<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>The Boss is backBy Dan Wetzel, Yahoo! SportsJuly 30, 2006Dan WetzelYahoo! SportsThe New York Yankees made their annual trade deadline deal, picking up a couple of pieces (and a couple more huge contracts) to help get them to October, just the kind of move that sends small-market fans into a rage.This time the Yankees grabbed outfielder Bobby Abreu and his .427 on-base percentage, and pitcher Cory Lidle and his much-needed live arm, from the Philadelphia Phillies. In return, they gave up a slew of prospects that no one seems too worried about.It was a deal that surprised no one because New York could do what perhaps no other team could ? stare down Abreu's $15.5 million 2007 salary without blinking. It wasn't the prospects that clinched the deal for the Yankees, it was their cash reserves that made them the only logical trading partner.All of which is the result of having the best owner in professional sports ? George Steinbrenner.Yeah, we know, all non-Yankee fans hate Steinbrenner. The guy gets ripped nonstop ? on the Internet, on the radio, in the papers, even on Seinfeld. He is the poster child for the revenue disparity that has crippled the competitiveness of as much as a third of Major League Baseball. He can be boorish, arrogant and irrational. There is an understandable sport in watching him spend and spend and fall short, as he has since 2000.But to confuse that with a lack of appreciation for Steinbrenner, the ultimate "fan-owner," is shortsighted. To blame him for baseball's financial mess is to confuse the player and the game. It is the fault of MLB and its owners for allowing a system in which the Yankees' annual payroll can soar to more than $200 million.Steinbrenner is just playing by the rules.Steinbrenner has turned baseball upside down because his thirst for championships is greater than even the most die-hard Yankee fan. Combine that with a daring and often innovative business mind and you have the perfect owner ? a guy who is 100 percent committed, even to the point of financial foolishness, to winning championships.What fan doesn't want that out of his owner? What fan doesn't want management that not only puts its money where its mouth is but also spends its free time finding new ways to get more money to put where its mouth is?The Yankees are the most popular team in the nation's most populous market, so its advantages are obvious. But that doesn't mean they can't lose.CBS owned the team from 1964 to 1973. It was a miserable run where corporate accountants kept slashing costs, the team made nary a postseason appearance and eventually the corporation sold the team to Steinbrenner for $10 million, far less than it had paid.Steinbrenner hasn't been perfect, but from the start he understood that to make the Yankees dominant, you had to think (and spend) New York big.In 1974 Steinbrenner gave Catfish Hunter a huge deal, and nothing really has changed since, even though the 74-year-old has stepped back a bit from the day-to-day operations.Business-wise, Steinbrenner continues to run the best franchise in baseball, maximizing every last revenue stream. From renovating Yankee Stadium in the '70s to the use of cable television in the '80s to marketing deals in the '90s to the '02 creation of the YES television network, he has been the model of how to run a pro sports team.Steinbrenner has committed the majority of the funding for the Yankees' new $1 billion stadium, rather than holding up taxpayers for the full bill like so many other, wealthier pro sports owners.All of that has taken a steel will. He long has run the business with thin profit margins ? if any at all. According to the New York Times, the Yankees lost money in five of Steinbrenner's first six years of ownership. But the Boss was happy because the Yankees won three pennants and two World Series.As recently as 2005, the team lost between $50 million and $85 million, according to the New York Daily News, which doesn't mean that Steinbrenner is in the poorhouse (or that the franchise's value doesn't keep multiplying) but still, <u>how many other owners are willing to do that?</u>But that's the gamble. A gamble he has long been willing to make.Yes, the Yankees have advantages being in New York, but the distance between them and other franchises is greater than it should be. There is no reason the Chicago Cubs, with their big market, national fan base and national television deal, couldn't rival the Yankees on and off the field. But the Cubs are owned by the Tribune Company, a corporation that would rather suck out profits than reinvest in winning.Other big-market clubs such as the Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox (until recently), Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants and New York Mets have stumbled with different ownership groups that lacked the vision, brains or the guts to match Steinbrenner.Steinbrenner runs the most aggressive money-making franchise. He reinvests into the on-field product, which in turn produces more money to be reinvested. A lot of owners just cut and run.While Steinbrenner has stumbled often ? and who knows whether this trade will even get the Yankees to the playoffs ? the failures are mostly the result of trying too hard.[n]So you can curse the Yankees for, once again, loading up on players without regard to money, you can hate hopelessness of baseball in Kansas City and Pittsburgh, but you can't fault the Boss for reaping what he's been sowing for over three decades and once again going all in for the World Series.And you can wish your favorite team's owner was just as committed.[/b]</div>
I don't wish the Twins had George. I like Ryan just fine. Yeah, you guys have been great in the past and have won about a million championships, but I just like watching the Twins play ball. They play on pure emotion and love for the game. I also love watching no-name players that will never get the respect they deserve lead a team to a 36-10 record in their last 46 games.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Brooksie5 @ Jul 31 2006, 10:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I don't wish the Twins had George. I like Ryan just fine. Yeah, you guys have been great in the past and have won about a million championships, but I just like watching the Twins play ball. They play on pure emotion and love for the game. I also love watching no-name players that will never get the respect they deserve lead a team to a 36-10 record in their last 46 games.</div>I dont mind George for doing whatever he can to win, since the system allows it, but even you gotta admit hes gotten kinda rediculous.According to ESPN, the Yankees have a payroll of 198 million with an amazing 11 players making over 10 million dollers and 5 players making over 15 million dollers. Thats 78 million dollers over the next closest team in Boston (16 Teams spend less then 78 million dollers on their entire payroll). That is about 13.5 TIMES the Payroll of the Florida Marlins. You could give your team the same chance to win it all if you wisely spent half as much money as you have spent.......And yeah, Id take Wilpon over Steinbrenner everyday, because while we are doing what it takes to win, we're not selling our souls to do it.
