Just days after signing pitchers CC Sabathia for $161 and A.J. Burnett for $82.5 million, the Yankees emptied some more change out of their pockets by signing free-agent first basemen Mark Teixeira.
Tex -- the former Angels first basemen -- signed for an eight-year, $180 million contract.
The Yanks now have three of the best free agents in the market this year. They have also raised a lot of eyebrows with their free spending.
The Yankees are throwing money around as if green bills were falling from the sky.
With the economy running through hard times, people getting laid off from work, and shoppers being careful what they spend for Christmas this year, how can anyone respect what the Yankees are doing?
This is bad for baseball during good economic times, but makes it worse with so many people struggling to stay a flow. It is quite obvious that Sabathia, Burnett and Teixeira are living the life of luxury while the average American is getting laid off or worried they could be next.
Wouldn’t it be nice if our "beloved" commissioner, Bud Selig, stepped in and nullified at least one of these deals for the "best interest of the game?" Of course, Selig does not make the best of decisions -- Philadelphia knows first hand after the World Series Game Five debacle.
Simply adding a salary cap to baseball just like the three other major sports can solve the problem. It would add a competitive balance to all the teams and there would be no bullies like the Yankees, Red Sox and Mets.
A cap would add more integrity to the sport and give teams such as the Kansas City Royals and Florida Marlins a chance to compete.
The Tampa Bay Rays were a great story last season making a World Series Run with a payroll that is nowhere near the big three, but they were able to outplay the Yankees during the season. But can they sustain this success?
Will the Rays be able to hold on to their young studs that will be demanding huge contracts in the upcoming seasons? Maybe a few of them, but the chances are that they will not be able to outbid teams such the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox or any larger market team.
Although the Yankees have proved it’s not always easy to just buy a championship, every year people pick them as one of the favorites to win because of their constant spending of All-Star free agents.
This year is no different when it comes to picking favorites to hoist the championship trophy. On paper, the Yankees are probably the best team in baseball.
The only thing not in the Yanks favor is that "teams" win championships, not All-Star lineups.
So the Yankees continue spending while a lot of the nation is struggling and if things go like they did last season than the Yanks may struggle as well.
