Jim Litke: Yankees on verge of buying title No. 27

Brian Cashman leaned against the wall just outside manager Joe Girardi's office as the best players money can buy milled about inside a quiet, but quietly confident, clubhouse.

[Phillie Phanatic]

That's the problem, they BUY championships. Ever since the day that Steinbrenner bought the Yankees, it's been that way.

Even if the Phils lose, there is NO shame in losing to people who don't do it the right way legitimately.

[Chris Hutton]

Yes, that's right! He bought the team in 73. They bought championships in 73-76, 79-80, 82-95, 97, 01-08! That's a lot of bought titles! Just another crybaby phan. Other teams would win if they would spend more money on their teams, via free agents, GMs, managers, and SCOUTING. The Yankees win because they have a team that generates tons of money, which they then put back into that team. Other teams lose because ownership pockets their profits. Which, by the way, get boosted every time the Yankees, Red Sox, Angels, etc. come to town!

[JumpStopJ]

I am not a Yankee fan, but I have to admit this constant talk about them "buying a title" is really tired, sour grapes drivel. Most teams spend alot of money. It all boils down to performance on the field.$$$ had nothing to do the with Damon's heads-up play in game 4 or Ryan Howard's inability to get the bat on the ball.

Shut up and enjoy good baseball played by good players!

[In York]

All Phillies fans can stop crying now.

[Billy Ringo]

You mean like when Boston thought they were buying a World Championship when they spent $100 million for Rice-K?

[Tony]

Man, the Philly fans have already thrown in the towel and are crying. After the first game they talked big. Now they have to find an excuse.

[Money]

If they didn't spend all that money - They would just be playing for another team. Most, not all Yankee players have come up through the Yankee system and they would be successful on any team.

Whinin' doesn't fix anything. The payrolls on a few other teams also rival the Yankees but we don't hear about them.

[Jeff]

Money wrote:

If they didn't spend all that money - They would just be playing for another team. Most, not all Yankee players have come up through the Yankee system and they would be successful on any team.
Whinin' doesn't fix anything. The payrolls on a few other teams also rival the Yankees but we don't hear about them.

That is an out and out lie! No other team comes with close to the Yankees payroll.

Here’s a list of 2009 team player payrolls:
Team 2009 payroll

New York Yankees $201,449,189
New York Mets $149,373,987
Chicago Cubs $134,809,000
Boston Red Sox $121,745,999
Detroit Tigers $115,085,145
Los Angeles Angels $113,709,000
Philadelphia Phillies $113,004,046
Houston Astros $102,996,414
Los Angeles Dodgers $100,414,592
Seattle Mariners $98,904,166
Atlanta Braves $96,726,166
Chicago White Sox $96,068,500
San Francisco Giants $82,616,450
Cleveland Indians $81,579,166
Toronto Blue Jays $80,538,300
Milwaukee Brewers $80,182,502
St. Louis Cardinals $77,605,109
Colorado Rockies $75,201,000
Cincinnati Reds $73,558,500
Arizona Diamondbacks $73,516,666
Kansas City Royals $70,519,333
Texas Rangers $68,178,798
Baltimore Orioles $67,101,666
Minnesota Twins $65,299,266
Tampa Bay Rays $63,313,034
Oakland Athletics $62,310,000
Washington Nationals $60,328,000
Pittsburgh Pirates $48,693,000
San Diego Padres $43,734,200
Florida Marlins $36,834,000

Source: USA Today

[George]

Oh why dont you cry about it some more? Its all about skill. What does MONEY have to do with it?

If the players had no skill, they wouldn't be so good!!

Crybaby.

You're almost as bad as the republican crybabies after the last presidential elections.

[Jeff]

George wrote:

What does MONEY have to do with it?

OMG! What are you, eight years old?

[Chris Hutton]

Jeff wrote:

<quoted text>
OMG! What are you, eight years old?

Says the person using "net-speak!"