I wish the Cubs were owned by Mark Cuban. IMO, they spend good money, they spend some more though. The real problem, w/ them however, is management. They spend the money stupidly and refuse to admit to mistakes.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AdropOFvenom @ Aug 1 2006, 07:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Brooksie5 @ Jul 31 2006, 10:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I don't wish the Twins had George. I like Ryan just fine. Yeah, you guys have been great in the past and have won about a million championships, but I just like watching the Twins play ball. They play on pure emotion and love for the game. I also love watching no-name players that will never get the respect they deserve lead a team to a 36-10 record in their last 46 games.</div>I dont mind George for doing whatever he can to win, since the system allows it, but even you gotta admit hes gotten kinda rediculous.According to ESPN, the Yankees have a payroll of 198 million with an amazing 11 players making over 10 million dollers and 5 players making over 15 million dollers. Thats 78 million dollers over the next closest team in Boston (16 Teams spend less then 78 million dollers on their entire payroll). That is about 13.5 TIMES the Payroll of the Florida Marlins. You could give your team the same chance to win it all if you wisely spent half as much money as you have spent.......And yeah, Id take Wilpon over Steinbrenner everyday, because while we are doing what it takes to win, we're not selling our souls to do it.</div>so youre blaming us for the fact that the marlins are cheap assholes, who recieved over 30 million dollars in revenue tax from the yankees, yet have a salary below 15 mil??? how about they open up the paychecks
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nebkreb @ Aug 2 2006, 01:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>so youre blaming us for the fact that the marlins are cheap assholes, who recieved over 30 million dollars in revenue tax from the yankees, yet have a salary below 15 mil??? how about they open up the paychecks</div>Except that they havent recieved 30 million from the Yankees. Steinbrenner pays about 30 million total to the other 30 teams in baseball, not to each team individually, so the Marlins are recieveing maybe 1-2 million dollers from the Yankees. If Steinbrenner spent 30 million to each team that would be about 870 million dollers which we know isnt going to happen.They won the World Series and they were 13th out of 16 in Attendance in the NL. Why should they spend money when the Fans wont show up regardless of success? It's a losing battle down there because they spend money and people dont go to the games, forcing them to cut salary. What they need to do is move to a place that will actually spend money and go to watch their team, allowing them to spend money to improve their team.
im sorry, i mistyped it, i meant 30 mil from the league in total. and again - is it our fault they cant move? jsut because florida is a lethargic state fanwise (in baseball). the royals, marlins, etc are the ones hurting baseball by driving away fans with their cheapskate attitude.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nebkreb @ Aug 2 2006, 03:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>im sorry, i mistyped it, i meant 30 mil from the league in total. and again - is it our fault they cant move? jsut because florida is a lethargic state fanwise (in baseball). the royals, marlins, etc are the ones hurting baseball by driving away fans with their cheapskate attitude.</div>It's not that its a cheapskate attitude, its that in a small market with a small fanbase they dont sell the tickets, merchandise, ect regardless of level of success and without money coming in they cant afford to spend any money.What they need to do is move to a fanbase that cares, because the Floridians are more concerned with going to the beaches and living up the florida party life then they are with Baseball. Why not try a market like San Antonio or bringing baseball to New Orleans...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AdropOFvenom @ Aug 2 2006, 07:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nebkreb @ Aug 2 2006, 03:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>im sorry, i mistyped it, i meant 30 mil from the league in total. and again - is it our fault they cant move? jsut because florida is a lethargic state fanwise (in baseball). the royals, marlins, etc are the ones hurting baseball by driving away fans with their cheapskate attitude.</div>It's not that its a cheapskate attitude, its that in a small market with a small fanbase they dont sell the tickets, merchandise, ect regardless of level of success and without money coming in they cant afford to spend any money.What they need to do is move to a fanbase that cares, because the Floridians are more concerned with going to the beaches and living up the florida party life then they are with Baseball. Why not try a market like San Antonio or bringing baseball to New Orleans...</div>Or Las vegas
