YANKEES SIGN EVERYONE !!!!!!!!

[michael89156]

 
 NEW YORKâ€â€�With a week to go before pitchers and catchers report for spring training, the New York Yankees shored up their pitching, hitting, and defense Monday by signing every player in professional baseball.



Some of the New York Yankees' newest additions are introduced to the press.
"We'd like to welcome the entire roster of Major League Baseball into the Yankees family," said team owner George Steinbrenner, watching as the franchise's 928 newest additions held up their pinstripes at a Yankee Stadium press conference. "With these acquisitions, we are in position to finally nab that elusive 27th World Series title."

Sports reporters were not surprised by the move.

"This is not entirely unexpected," New York Times baseball writer Murray Chass said. "When the Yankees followed up their signing of Japanese slugger Hideki 'Godzilla' Matsui by annexing Cuba for use as a Triple-A farm club, it was clear that Steinbrenner was willing to do whatever it takes to win."

By noon, Yankees GM Brian Cashman had signed the entire National League and most of the American League to multi-year contracts. Some 10 hours later, the final opposing player, Texas Rangers shortstop Alex Rodriguez, had been acquired by the Yankees, who bought out the remainder of his $252 million contract for $300 million.

"It's an honor to be part of this team," said catcher Benito Santiago, picked up from the San Francisco Giants as insurance in case catchers Jorge Posada, Ivan Rodriguez, and Mike Piazza all go down with injuries. "It's a surprise, certainly, but I'd be crazy to turn down the opportunity to play on what is, by default, the greatest team in baseball."

Yankees manager Joe Torre, whose pitching rotation, prior to the mass signing, lacked a clear seventh ace, now has the luxury of starting each of his hurlers twice a season.

"As they say, you can never have enough pitching in this league," Torre said. "Especially come playoff time. Now, if we make it to the World Series, we'll be able to start Pedro Martinez in Game 1 and still have him fresh and ready to go for a Game 287, should it be necessary."

With so many egos to juggle and so many personnel decisions to make, Torre said his job will actually be harder this season, the lack of opposing players notwithstanding.

"Hey, I don't care who you've got on your team; winning in this league is tough�Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds, and Randy Johnson or no Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds, and Randy Johnson," Torre said. "And it's even tougher in New York. This is a baseball town, and some of these fans think the Yankees are the only team in baseball. Now that we truly are, the pressure to win will be that much greater."

The mass signing, extravagant even by Yankees standards, caused the Bronx Bombers' payroll to skyrocket from a former league high of $149 million to $5.6 billion. Cashman noted that much of that figure is tied up in bonuses to be paid out to pitcher Tom Glavine, who at 37 will almost certainly not play out the entirety of his 15-year contract.

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig approved the signing, noting that the other 29 major-league teams received ample financial compensation.

"I see no reason why a small-market team like the Twins or Expos can't continue to remain competitive, just because it lacks players," Selig said. "The league was due for contraction, anyway."

[bradentonian]

LOL

[Morgan]

Funny. But this is not a new thing....as far as I can remember as a baseball fan, the Yankees have always signed the biggest free agents - I first remember back in the 1970s  they stripped the great Oakland A's team  of their top stars including Reggie and Catfish Hunter.

[oregonbucfan]

yankees should buy the royals, rays, pirates and shut them down, that would be sweet

[Morgan]

yankees should buy the royals, rays, pirates and shut them down, that would be sweet

I don't see why buying  and shutting down the Rays would make sense.

[oregonbucfan]

yankees should buy the royals, rays, pirates and shut them down, that would be sweet

I don't see why buying  and shutting down the Rays would make sense.

just to show their power... Id laugh

[TbayBucs]

yankees should buy the royals, rays, pirates and shut them down, that would be sweet

I don't see why buying and shutting down the Rays would make sense.

just to show their power... Id laugh

If they have that much power then maybe they should  buy  the Oregon Ducks football progam and show them how  to win a national championship..... NOW THATS POWER....

[Morgan]

yankees should buy the royals, rays, pirates and shut them down, that would be sweet

I don't see why buying and shutting down the Rays would make sense.

just to show their power... Id laugh

If they have that much power then maybe they should  buy  the Oregon Ducks football progam and show them how  to win a national championship..... NOW THATS POWER....

All the money in the world couldn't make that happen.

[TURBO]

yankees should buy the royals, rays, pirates and shut them down, that would be sweet

I don't see why buying and shutting down the Rays would make sense.

just to show their power... Id laugh

If they have that much power then maybe they should buy the Oregon Ducks football progam and show them how to win a national championship..... NOW THATS POWER....

and if that happens, they can buy them some uniforms that don't look like they are rejects from the XFL...

[michael89156]

Yanks sign Tex ?    Holy crap, who is next?    Manny?

[Lynch47]

Yanks sign Tex ? Holy crap, who is next? Manny?

Wouldnt be surprised

[HughC]

I'm just glad the NFL has a salary cap to give everybody an equal opportunity.  Hats off to Wellington Mara way back fifty years ago when he put the good of the NFL ahead of the Giants, and agreed to go along with television revenue sharing.  No way that would happen with Jerry Jones, or George Steinbrenner.  And don't tell me about baseball's luxury tax.  The Yankees, just like a good tax lawyer, have worked their way around that to their own benefit - and detriment of major league baseball.


Yankees Stadium Windfall

As for sponsorships, Levine says the Yankees are not planning to sell traditional naming rights: "It's going to be called Yankee Stadium." Nevertheless, according to the bond prospectus, the team's lease with New York City (which will own the new stadium) stipulates that the Yankees keep "all cash and receivables" related to "naming rights" and "advertising" and specifically raises the possibility of the Yankees' selling naming rights "for parts of the stadium." In other words, fans may enter a building called Yankee Stadium but find themselves sitting in the Bank of America bleachers or purchasing snacks at the Pfizer food court. Perello, now a sports consultant, thinks the Yanks could collect $50 million to $75 million a year in sponsorship dough this way.

What will New York taxpayers get in return for all their Yankee largesse? Very little - unless you're a local pol with a hankering for hardball. The Yankees will pay a mere $10 a year in rent in the new ballpark, down from about $10 million in the old one. No, we didn't leave off some zeros; it's typical of the sweetheart deals cities make to keep teams in town. And this one comes with a cherry-on-top kicker: According to the prospectus, city officials get their own luxury box "for all regular-season team home games."

Of course, the Yankees are responsible for $51 million a year in debt service. Yet even that expense comes with a silver lining: It will help reduce the Yankees' revenue-sharing obligations. Baseball's 2002 collective-bargaining agreement permits teams to deduct stadium debt service and construction costs when calculating revenue sharing. Bottom line? Baseball's 29 other teams will effectively bear a third of the cost of the Yankees' new ballpark. "It's a classic tax shelter," one baseball insider says. "Not only do you get the benefit of added revenues, but you get a major revenue-sharing deduction as well."

[ToddyBuc]

I don't wish injury on many, if any at all, but I hope Texeria-Sabathia both go down with season ending injuries.. Sorry but go get a farm system.. Like the rest of the league does..   

Salary cap is needed in baseball, it is still the only major sport without one.. 

I hope the Rays get Bradley in RF and Giambi as the DH.. and with our pitching and defense we are still major players int hat division..

[Morgan]

Agree on everything you posted ToddyBuc.....wouldn't be upset whatsoever if the Yanks get stuck with $20 mil/season salary for a player on IR.

[TURBO]

until the salary cap issues are addressed, the yankees aren't breaking any rules, therefore I can't fault them.

keep in mind, I'm a brewer fan...

it sucks, don't get me wrong, baseball needs to be fixed, and soon...