Paul J. Breswell/NewsdayAlex Rodriguez will now be wearing pinstripes. The Yankees recently acquired baseballs most valuable player to fill their need for a third basemen. Most teams ,when losing someone like Aaron Boone at third base, would be tight for cash to get a player of that caliber for replacement, but not the Yanks.
The Yankees team salary is currently at $156,948,495, over $40,000,000 more than the next highest payroll, the Los Angeles Dodgers. In addition, Rodriguez is making more than the Tampa Bay Devils entire team.
New York Owner, George Steinbrenner is definitely a businessman and it seems America’s pastime is moving further into business and further away from sport. The Yankees lineup is ridiculous. Last postseason they failed to put up runs when their pitching kept the games close. This year they should have no problems getting run support with Jeter, Sheffield, Giambi, Matsui, and now Rodriguez. This is starting to look like an all-star ballot.
With Rodriguez now in New York, baseball is headed for trouble. Many teams this off-season made moves to better their lineups in order to advance in the postseason. The Baltimore Orioles picked up Miguel Tejada, Javy Lopez and Rafael Palmeiro. The Boston Red Socks added heavy pitching with Curt Schilling and Keith Foulke. The Orioles and the Red Socks compete in the American League east along with the Yankees, Blue Jays and Devil Rays.
New York’s deep pockets only make baseball less competitive. All Steinbrenner has to do is look under his couch cushions to attract players like Rodriguez. The only benefit this trade will have for baseball is if, or should I say when, the Yankees make it into October. Year after year New York is among the top teams heading into the playoffs, and I am getting tired of seeing the same playoff scenarios. The only excitement last year came when the Cubs and Red Socks were in contention for the championship because their stories of World Series woes made things more interesting. The rest of the major league is beginning to understand they have to pick apart the Yankees by out bidding them one player at a time. The Yankees Lost pitchers Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte and David Wells, but with one swift move they add hitting that might make lack of pitching obsolete.
Posted to the web by Marisa Gallelli
