Yanks buy Giambi. (There's a surprise.) (1 Viewer)

[Ross Williams]

Yet another disheartening development for MLB. The Yankees tie up being in the World Series race for the next seven years by signing one of the most talented players in baseball. The A's go from being one of the only few Yankee contenders to maybe, possible, if a miracle happens, playoff hopefuls.
Yankees fans are obviously ecstatic, while every other baseball fan just let out a collective groan. Who's next on Steinbrenner's shopping list? And how much more boring can he make baseball?

 

[Brian Kissinger]

I had seen the deal was supposed to be all but done, but part of me hoped it was misinformation. I have nothing against the Yankees except for the fact that they are baseball's rich kid you went to school with. They get anything and everything they want. And while it is impressive what they have accomplished, there was no one happier this past world series than me. Collectively, they are a great team with great players, and the best team deserves to win. I just wish other teams could compete with George's bottomless wallet. Or, that they were willing to, anyway.

 

[Joe Fisher]

Just another reason why I've stopped watching & attending MLB games. The rich get richer and the poor get contracted.

 

[John Besse]

I'm glad to see some angry people with this. I blame baseball's mishaps on the comissioner Bud Selig. He's the worst thing to happen to baseball. It's time that teams get a maximum salry cap and aren't allowed to excede it. That would straighten a whole mess of this out.

 

[Ross Williams]

Come on Yanks fans, I know there's a ton of ya' here, I want to hear your side of this. I'm sure you're excited about this development. But aren't you gonna be bored next season? There's not gonna be any serious competition in the AL. Unless my Mariner's manage to hold on to all their important players. The A's still have great pitching, but they lost their club leader, and their greatest offensive threat. The Indians traded away Alomar, and it looks like they're gonna lose Gonzalez too. The Red Sox might be pretty good next year, IF they can stay heathy. Other than that, it's a bunch of crap out there. I like my team to win, but I also like having some good competition to watch.

 

[Jim_F]

Hey, if Harlem can have Globetrotters, why not the Bronx?

Oh well, that's baseball. Take it or leave it. I usually leave it, except for every few decades when the Yanks tank a season and it happens to be the Tigers' turn to sit in.

I think I know how the Oakland fans feel. With a little self discipline, by next year I'll have abandoned my bitterness over my perception that the U of Mich. was one Drew Henson away from the Rose Bowl this season.

 

[Peter Mazur]

I saw this story right before I went to bed last night. My beloved A's are now without their leader. It just really makes me angry how the whole league is run.

 

[Brett_B]

Out of all these threads about the Yankees and the current state of the MLB, no one has been able to answer a basic question.
How are these deals and the excessive team payrolls good for the game, and good for the other teams?
Can anyone give me a good answer? Probably not.

 

[LarryDavenport]

Unless Texas goes out and spends a lot of money on pitching, I think the Mariners will have a lock on the AL West next year. The M's need to figure out how to beat the Yankees in the ALCS now and sign whoever they need, Boone, Cirillo, Nomo, etc. (I still fantasize about getting Barry Bonds, but I don't think the Bay Area can survive the vacuum of losing Giambi and Bonds, and why Bonds would want to come to a pitchers park when he is about 4-5 seasons away from Hank Aaron's record, assuming Barry averages 40-50 HRs a year).

Who knows how the A's will do after losing Giambi and Isringhause (and probably Damon), the critics picked the M's to be 4th in the AL West last year after we lost A-Rod and look what happened?

Now if the MLB can hurry up and draft next year's schedule so I can start planning what games I want to go to.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I think I know how the Oakland fans feel. With a little self discipline, by next year I'll have abandoned my bitterness over my perception that the U of Mich. was one Drew Henson away from the Rose Bowl this season.

Jim,

Henson leaving U of M early for the Yankees actually bothered me a lot more than this signing. That's because I still care about Michigan football. I stopped caring about the Tigers or major league baseball several years ago.

The sad thing to me is that I see the NHL heading down the same path as MLB. Without a salary cap and revenue sharing, there is no way a competitive balance can be maintained in this era of outrageous salaries and local TV contracts.

 

[Marvin]

There's not gonna be any serious competition in the AL. Unless my Mariner's manage to hold on to all their important players.

So how did you feel when the M's signed John Olerud away from the Mets? Did you feel sorry for Suzuki's old team when the M's signed him?

Now, before I hit 'submit', let me hide behind my desk.

 

[Ross Williams]

Of course, spending $180 million for Ramirez and $252 million for Rodriguez didn't tie up anything for the Red Sox and Rangers, did it?

Yeah, but neither were exactly World Series contenders before those moves.

I'm not against free agency. I just find it extremely frustrating when the Yankees go out and buy the top free agent on the market year after year. And what happens to Martinez? Are they gonna move him to DH, is Giambi gonna DH? This is basically a big 'screw you' to a guy who was one of the best 1st baseman in the league last year. "Thanks for helping us win all those World Series, see ya' round."

It seems most baseball teams are trying to trim down their payrolls this off-season, while the two New York teams are the only ones making big moves.

