MLB Salary Cap
Yankees Offseason Signings of Sabathia and Texiera Stir Debate
If the Yankees win the World Series in 2009, baseball could be irrevocably damaged due to perception more than reality.
After losing out to the Yankees in the CC Sabathia sweepstakes, Milwaukee Brewers owner Mark Attanasio felt frustrated. After the Yankees outbid the field for flame-throwing RHP A.J. Burnett and prized All-Star 1B Mark Texiera, Attanasio suggested baseball might need a salary cap. Those three signings by the Yankees cost them $200 million more than the sum Attanasio paid to buy the Milwaukee Brewers franchise—$420 million compared to $220 million.
Hank Steinbrenner Motivated to Follow in Father’s Footseps
Yankees owner George Steinbrenner is in the process of handing control of the Yankees down to his sons Hank and Hal. Hank Steinbrenner has gotten significant media attention for being very opinionated and outspoken like his father.
Hank’s dedication to rejuvenate a New York Yankees team that missed the playoffs last year has likely been the most influential factor in New York’s aggressive offseason. As of Christmas 2008, the Yankees own the four highest paid players in all of baseball (3B Alex Rodriguez, SS Derek Jeter, Texiera and Sabathia).
This Yankees spending spree has created a slight misconception about New York’s total payroll. Because so many big player contracts have expired this season (RHP Mike Mussina, 1B Jason Giambi, OF Bobby Abreu etc. ), the Yankees payroll has not increased over last season’s.
Yankees Free Agent Signings Do Not Guarantee a World Series
Not everyone is as concerned about the Yankees spending spree as Brewers owner Attanasio.
"I know we're supposed to be devastated by this, but we're not,” Tampa Bay Rays Manager Joe Maddon told the Los Angeles Times. “If we continue [to pitch and defend] well, we’ll be right there.”
Last season, the Detroit Tigers had the third highest payroll in baseball and still finished dead last in the AL Central—even the lowly Kansas City Royals won more games. On the contrary, the Rays had the second lowest team salary in baseball and they went to the World Series.
Furthermore, clubs such as the Minnesota Twins and Oakland Athletics have been annual playoff contenders for years despite consistently ranking in the bottom fourth of baseball in team payroll.
Are the Yankees Ruining Baseball?
The other major U.S. sports (basketball and American football) have salary caps that are supposed to create more parity than baseball where teams in big cities (Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Dodgers, Cubs etc.) can “buy” winning seasons and championships.
If one looks at recent history; however, basketball and football appear more affected by big spending and lack of parity than baseball. The New England Patriots won three out of four Super Bowls from 2002 to 2005, and the San Antonio Spurs or Los Angeles Lakers have represented the Western Conference in the NBA Finals nine out of ten years since 1999.
No trend like that exists in baseball this decade.
Mark Texiera
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