WasWatching.com Water Cooler Talk 1/27/09
Posted by Steve L. on January 27th, 2009 · Comments (8)
Feel free to use this post as a place for you to comment on anything Yankees-related (or within reach of tagging the bag of being Yankees-related on a decent slide) today. It could be a casual conversation offering, or, something you saw in the news, or something very detailed that you want to share that’s within the territory of Yankeeland.
Or, comment on something that someone else has posted here in the comments…
Have fun. Play nice. And, remember, keep it Yankees-focused.
I wanted to do a little comparison about Developed vs. Undeveloped players in the Yanks vs. Sox rivalry. A Sox fan called up MLB Home Plate yesterday and went on and on about the “hired mercenaries” we have in the Bronx. I was just thinking about it position by position and had to laugh a little. I started with Rotation: Beckett, Dice-K, Wakefield, Lester, Penny. (Their current Depth Chart) That’s 1 farm player to 4. Yanks: Sabathia, Burnett, Wang, Pettite, Joba. Thats 3 farm players. Position Players: Lowell, Lugo, Pedroia, Youklis, Bard. (Varitek not on 40 man) Thats 2 farm players. Yanks: Arod, Jeter, Cano, Texiera, Posada. That’s 3 farm players. I know there’s many ways to argue this, I’m just sick of the high horse the “Nation” is on as of late.
Just to play devil’s advocate, Beckett and Lowell were acquired by trading prospects to Florida. Everyone’s counting system may be different but I consider trading your own to get someone else’s as part of the “homegrown” column.
Having said that, there’s no question that Red Sox Nation has their blinders on when it comes to the concept of mercenary and free agency. The Red Sox champions of 2004 and 2007 were the two most expensive winners of all time, something that Larry Lucchino would never want anyone to mention.
Good point MJ. As for clintfsu813′s point, I always have that argument with my friends that are Sox fans. To make my case stronger, I never use MJ’s trading point. It makes sense, but it weakens our argument haha.
Also, as semi-educated Yankee fans, can we please not refer to them as Red Sox Nation. That term makes me sick, and Hank would appreciate us ignoring that term!
Also, as semi-educated Yankee fans, can we please not refer to them as Red Sox Nation. That term makes me sick, and Hank would appreciate us ignoring that term!
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I agree. I tend to call them the “so-called Red Sox Nation” because anyone that comes up with a nickname for themselves is a boob.
Sorry for the Nation tag, lol. I dont use it. The bonehead on the radio did.
Kinda posted this late yesterday, but here’s a fangraphs entry on the Joba debate;
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-joba-debate
Yeah I saw that on iYankees, looks cool Raf.
“The Red Sox champions of 2004 and 2007 were the two most expensive winners of all time”
Glad you mention it. Check out these payroll stats. (http://content.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/salaries/totalpayroll.aspx?year=2008)
1996 Yankees $52 mil
1996 League avg $31 mil
Spent 1.7 times leage avg.
1998 Yankees $63 mil
1998 League avg $40 mil
Spent 1.6 times leage avg.
1999 Yankees $88 mil
1999 League avg $48 mil
Spent 1.8 times leage avg.
2000 Yankees $92 mil
2000 League avg $55 mil
Spent 1.7 times leage avg.
2004 Red Sox $127 mil
2004 League avg $69 mil
Spent 1.8 times leage avg.
2007 Red Sox $143 mil
2007 League avg $65 mil
Spent 2.2 times leage avg.
The yankees champions of the late 90′s spent an average of 70% more than their opponents, while the bosox champions of 04 and 07 spent an average of 100% more than their opponents. Granted, the yankees of the past few years have embarassingly outspent the sox and have outspent their opponents by over 200% more than league average and have nothing to show, but the point is, The Yankees are not the only ones who have “bought” their titles. You’d think the red sox were an all-volunteer army the way people whine about the yankees payroll. I live in so- called rsn and hear about it all the time. How much did they offer Texiera again? Is dice-k still making minimum wage?