to see how these contracts play out. ”
celerino,
I’m in no way implying that these contracts will work out. The outcome of the contracts at this point is besides the point with respect to the uproar the yankee’s winter has caused.
What’s worrying people so much is the yankees process. The process is now different. It’s a process which is much more rational. The outcome may be good or bad but at this point the yankees have optimized their allocation of resources. Teams may argue with AJ Burnett’s value but it’s hard to argue with CC or Tex.
Why did they sign Pavano? Because he was the best available free agent pitcher.
That’s usually the logic in free agency. But that’s flawed logic as just because someone is the best available talent in any winter doesn’t mean he’s any good or particularly worth having.
Take a step back and look at how the yankees have allocated resources since then.
They have not signed one major free agent since 2004 other than resigning their own players.
Why? They certainly had needs. But instead of just taking best available e.g. Torii Hunter last year – they simply waited and trade different methods.
That all came to ahead last year with Santana.
This year the supply of talent in the free agent market is outstanding and they’re now using their resources rationally.
That’s what’s killing other people.
The process by which they’ve tried to acquire talent in much better now and it’s tough to argue with. If you want to knock they’re evaluation of Burnett that’s fine but Swisher, CC and Tex are very difficult to argue with. The process was outstanding on each.
Tom
January 7th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
“I agree Aaron. Why trade Nady or Swisher when it is unlikely either of them would bring back a CF’er or mid rotation starter that would help the Yankees.”
Other teams have more interest in Swisher over Nady, a Boras client, and although it helps with the Yankees depth to keep both, if there’s a trade out there that makes sense for the Yankees, and it requires Swisher in the deal, he’ll be gone.
There is nothing wrong with the Yankees spending their own money but asking for and getting municipal bonds on the cheap and at taxpayer expense is beyond the pale.
“Best of all, Hal Steinbrenner is a steady hand at the wheel.
Has his dad’s competitiveness without his impulseness.”
There’s no doubt that this is a major reason why baseball is so worried.
From everything we’ve seen over the past two years Hal Steinbrenner appears to be an outstanding owner. Outstanding.
Remember all of the stories about how he wouldn’t really care about the team, wouldn’t spend, etc. etc.
I’m sure that’s what baseball was hoping for – they were hoping for the caricature that Hank has become as the figure that would run the team and continue to squander fortunes.
But instead they’ve gotten Hal. And that appears to be big trouble for baseball.
He’s committed to winning. But low key. He listens to his baseball people and isn’t out to simply make a splash or get into the headlines.
This off season – who’s been more like the old back page grabbing George Steinbrenner – Hal or John Henry?
I cannot see Hal getting on a private plane with Cash to recruit a free agent. I just can’t see it.
But Henry clearly likes the lime light and wants the story written about how well managed the sox are.
Instead, Hal’s just been on board with Cash’s calls for patience, keep young players, and to build with pitching.
Then when Cash goes to Hal and says I think Tex wants to be a yank, I think we should make a move for him and here’s why – Hal listens to Cash and decides to reinvest in the team.
If what we’ve seen from Hal these past two years continues the rest of baseball is in trouble.
Hornblower:
I don’t have an issue with the Yankees asking for the bonds.
The City could very well have just said “no”, but they didn’t.
2010 Free Agent Starting pitchers
Josh Beckett – $12MM club option with a $2MM buyout
Erik Bedard
Justin Duchscherer
Rich Harden
Tim Hudson – $12MM mutual option with a $1MM buyout
John Lackey
Cliff Lee – $8MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Brett Myers
Brandon Webb – $8.5MM club option with a $500K+ buyout
Todd Wellemeyer
Looking at that list, other than Lackey and injury prone Harden, who do not have club options, it’s lacking in starters. IMO, it would be best if we can get one more veteran starter, preferably on a one, at the most, two year contract, rather than relying on Aceves/Coke/Hughes/Kennedy.
BTW, Chone Figgins is a 2010 FA with no club options, and Holliday, Bay, Nady are all Boras clients.
CB, great points about Hal. The other message within your post is Hal obviously puts a lot of stock in Cash’s input as well. Both of these guys seems to be on the same page. It pays to have a unified front.
The other point is Cash/Hal are developing reputations as even-handed guys, the Yankees avoid trashing former players who shoot their mouths off (Sheffield) or who say one thing and do another (Pettitte) they just move on and do business.
I would imagine this is a likeable quality that FA would be attracted to.
Winning the spin wars is too important to ignore even when you’re in the right.
The people complaining about the Yankees spending in this economy don’t understand economics fully.
When times are tough, people need entertainment, distractions and heroes more than ever. They may not be able to afford new cars, nor other new luxury goods, but they can at the very least watch TV and maybe go to a game.
In the Great Depression, both baseball and Hollywood had Golden Ages. It’s absolutely the right time to invest in both.
The Yankees are actually helping the economy by helping people get through it better.
Mark Teixeira should deny any interview by Gammons around the batting cage saying that he’s concentrating on his swings and if Gammons tries to interview him in the clubhouse he should tell him no interview, he’s waiting on a cell call from Leigh who is shopping on Fifth Avenue.
Hey Lohud,
You are talking about in another post about the Yankees paying back the money to the state but you neglected to talk about how much the city has to pay to fix things around the stadium. Me as a taxpayers I have to pay for property taxes but the Yankees are not supposed to do the same thing in their billion dollar property? While I have to pay my loan with interest the yankees cant do that?
