Yanks get Mark Teixeira

[Pavelb1]

How the hell do you know why Sabathia, Burnett, and Teixeira signed with the Yankees? Honestly, who the hell are any of us to decide the reasons the players signed for? We don't know them.

None of that at all is evidence for how this is bad for baseball. Even if we say that these players chose a team placed purely on money (which we absolutely cannot say because we don't know the players), that says nothing about how it's bad for baseball.

Of course it does...hello what happened to 'For the Love of the Game'? You actually can't see how 'Show me the money!" is not good (I dont think i said bad)? Then we have nothing to talk about on this subject if you really can't see how three players choosing a team based purely on monetary considerations is not good for baseball.

As for not knowing why they went to NY...yeah and OJ was innocent and Clemens never did steroids. It's total coincidence they went to the highest bidder including Sabathia whose closest bid was...what? 40 million behind?

[HoustonGM]

Of course it does...hello what happened to 'For the Love of the Game'? You actually can't see how 'Show me the money!" is not good (I dont think i said bad)? Then we have nothing to talk about on this subject if you really can't see how three players choosing a team based purely on monetary considerations is not good for baseball.

No. I don't think that reasons players choose teams are "bad" or "not good" for baseball.

People just need to face the fact that baseball is a business. They also need to stop being hypocrites because they know damn well if given the choice between one sum of money and another, they'd likely take the larger amount.

Two of the top stars in the game going to a huge media market will only serve to increase profits. Given that these signings will also make for a more competitive pennant race in the division, it will be good for entertainment. Baseball's main goals are profit and entertainment of fans (as it is a business in the entertainment category). Free agents choosing a team based on monetary concerns does not negatively impact profit or entertainment.

As for not knowing why they went to NY...yeah and OJ was innocent and Clemens never did steroids. It's total coincidence they went to the highest bidder including Sabathia whose closest bid was...what? 40 million behind?

Sure. If you want to believe everything that the rumor mill said was absolutely 100% undoubtedly true, and the rumored figures 100% perfectly accurate, go ahead and think this.

For the record, I don't doubt that these players chose the highest bidder. But, even if they did, that does not mean that they made their decision based purely on money. Obviously the money played a role in it, as it does for every free agent from the bottom up, but without knowing the players firsthand, we do not know their full reasoning behind their decision. It's THEIR decision. It affects THEIR life. It's a completely personal decision and fans need to stop their bitching. If you don't like it, don't support the game. It is YOUR support that floods the sport with revenue which then causes players to ask for more money (as they absolutely 100% deserve to).

[etothep]

[ragecage]

No. I don't think that reasons players choose teams are "bad" or "not good" for baseball.

People just need to face the fact that baseball is a business. They also need to stop being hypocrites because they know damn well if given the choice between one sum of money and another, they'd likely take the larger amount.

I totally agree, but I also think that certain players with the competitive fire will do anything (even illegal) to give them an advantage of opponents to win. But about the money, yes I would take the highest amount someone offered me, you would be stupid if you dont. And the key difference is with the Yankees, players can sign these huge deals and also have a chance to win.

Other teams can offer these big contracts, we have seen the offers to Tex by Baltimore and Washington, but its more likely with their limited assets that they couldnt put the talent around a player like that as opposed to New York. Its really a quite easy decision to make.

Another thing too, is these players also pay a lot of taxes, so 10 million extra dollars can make a huge difference in a players decision.

[haveacigar]

So wait, now players wanting money is bad? You Yankee-haters are just reaching now.

What loyalty do these teams show to any of these free agents anyway? Teixeira came up with the Rangers, and then got shipped at the deadline to the Braves, and then a few years later they shipped him out to the Angels, who don't want to give him his fair compensation. Same with CC, and Burnett is hardly better off (considering he's rumored to be traded every deadline).

Like HGM mentioned, back before free agency when teams would just hoard talent and you saw the same 5 teams win everything, THAT is bad for baseball. But that is not happening right now.

