They've poured big bucks on Giambi, Mussina, Sheffield, Randy Johnson and A-Rod and that didn't work out the way they had planned.
Kly, I re-read, and keep getting stuck.
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Giambi wasn't given a hundred million dollars merely to be productive. He was a league MVP in 1999 and drove in 120 runs with a .342 avg. for a small market team not known for offense, and signed by a team that had just won three consecutive championships that was expecting more. And since then, the Yankees haven't won a championship and Giambi hasn't sniffed an MVP. In fact midway through his contract, as Giambi hadn't sniffed .300 since his first year in the Bronx, the very guy who signed him amid all types of hype was looking for technicalities to jettison him from NY.
Giambi also hasn't been horrible either. They haven't won a championship with Mike Mussina either, but I don't think that was a bad signing. Giambi's contract was one of poor foresight, I agree, but I don't think individually that Giambi, Sheffield, Mussina, or Johnson were specifically the reasons why this team hasn't won since 2000.
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Sure, ARod has been an MVP. He was MVP before he came to NY. He wasn't brought in to help them get to the playoffs (or bed strippers and aging pop stars); the Yankees were more than capable of getting to the post season before he arrived. Sure, he should win MVPs in NY, surrounded by a loaded offense. What didn't work out for the Yankees is the fact that he'd be a deer in the headlights during the postseason (Hey, Scott Brosius won a WS MVP).
A-Rod is a class a-choker. I have no excuse, other than some guys can handle the big spotlight, and he seemingly can't. That being said, the Yankees don't even touch the playoffs last year without his monster run. He carried the team for an entire season.
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I said the big dollar signings didn't work out the way they had planned. I didn't even mention Hideki Irabu, Kei Igawa and some others. My point is that this decade there has always been hype and spectacle about all of these signings and it hasn't been nearly as successful as the days of far less heralded players, like Paul O'Neill, Tino Martinez, Bernie Williams and Jim Leyritz.
The problem is that those hype and spectacle signings were never followed through with either a better supporting cast or restocking of the farm system. Kei Igawa may be a total piece of garbage, but he didn't cost anything other than money. Those signings I don't care about so much.
The Yankee team, as composed for the last 5-7 years, has not been well-constructed. They lack a true leadoff hitter. They lack a true #3 hitter. Their cleanup hitter has stage fright. The back of the order is always mending some sort of injury. More egregiously, the pitching rotation has been woefully unaddressed, even up to this year, despite the addition of Chamberlain and (a couple of years ago) Wang, who was a total surprise.
Cutting the dead weight is key. But signing prized free agents - the three of whom I've mentioned - is only going to help bring some more composure to a team that sorely needs direction. With Sabathia, a rotation that might finally be able to compete in the AL East. With Teixiera/Burrell, a true first baseman and #3 or #5 hitter. With Manny Ramirez, the feared bat and clutch ala Reggie Jackson.
This merely complements what is a core that while good, requires the trimming of the fat. At least 5-7 starting players (pitchers and position players) need to go this offseason. They have to be replaced with better quality.
All I ask is this:
Does the addition of C.C. Sabathia help to stabilize a fragmentary Yankee rotation?
Does the addition of Mark Teixiera bring stability to a position that has been lacking both offensively and defensively for the past 3 seasons?
Does the addition of Manny Ramirez provide a significant offensive boost to a team that is anemic with RiSP?
If the answer to all these question is yes, then with the money and players coming off the books, I see no reason why these are not viable options for improving the team. If they aren't, then I'd like to hear what would be your recommendation to improve the 2009 Yankees?