The Yankees will build the $900 million ballpark using tax-free bonds, authorized by the city, which they will pay back with ballpark revenues. The team will not need to pay property tax nor rent for the land underneath the stadium, however, although it will be responsible for all maintenance costs. Currently, the Yankees pay nominal rent while the city is responsible for upkeep.
The teams are responsible for paying off the bonds, but they pay tens of millions of dollars less in interest because payments to bondholders are exempt from city, state and federal taxes.
The city and the state are also investing more than $660 million in parks, garages and transportation improvements around the stadiums and are providing the teams with an estimated $500 million in tax breaks related to construction materials and other items
At the same time, the city also released new estimates for the ever-escalating city cost of providing “land and infrastructure” for the Yankees. According to the Times, the new estimates include $194.7 million for new parkland, $39 million towards a new Metro-North station, $32.3 million for “infrastructure and street work,” and “a $10.4 million increase in the cost of street lighting, as well as increased design, engineering and construction-management costs” — increased from what, the Times didn’t say. The last previous official figures in June were $177 million for parks, $34.5 million for infrastructure and streets, $39 million for Metro-North, and $30.4 million for “soft costs.”
Cardinals beat the Tigers in 2006.
Yankee Trader
January 7th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
“Listening to Gammons on WEII, and had to turn it off or risk spewing my acid indigestion. Would like to hear Ray[boston fan] take on his interview.”
Yankee Trader, I didn’t have the chance to listen to the interview but feel from reading comments here that I have the jest of the interview.
Quite frankly I am embarassed by Gammons. The Sox have a good team and really don’t need Gammons to be their spokesperson in my opinion.
I think the Sox picking up Penny for one year is a good low risk move, BUT I would never try to say that Penny at this point in his career is on the same level as AJ Burnett. Kind of absurd for Gammons to say that.
Whether they will admit it or not many Sox fans are worried about how much the Yankees have improved this off season.
It seems like Gammons is just trying (rather unsuccessfully) to paint a pretty picture and say things aren’t really that bad.
Exerpt from a 11/29/07 article by Murray Chass
“A longtime banker, the 92-year-old Pohlad is tied for 114th on the Forbes 400 list of the wealthiest people in the country with a fortune estimated at $3.1 billion.
He is the wealthiest baseball owner on the list, which also includes John Malone (Braves, tied for 188th, $2.4 billion), Mike Ilitch (Tigers, tied for 297th, $1.6 billion), and Tom Hicks (Rangers) and George Steinbrenner (Yankees, tied for 380th, $1.3 billion).
I know this was over one year ago, but I agree with Pete, the Yankees neither need to offer any excuses or apologies on how they spend their money, and some of these wealthier owners need to look in the mirror and see if they have the fans best interests in mind.
Agree with GB7 and others that contraction of some clubs not investing in their teams would help. It certainly would be one way of shortening the season so we’re not playing a WS in November!!!
Chad Jennings has a good post about What Scranton’s pitching staff might look like.
http://community.thetimes-trib.....staff.aspx
cb and sj44-
i agree that the yankees are in a good position on paper with the changes made, as an owner and leader. what happens if there are injuries with the new players signed or one or more slumps badly. there is no guarantee that posada’a arm comes back, or that cano returns to the player he was. joba may not have a steady upward curve. the minor league system is better but erratic it’s ability to have players ready to play at the mlb level.
for example it is an embarrassment to the system that gardner can’t bunt. what is going to be done to have the minor league system catch up with lofty goals that cashman has set? hal has to make some big decisions on the fly and get them right when the heat is on before he can be judged as being a success.
that said, i’m with you both that this has been a very promising off season and that there is potential for hal to be an excellent owner, but at the present he’s really just a prospect like many of his young players. the yankees have to win a world series based on his moves and leadership before he can be said to be a great owner and leader.
” i agree that the yankees are in a good position on paper with the changes made with the changes made with hal in charge, but what happens if there are injuries with the new players signed or one or more slumps badly”
what i meant to say
this board’s reaction to Gammons comment(regarding Leigh) seems like an overaction.
far as the Yankees wanting Lowe. If they wanted Lowe (over Burnett) then Derrick Lowe would be a Yankee right now.
anyway, i still like Gammons. At least he have a passion for the game.
*passion for the game*
As a Yankee fan, I’m glad to see the Yanks buy the best players, but as a citizen I think the players make too much. I acknowledge that the Yanks have the right to pay outlandish salaries to their players. Simiarly, corporations have the right to pay outlandish salaries to their CEOs. They have the right, but I resent the excessive amounts.
I would not resent the Yanks spending any amount of money on coaching, medical care, recruitment from other countries, park amenities, or any other area that actually improves the game. However, outbidding other teams for players does nothing to make professional baseball a better game.
Gammons called Mark Teixeira Scott Boras’ “ultimate client” and that Teixeira is “very well-programmed.”
He notes that there was a lot of “testiness” between Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez in Texas and Gammons wonders how Teixeira will handle the high expectations that come with playing in New York
CNBC gave Levine a free pass.
They did not ask about the Yankees’ need to issue more tax-exempt bonds.
They failed to ask why the Yankees are cutting payroll when they are raking in the cash from the new Stadium.
Enquiring minds want to know!
I don’t like Levine
Christina, the loan you took out probably didn’t go toward generating jobs for the city.
One statement that can’t be spinned: Randy Levine is one weird-looking dude.