[Pavelb1]

You'll need that more than I.

[etothep]

You'll need that more than I.

because....?

[ragecage]

And until the Yankees strategy on getting these free agent players works and they get a ring, I wouldnt be all up in arms about this either.

[Pavelb1]

So wait, now players wanting money is bad? You Yankee-haters are just reaching now.

.

You didn't read anything i wrote.

[Pavelb1]

because....?

Oh, wait, you support the Angels right? They'll be perrenial playoff players. I thought you supported the Dodgers.

[etothep]

Oh, wait, you support the Angels right? They'll be perrenial playoff players. I thought you supported the Dodgers.

Haha, my team is neither & likely won't make the playoffs for another decade

I just have a sneaky suspicion if it was your team that signed tex, cc & aj that it wouldn't be bad for baseball. This doesn't go for just you, you were simply the last one to post on the subject if it being negative for the yanks to make the signings.

[HoustonGM]

What loyalty do these teams show to any of these free agents anyway? Teixeira came up with the Rangers, and then got shipped at the deadline to the Braves, and then a few years later they shipped him out to the Angels, who don't want to give him his fair compensation. Same with CC, and Burnett is hardly better off (considering he's rumored to be traded every deadline).

Yep. Just reminded me of a section in The Hardball Times Annual that I read yesterday. I think fans that like to rag on player's for not being "loyal" really need to read this.

[Jim] Pohlad stated about Johan Santana: "It's about what each party wants, and it's different in some cases. There's loyalty and wanting to stay in Minnesota, and it varies from player to player." It's nice to see he has his father's sense of avarice. The Pohlads were so loyal to Minnesota that they threatened for years to either relocate the club or contract it if they did not receive several hundred million dollars of corporate welfare.

Not content with being among the richest people in America, he now implies that a person who would have spent 13 years in professional baseball honing his skills, who had suffered the aches and pains and ups and downs that come with the territory only to become one of the few that actually get to the point where they could test the market and see what their skills are worth, should now subsidize him out of a sense of loyalty to a fan base that he himself never demonstrated?

When his magical left arm wears down, you can bet that fans will show him little loyalty and will clamor for his de facto firing so someone else can have his job.

Stop listening to the misguided media or greedy wealthy people looking for a subsidy from the working man. It is bad enough the locals gave the Pohlads a fortune in free money - now they have the gall to ask a man from Venezuela to spot them a few million that would not be put back into the roster but rather right back into their bank accounts.

[haveacigar]

Of course it does...hello what happened to 'For the Love of the Game'? You actually can't see how 'Show me the money!" is not good (I dont think i said bad)? Then we have nothing to talk about on this subject if you really can't see how three players choosing a team based purely on monetary considerations is not good for baseball.

So what exactly is GOOD for baseball? What the hell does "For the love of the game" mean exactly? Are you suggesting that Teixeira doesn't love the game? Sabathia doesn't love baseball because he wants to take the best offer?

It sounds like you're just nostalgic for the way baseball is "supposed to be" in some Field of Dreams-esque fantasy. Baseball has always been a business, and will always be one. It's just that, now, free agency has allowed for more player movement and the APPEARANCE of a lack of competitive balance. Looking back at WS appearances in history, baseball actually is more competitive now.

[Pavelb1]

And in what fukking universe is saying "I'm a little disgusted with player's greed":

Anti-Yankees
Crying
Playing the payroll card
Accusing the Yankees of trying to buy the WS

Give me a fukking break people and learn some reading comprehension. I know you have all these arguments in your heads you want to break out at the slightest sniff of "Damn Yankees! Buying all the good players!", but try actually reading before you break them out.

[HoustonGM]

And in what fukking universe is saying "I'm a little disgusted with player's greed":

In what universe do you know these players and know their reasoning and wants and needs? In what universe is it "greedy" to want to get your fair share for your work?