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AdropOFvenom @ Aug 2 2006, 04:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nebkreb @ Aug 2 2006, 03:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>im sorry, i mistyped it, i meant 30 mil from the league in total. and again - is it our fault they cant move? jsut because florida is a lethargic state fanwise (in baseball). the royals, marlins, etc are the ones hurting baseball by driving away fans with their cheapskate attitude.</div>It's not that its a cheapskate attitude, its that in a small market with a small fanbase they dont sell the tickets, merchandise, ect regardless of level of success and without money coming in they cant afford to spend any money.What they need to do is move to a fanbase that cares, because the Floridians are more concerned with going to the beaches and living up the florida party life then they are with Baseball. Why not try a market like San Antonio or bringing baseball to New Orleans...</div>It's a cheapskate attitude when you choose to fail because you make more money that way than attempting to compete.It's like the article said, there is no reason the Cubs aren't right up there with the Yankees and the Red Sox, except that their ownership is cheap.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jon_Vilma @ Aug 2 2006, 09:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>It's a cheapskate attitude when you choose to fail because you make more money that way than attempting to compete.It's like the article said, there is no reason the Cubs aren't right up there with the Yankees and the Red Sox, except that their ownership is cheap.</div>Not really, it's called Smart Buisness. If you only have about 15 million dollers coming in in terms of Tickets, Merchandise, Revanue Sharing, ect you can only spend that 15 million on your team unless you want to lose money. Weather you like it or not, MLB is a buisness and most owners cant afford to spend 200 million dollers on their roster because they dont get close to 200 million coming back in yearly. The Cubs are a different story though, they get the fans and the merchandise and they do spend their money because they have some money to spend (Roughly 94 million dollers is invested on their current roster). The Cubs problem is they have spent their money poorly on players like Kerry Wood (Who is constantly on the DL), Phil Nevin (Not worth 10 mill a year) and Juan Pierre (Not worth almost 6 million dollers this year). They are kinda in the same boat that the New York Mets were in from 2001-2004 where we spent the money, but still lost because we spent the money on the wrong players like Mo Vaughn and were then weighed down by his bloated contract.
Adrop, there's no point to keep arguing. Yankee fans will never understand that not all teams can spend excessively like they can. They'll always think that teams CHOOSE to suck because they don't have the money to spend like they do.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GotSkillz92 @ Aug 2 2006, 07:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Or Las vegas</div>Id have to wonder if Las Vegas wouldnt turn into another Florida problem where its mainly a tourist attraction and not a big enough homegrown fan-base to bring in some money. Seriously, who would go to Las Vegas for baseball with all the Casino's there? And Chang, I know....It's fighting a losing battle.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AdropOFvenom @ Aug 3 2006, 12:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GotSkillz92 @ Aug 2 2006, 07:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Or Las vegas</div>Id have to wonder if Las Vegas wouldnt turn into another Florida problem where its mainly a tourist attraction and not a big enough homegrown fan-base to bring in some money. Seriously, who would go to Las Vegas for baseball with all the Casino's there? And Chang, I know....It's fighting a losing battle.</div>You've got a point. Maybe Salt Lake City, North Carolina, or someplace like that.
buddy - their payroll is 15 mil! THEY ARE GETTING 30 MILLION IN TAX ReVENUE FROM THE REST OF BASEBALL...thats a profot of 15 million right there (WITHOUT a single ticket sold!)...and its not like their owner is poor...if hes rich enough to afford a team, then hes rich enough to try to make it better
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nebkreb @ Aug 3 2006, 01:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>buddy - their payroll is 15 mil! THEY ARE GETTING 30 MILLION IN TAX ReVENUE FROM THE REST OF BASEBALL...thats a profot of 15 million right there (WITHOUT a single ticket sold!)...and its not like their owner is poor...if hes rich enough to afford a team, then hes rich enough to try to make it better</div>Take a 0 off of that and its more realistic.Revanue Sharing is a joke.
You also have to think of it this way... even if a team wanted to spend a lot of money, the Yankees would just outbid them anyway.
not neecesarily....the randy johnson signing: the DBacks coulda went after him..they had won a WS 3 years before, they had money.<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AdropOFvenom @ Aug 3 2006, 06:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nebkreb @ Aug 3 2006, 01:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>buddy - their payroll is 15 mil! THEY ARE GETTING 30 MILLION IN TAX ReVENUE FROM THE REST OF BASEBALL...thats a profot of 15 million right there (WITHOUT a single ticket sold!)...and its not like their owner is poor...if hes rich enough to afford a team, then hes rich enough to try to make it better</div>Take a 0 off of that and its more realistic.Revanue Sharing is a joke.</div>0 off what?maybe it is - not Steinbrenners fault. Blame that on Selig. Steinbrenner is playing by the rules.