[Billy Ringo]

Jeff wrote:

<quoted text>
That is an out and out lie! No other team comes with close to the Yankees payroll.
Here’s a list of 2009 team player payrolls:
Team 2009 payroll
New York Yankees $201,449,189
New York Mets $149,373,987
Chicago Cubs $134,809,000
Boston Red Sox $121,745,999
Detroit Tigers $115,085,145
Los Angeles Angels $113,709,000
Philadelphia Phillies $113,004,046
Houston Astros $102,996,414
Los Angeles Dodgers $100,414,592
Seattle Mariners $98,904,166
Atlanta Braves $96,726,166
Chicago White Sox $96,068,500
San Francisco Giants $82,616,450
Cleveland Indians $81,579,166
Toronto Blue Jays $80,538,300
Milwaukee Brewers $80,182,502
St. Louis Cardinals $77,605,109
Colorado Rockies $75,201,000
Cincinnati Reds $73,558,500
Arizona Diamondbacks $73,516,666
Kansas City Royals $70,519,333
Texas Rangers $68,178,798
Baltimore Orioles $67,101,666
Minnesota Twins $65,299,266
Tampa Bay Rays $63,313,034
Oakland Athletics $62,310,000
Washington Nationals $60,328,000
Pittsburgh Pirates $48,693,000
San Diego Padres $43,734,200
Florida Marlins $36,834,000
Source: USA Today

Why is it nobody complained about $$ last year when the Phillies beat the Rays. What was the difference between the Phillies payroll and the Rays payroll?

Did the Phillies buy the 2008 WS?

[Robert Montgomery Q]

Litke obviously had this column written in April, ready to talk about how the Yankees couldn't buy a championship. The game 5 loss the the Phillies may be hie last chance to trot out that trite, tired, bogus argument and hey, why waste a good column? Even if it says absolutely nothing new.

[Eddie]

People don't know what they are talking about.
Yankees spend money, because they can. They have it. A lot of teams do not want to spend the money.
Don't blame George Steinbrenner just becuase he wants to put a good product on the field.
Blame the union & MLB for not doing anything about it.

[YankAlbi]

[QUOTE ... who don't do it the right way legitimately.[/QUOTE]

… who don't do it the right way legitimately … Could you kindly expand on … legitimately (definition: legally, lawfully, etc.)? You may not enjoy it, but by all accounts the obviously-in-your-eyes Evil Empire has assembled their ball team in complete compliance with all rules and regulations (and built an immensely profitable organization by corporate standards.) Indeed sounds like sour grapes!

[YankAlbi]

Billy Ringo wrote:

<quoted text>
Why is it nobody complained about $$ last year when the Phillies beat the Rays. What was the difference between the Phillies payroll and the Rays payroll?
Did the Phillies buy the 2008 WS?

Great Point!

[The system]

Phillie Phanatic wrote:

That's the problem, they BUY championships. Ever since the day that Steinbrenner bought the Yankees, it's been that way.
Even if the Phils lose, there is NO shame in losing to people who don't do it the right way legitimately.

Don't do it the right way??? Hello! Wake up! They are only doing what the system in MLB allows them to do, they are not cheating! If you don't like it, then change the system. The MLB, for whatever reason, has not enacted a salary cap. Don't blame the Yankees, blame the system. Remember this, at the end of the season the Yankees have to pay the BIG Tax, they will pay $25-30 million because of the system. To put it into perspective, if you owned a business/team, would you want to HAVE to pay out that kind of money just because?

[Fan]

JumpStopJ wrote:

I am not a Yankee fan, but I have to admit this constant talk about them "buying a title" is really tired, sour grapes drivel. Most teams spend alot of money. It all boils down to performance on the field.$$$ had nothing to do the with Damon's heads-up play in game 4 or Ryan Howard's inability to get the bat on the ball.
Shut up and enjoy good baseball played by good players!

Well said from an open minded individual.

[Philly Blows]

Perhaps the Phillies could get some of that talent if they stopped spending money on batteries given to the fans to throw at opponents. There is no shame on spending money to get the talent. There are plenty of owners who have the money to spend but just refuse to spend it. Should a fan (I am not one) of the Yankees feel upset that their team is willing to spend the dollars on today's top players. The answer is no, they should be happy that the team that they like has an owner willing to ge the extra mile to put a class act on the field. The Boss realizes that in order to make money, you have to be willing to spend money.