FanNation

Yankee haters rejoice. No not because they're in last place, but thier method of success. i.e. signing big name free agents to contracrs so big that no other team can match it, has become obelsete. If you want proof all you have to do is check the Major League standings, and its not just the Yankees. The Tigers are in last place. The Mets havent played at a level worthy of thier exorbitant payroll, the Phillies are stuggling despite a $100 Million payroll, and after a off season of big spending the Mariners are cemented in the AL West basement. Meanwhile the Marlins, thats right the same Marlins who most "experts" (myself NOT included) wrote off as dead after trading thier biggest names in Willis and Cabrera to Detroit, the same Tigers who most were predicting to be an October lock (again, myself NOT included). The Diamondbacks are in in first place and should be there for another 5 years, and the Twins and Devil Rays are right smack in the mix. Well atleast in late May.

Think its a fluke? Well look at the past few seasons. The A's have been a playoff constant this decade while keeping a low payroll, as have the Minnesota Twins. The Marlins won a world series with a rock bottom payroll over the Yankees. And lets not forget the 2002 Angels, before they paid big money for Gary Matthews, Torii hunter, and Vlad.

So why are big market teams losing? Why havent the Yankees won a World Seires since 2000? Well the answer is simple. Good scouting, drafting and player development are the fastet and most effective route to the Fall Classic. Thats right, the old fashioned way works best. The Marlins success is a direct result of thier excellent scouting, which has bought them Hanley Ramierz, Mike Jacobs, Dan Uggla, Matt Lindstrom, just to name a few. And of all of the salaries they dumped on bigger market teams, only Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell have been worth what thier new organizations have coughed up. Its a safe bet to say thier Marlins got the better of the Mets when they sent them Carlos Delgado and Paul LoDuca while reciveing Jacobs and Lindstrom in return.

The Diamondbacks will be one of baseballs best franchises over the next decade because they have done a great job drafting and developing players. Of thier 2007 team that finished with the best record in the NL, Justin Upton, Conor Jackson, Mark Reynols, Brandon Webb, Micah Owings, and Chris Snyder were drafted be Arizona. Thier farm system was so deep and included 2 key componets of the Dan Haren deal (Carlos Gonzalez and Dana Eveland) and they also had Carlos Quinten at years end last season. That kind of depth and player develpoment will keep the Diamondbacks atop the NL for atleast the next 6 years.

So with how obselete big market teams have become how can I account for a team such as the Boston Red Sox or LA Angels. Yes they both have big payrolls, they both have alot of homegrown talent. I doubt the Red Sox would have won the Series last year without Ellbury, Pedroia, Lester, Papelbon, and Kevin Youkilis. And without guys like Jed Lowrie and Clay Bucholz people wouldnt be thinking of them as a team that will dominate beseball for the nest few years. The angels wouldnt be leading the AL West without thier pitching, most of whom came up through thier system. Lackey, Santana, KRod, Saunders, etc.

So if I'm Brain Cashman I'd pay attention. His method of spending has resulted in ALDS defeats the past 3 years, and 0 Championships since 2000. The Yankee Way of overpaying for past thier prime players is dead. The best and deepest teams have gone back to doing things the old way. Scouting and developing players. Not giving other teams players hundreds of millions of dollars to wear pinstripes.