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Source: Yankees don't regret spending spree

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The Yankees have no regrets about their December spending spree, a source said, despite criticism from other clubs. But their winter pickups may be done, perhaps leaving no room for Andy Pettitte. The Yankees are comfortable with their outlay of $423.5 million on Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, the source said, for several reasons. They believe they got the best players on the market and ones that filled true needs. They had massive payroll coming off the books in the form of Jason Giambi, Bobby Abreu, Mike Mussina, Pettitte and Carl Pavano; and even after the three big additions, their 2009 payroll should be slightly below that of 2008. And finally, the Yankees pay a luxury tax that goes to other teams, and are well within baseball rules to spend as they choose.

New York Newsday

Mark Teixeira, AP Mark Teixeira, AP
December 26, 2008  07:10 AM ET

I wonder if they will regret it in 2011, causing the next labor war when the owners of the other teams have had enough of the yankees causing player salaries to skyrocket. Or will the regret it when the city of New York won't give them anymore money for their stadium, that the city does not make dime 1 off of.

yankee fans will tell you that they are "just playing by the rules", the same rules that the Steinnies fought and fought for, because they can't play on a level playing field. If this were any other sport, the yankees would be cellar dwellers. They can't draft well, they can't develop well, and all of their "major prospects" never seem to pan out. When was the last player that they drafted that was a star in the MLB?

Good luck NY, enjoy no baseball in 2011. The rest of us will get on with our lives, knowing where the problem is.

December 26, 2008  08:01 AM ET

Someone needs a tissue. How soon the Bostonians forget how they won their first series in 85 years!!!! When they had the highest payroll in the league.

As I remember, Jeter, Mariano, Posada and Andy P. all came up through their system.

December 26, 2008  08:03 AM ET

this just in ... the BoSox, the O's and the Nats are still in the hunt to sign Tex ...

come on FN ... you've beat the Tex story to death ... move on ...

December 26, 2008  08:25 AM ET
QUOTE(#2):

Someone needs a tissue. How soon the Bostonians forget how they won their first series in 85 years!!!! When they had the highest payroll in the league. As I remember, Jeter, Mariano, Posada and Andy P. all came up through their system.

All players have been in the league at least 10 years. Thanks for making my point for me. Pettitte will be let go, Jeter way past his prime, Posada is past his prime, and Marino is the best of the bunch right now.

BTW, I know that the yankee fans love to throw out the 2004 example, but if you bothered to look up the numbers.....Boston's payroll was 125,208,542 and NY's was..........182,835,513.

Bother to check your facts next time.

December 26, 2008  08:30 AM ET

fannation time to put pressure on the mets, the yanks are finished dealing

the mets are 1 quality pitcher short (they should trade for peavy at any cost)
k-rod great signing at the price - bullpen upgraded
manny will only get a 3 year deal so why dont the mets make a statement and sign him - he could be the difference people forget the mets offence let them down at times not just the bullpen

December 26, 2008  08:37 AM ET

"Regrets... I've had a few.. but then again.. too few to mention".

Sorry for the schmaltzy Sinatra reference.. but why in the world would a billion dollar conglomerate feel regret for spending like a drunken pirate? They had to fill specific needs and did it in the most painless fashion.. they didn't have to trade any commodities, just sign a cheque. Pretty simple.

December 26, 2008  08:50 AM ET
QUOTE(#2):

Someone needs a tissue. How soon the Bostonians forget how they won their first series in 85 years!!!! When they had the highest payroll in the league. As I remember, Jeter, Mariano, Posada and Andy P. all came up through their system.

And Cano, Cabrera, Hughes, Chamberlain, Phillips...

The Yanks had more farm-grown players in their starting lineup last year than most teams. We just get hated more when we spend our own money. Yawn.......

December 26, 2008  08:51 AM ET

Small town fans should complain when owners put money in their pockets INSTEAD of on the field. Yanks fans know that every year, the owners do what they can to win.

December 26, 2008  08:52 AM ET
QUOTE(#7):

And Cano, Cabrera, Hughes, Chamberlain, Phillips...The Yanks had more farm-grown players in their starting lineup last year than most teams. We just get hated more when we spend our own money. Yawn.......

Oops...forgot Wang! And most of the bullpen, too.

December 26, 2008  09:04 AM ET

The Yankees won't regret their signings. They never do. Thing is, even if Burnett's arm goes limp, or Teixeira isn't as good as expected, or CC gets too fat and blows out a knee, the Yankees are the one team that can afford mistakes like that. They simply write another check and move on.

Not being a hater, just being realistic. Such a mistake would hinder or even kill other teams for half a decade. For the Yankees, it would be business as usual.

December 26, 2008  09:04 AM ET

why would they regret it? they signed the best 3 players available.

December 26, 2008  09:16 AM ET
QUOTE(#10):

The Yankees won't regret their signings. They never do. Thing is, even if Burnett's arm goes limp, or Teixeira isn't as good as expected, or CC gets too fat and blows out a knee, the Yankees are the one team that can afford mistakes like that. They simply write another check and move on.Not being a hater, just being realistic. Such a mistake would hinder or even kill other teams for half a decade. For the Yankees, it would be business as usual.

Yes, that's completely true. It's a luxury afforded the rich in every walk of life.

But the Steinbrenners got themselves in this position by investing their own money in the broken disaster of the operation that the Yanks were in the early 70's. And by continuing to reinvest their profits, they've built the richest team in baseball. I understand the jealousy; I just don't understand the outrage.

December 26, 2008  09:16 AM ET

At least the yankees owners invest on a better product for the fans than keeping the money for themself like most owners.

December 26, 2008  09:16 AM ET
QUOTE(#11):

why would they regret it? they signed the best 3 players available.

Exactly. "Regret" is hardly a word I'd be expecting them to use right now.

December 26, 2008  09:17 AM ET

Why was Bostons offer of about 160 million to Tex not a problem for the Sox fans I wonder....there are a lot of whiners in New England

December 26, 2008  09:18 AM ET
QUOTE(#15):

Why was Bostons offer of about 160 million to Tex not a problem for the Sox fans I wonder....there are a lot of whiners in New England

Yeah, I said exactly the same thing the other day. A $170mm offer from the Sox is fair play, but a $180mm offer from the Yankees is the end of decency as we know it.

Right.

December 26, 2008  09:19 AM ET
QUOTE(#16):

Yeah, I said exactly the same thing the other day. A $170mm offer from the Sox is fair play, but a $180mm offer from the Yankees is the end of decency as we know it.Right.

Exactly .......

December 26, 2008  09:20 AM ET

And I really don't hear much whining from Sox fans, because they know we were both playing the same game.

The whining is from the small town fans whose owners don't have the will to take some risks and invest in the future of the team. Or the brains of teams like the Rays and Rockies to make it to the show on a tiny payroll.

December 26, 2008  09:22 AM ET

The rays have all those good players by always being last all those years and getting all those first round players in the draft.

 
December 26, 2008  09:23 AM ET

Where's the anger toward guys like Huizenga, who turned the Marlins into contenders and then immediately dismantled the team to take his profits back?

The only difference between him and the Steinbrenners is that the Steinbrenners invest for the long term. But they're the ones who get all the negative attention.

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