The once wild and unpredictable free agent market has calmed down during the past week or so for baseball fans. The Angels found a suitable (not necessarily better but suitable) replacement for K-Rod in Brian Fuentes, the Red Sox made a great move in signing Brad Penny to a low cost high reward contract, boosting their already dominant pitching staff. When he is healthy, he is one of the most powerful pitchers in baseball.
But one team has done more and received more heat as a result of their wheeling and dealing this off-season and that is the Yankees. Sure, the went out and spent over $400 million on three of the top four free agents this off season, but people seem to be reacting before looking at the facts. First, despite signing Sabathia, Teixiera and Burnett, the Yankees have cut their 2009 payroll down $10 million dollars from what they were posting in 2008. While they have let a lot of free agents go they addressed all of their needs that they had hoped to during this off-season. Also, there have been no rules broken regarding spending because baseball has no salary cap. With that in mind, the argument that the Yankees just have more money to spend needs to get thrown right out because almost all big market teams have the ability to spend this kind of money if they so desire, they just don't. The Red Sox, Mets, Cubs, White Sox, Angels, Dodgers and probably even the Seattle Mariners or Texas Rangers could easily pony up the money to buy some big name free agents because they have all done it in the past. Its not a mater of not having the money, but having the balls to spend it (no pun intended). The Yankees are just doing what they feel is necessary to win, and when you have no farm system like the Yankees do, and are not threatened by the thought of having to pay a luxury tax, then go out and spend.
Let look at the singings now. Teixiera was the best hitter available this year and is arguably one of the best hitters in the game. He will put up an avg. of over .280 and give you 25 hr and 100+ rbi for the next 4 years easy. He is a low risk sign for the Yankees. He filled a glaring need at first base and in the middle of their lineup and he should have been their top priority during this off-season. Sure he cost a lot of money, but when your division rivals are trying to sign him and you know that you are in serious need, the Yankees did what they needed to do. I think, that when John Henry made it public that the Red Sox were not going to offer Tex any more money, and he still had not signed, Brian Cashman did what any good GM would do and sweet him right up for more. Its simple business, and in a results business, Teixiera will be a solid investment for the Yankees.
Sabathia was a key singing in the sense that it gave them a dominant left handed number one who they could put the load on throughout the season. He can and I think will win 20 games this year based on his ability alone. His playoff record is dismal, but he made the conscious decision to sign with the Yankees, a team under the playoff microscope every year and will have to perform. His career with the Yankees however may not be as long lasting and glorious as they hope. I don't see him lasting more then three years because of how hard he throws and how often and how bad the Yankees pitching staff is. But, I guess we will just have to hope that if that's the case, he uses that third year opt out.
Burnett was the path I thought the Yankees would go down from the beginning. He is a solid starting pitcher who is established in the league. A little old for a five-year deal, but if he can keep his injuries to a minimum, he may be a great investment. What also makes Burnett so great is that he will in all likelihood be the third starter in the rotation behind Sabathia and Wang. As a result, he will in almost every game be the more dominant pitcher. In theory, with proper run support, the Yankees should be able to win almost every game Burnett pitches in because they have the more dominant pitcher on the mound. With that in mind, he could win upwards of 15 games easier then he ever has before. Especially with the lack of pressure being in the third spot instead of the first or second.