MLB needs to get revenue sharing and a salary cap quick, before they need change the name to 'The Yankees and those other teams'. (YATOT, doesn't quite have the same ring to it.)

And if contraction goes through, I'm sure Selig will find some way to get Guerrero to the Yanks.

 

[Matthew_S]

And what happens to Martinez? Are they gonna move him to DH, is Giambi gonna DH?

Martinez will not be back with the yankees.

As for this whole topic, I love the yanks so obviously I'm happy. I do agree that this has gotten out of hand though and in the long run will be bad for the sport.

GO YANKS!!

 

[Ross Williams]

Are they gonna trade Martinez? I didn't think he was a free agent.

I can't wait till the Yankees are here next year. I'm gonna boo Giambi so bad, maybe throw a rancid hot dog at him if I'm feeling particulary vile. I used to like the guy.

 

[Marvin]

Martinez is a free agent and won't be resigned, for better or worse. So Giambi's salary is in place of, rather than in addition to Martinez's salary (if that's any consolation).

I can't wait till the Yankees are here next year. I'm gonna boo Giambi so bad, maybe throw a rancid hot dog at him if I'm feeling particulary vile. I used to like the guy.

So how would you have expected Yankee fans to act toward Jeff Nelson?

 

[Joseph S]

Was Giambi really the top free agent this year or just the best fit for the Yankees? Who were the "top" free agents in the recent past? Ramirez? Rodriguez? Belle? Randy Johnson?

Mussina was the best pitcher available last year. The Yankees also signed Jeter to a yearly salary almost equivalent to Ramirez (greater in money/year, but the technicalites rate Ramirez about $1mill higher) during the same offseason. They now have four guys at $15 million or greater and 9 with greater than $8 million.

This year Derek Jeter(Highest on team) and Rondell White(12th highest on team) will make more than the ENTIRE MINNESOTA TWINS TEAM made last year!!!!!!!

 

[Tom Johnson]

Bored with winning? That sounds like it's coming from someone who hasn't been winning. There is nothing boring about winning. Why should the Yankees care if signing Giambi is good for baseball? It's good for the Yankees. These teams are businesses run for profit. Like it or not as long as fans are willing to pay for the salaries they will continue to rise. Yankees attendence figures have never been higher. Money is not the only factor. The Yankees have been diligent to not have the highest paid player on their team. Someone stated that the Red Sox and Rangers weren't playoff contenders so the signings of Ramirez and Rodriguez couldn't be compared. What planet are you from? Both have been consistent contenders and both thought those signings would put them over the top. Both have relied on hitting rather than pitching and defense. Boston felt that one pitcher was enough and Texas totally ignored their pitching. Can't you Yankee bashers come up with something more interesting than the Yankees buying the world series? When Angelos had the highest payroll with the Orioles no one said the were buying the world series. Why? Because everyone figured the Yankees would still beat them and they did. It's actually sad to see how the Orioles are being dismantled. They passed up on a trade for Rolens because they didn't want to pay him $100 million. If you want to talk about what is bad for baseball then you should look at an owner like Angelos. He could have signed Musina easily for much less than the Yankees signed him for. The real reason he went to the Yankees is because several players made personal phone calls to him and he felt wanted. The Orioles wouldn't even discuss a contract with him.

 

[MikeM]

Besides, Tino's offensive numbers weren't that much worse except for on-base percentage as I recall.

Ummm...you're kidding, right?
Jason Giambi
AVG: .342
HR: 38
R: 109
RBI: 120
WALKS: 129
SLG: .660
OBP: .477
Tino Martínez
AVG: .280
HR: 34
R: 89
RBI: 113
WALKS: 42
SLG: .501
OBP: .329
Ummm, there's really no comparison. Tino fits the Yankees well, and still had weaker numbers in every category. Giambi's numbers must also be taken with the fact that until June, he didn't even have a dominant hitter batting behind him.
I can't talk too much smack though, because since the A's signed Justice today, I have a feeling they'll get Martinez too.
Go 2001 Yanks!!! Oops, I mean Go 2002 A's!!! Same thing...:frowning:

 

[Marvin]

Well, the homers and RBIs (or should it be RsBI?) were pretty close. I mean, it's not like they had Mario Mendoza at first base.

 

[Joseph S]

Both have relied on hitting rather than pitching and defense.

Not by a long shot. Prior to this year the Red Sox consistently led the league in ERA. Even without Pedro, an ineffective Lowe, and using scrubs for September they still were 4th in the AL this past year. They still didn't have the hitting even when signing Manny because they had no Nomar and no Varitek for almost the whole season. They played .051 Craig Grebeck, Mike Lansing, and at short. A bunch of fill ins at 3rd , 1B, RF/LF, and Catcher as well. The reason they signed Manny was because they had zero RBI guys* in the lineup and were always losing close games 1-0,2-1,3-2.

*with the exception of Nomar who played in only 21 games the following year and sat out most of the final games of 2000 thanks to the Oriole's desire to throw at him the previous September

Texas is always at the bottom in pitching and at the top in batting.