The 'Blueprint"

The Cashman, Steinbrenner doctrine is back in full swing as both C.C Sabathia [$161 Million] and A.J Burnett [$85 Million] got introduced in the “old” Yankee Stadium and so the bar has been set, if you are going to spend $246 Million on two pitchers then you better be delivering a world series. Now I know that you have to add in the New York spotlight, but the Yankees went against the wisdom of their own yesteryears that included one or two modest free agent signings and minor league development to win. Then the storm known as Brian Cashman came along, spending all the money in his wake, and while he won three world titles with Bob Watson’s leftovers he also wrecked what could have been the greatest dynasty known to man, one that reminded us of the 40’s or 50’s, but instead he pursued [in part due to orders by George Steinbrenner] high priced aging veterans that had never won a thing. Look how Jason Giambi ended up, Hideki Matsui has never won a world series, the Randy Johnson disaster is on my list of the top ten blunders of all time, you get where I’m going?

What I’m getting at is that New York is a place of extremes. Jason Giambi got off to a hot start and was referred to casually as the “Giambino” which is kind of a heft tag for someone who has STILL never won a ring. Fast forward to the end of this disaster and he was getting booed out of town. People confuse New York as a town that will never except superstars when this is quite the contrary, sometimes this place excepts stars that other cities might not if they had the batch to choose from that we do. We choose to worship Derek Jeter and resent Alex Rodriguez, even though A-Rod hits three or four times the amount of home runs and rakes a ton more RBI, their contracts are pretty close but there is a difference, Jeter doesn’t feel like an intruder. He won four rings, and was drafted by the Yankees. Notice a trend? Who do Yankee fans hold above all others? Jorge Posada, a former farmhand, Mariano Rivera was signed in 1990 by a Yankee scout to the Yankees farm system. We support Yankees who have always been Yankees.

Now does that mean it is impossible for CC and Burnett to gain acceptance in New York? No, many have thrived in the spotlight after leaving their farm towns. Paul O’Neill is one of my favorite Yankees of all time and he left Cincinnati after winning a world title and playing for 8 years. David Cone was successful with the cross town rival Mets and he was an all time favorite in the pinstripes. Tino Martinez was taken out of Seattle a couple of months after beating the Yankees in the 1995 playoffs. What was the difference with these guys and Giambi and A-Rod is one fundamental thing, besides the fact that they played as hard as humanly possible whenever they where call upon they all won FOUR rings. Want to know how to survive as a free agent with tons of pressure? WIN WIN WIN and WIN! New Yorkers love winners of world series, our definition of winning is different then Milwaukee’s. A world series is the end all be all, and with all the money thrown at CC and Burnett they better win it all, or I want people [ plural] fired. So to recap, go against what worked for years if you must, but win or find your ass a new job.

Just a thought.