Ellsbury to the Yankees

[Rojo]

Is it me or are hitters getting all the money? Post-steroidal bat-envy?

[Wonderful Monds]

Is it me or are hitters getting all the money? Post-steroidal bat-envy?

Hitting is the new pitching.

[M2]

Why? Was it not dishing out obscene amounts of money for guys with age or injury issues that got them into a financial bind last season in the first place? Have they not struggled the last couple of seasons because of that?

This contract is going to end very badly for them.

I don't like this contract. I even posted back in the summer that Ellsbury was going to become one of the most egregiously overpaid players in the game. He's wildly overrated.

However, the Yankees won their division three of the previous four seasons and had 95 wins and a wild card the other season. It was not a financial bind that got them last season, it was a freakish number of injuries.

The Yankees do not have money problems and will not have money problems in the future. The only sort of money problem they have is they might not be able to buy the quality they need at this point in time, largely because it's not on the market. The Yankees go out and pay top dollar for what they need and they've won more of everything than any other team in the sport. They climbed to the top of the heap in the 1920s because Jake Ruppert bought the core of the Red Sox championship teams. They spend money. They win.

[Rojo]

It was not a financial bind that got them last season, it was a freakish number of injuries.

Are they freakish if your team's ancient?

The Yanks are wading ever closer to dumb 80's spending.

[757690]

I don't like this contract. I even posted back in the summer that Ellsbury was going to become one of the most egregiously overpaid players in the game. He's wildly overrated.

However, the Yankees won their division three of the previous four seasons and had 95 wins and a wild card the other season. It was not a financial bind that got them last season, it was a freakish number of injuries.

The Yankees do not have money problems and will not have money problems in the future. The only sort of money problem they have is they might not be able to buy the quality they need at this point in time, largely because it's not on the market. The Yankees go out and pay top dollar for what they need and they've won more of everything than any other team in the sport. They climbed to the top of the heap in the 1920s because Jake Ruppert bought the core of the Red Sox championship teams. They spend money. They win.

The Yankees have a checkered past when it comes to trying to buy a championship. It worked recently, and when free agency first started in the late '70's. But it also backfired a few times on them. Then went though some big dry spells as a result of ignoring the farm system and just buying free agents.

There greatest run in last 50 years came in the '90's when they stopped buying players, and started to develop a real farm system. They developed Jeter, Rivera, Posada, Pettitte, Williams and a bunch of great role players. Their big acquisitions early on were role players like O'Neil and Brosius. That's what has made them the powerhouse they have been for the past 15+ years.

[blumj]

The only thing that really bugs me about this is that the Yankees get to go on this giant spending spree and will still be able to get under the luxury tax limit and reset their tax rate because of A-Rod's suspension.

[Chip R]

I really don't like where these contracts are going. This has probably been discussed ad nauseum, but when do you have to call for a salary cap? Contracts are rising MUCH faster than inflation, which is reflected in cost of attending a game. In 10 years, it seems Joey Votto's contract will look more like the median than the superstar salary.

You really think any savings owners receive from a salary cap are going to go back to the fan?

[Benihana]

This deal is silly.

However, people in Africa think it's silly that Americans would pay $50 for a T-Shirt.

Unfortunately, this situation isn't all that different.

[HeatherC1212]

The first two things I thought of when I read about this deal last night were 1. is Ellsbury going to stay healthy for that long? and 2. how the heck is Red Sox nation going to take that news?! They didn't handle it well when Damon did the same thing in 2004 so this one is probably not going to go over well either. I guess I'll find out first hand soon. I'm going to Boston in January for the US Figure Skating Championships and will be there for a week. *braces self*

[Benihana]

While we've enjoyed a nice few years of reprieve from big markets dominating the little markets, I fear with the new Dodgers regime and the Yankees behavior this offseason, we may soon be falling back into that trend from the last decade.

[jojo]

This deal is silly.

However, people in Africa think it's silly that Americans would pay $50 for a T-Shirt.

Unfortunately, this situation isn't all that different.

I think it's silly that Americans would pay $50 for a T-shirt.

[RadfordVA]

While we've enjoyed a nice few years of reprieve from big markets dominating the little markets, I fear with the new Dodgers regime and the Yankees behavior this offseason, we may soon be falling back into that trend from the last decade.

I would not worry about it too much. Mostly whatever gets to Free Agency these days are spare parts and players with flaws that scared off original team wanting to spend that much on them. Teams in nearly every market are capable of locking up their talent early on if they are inclined to. So I find it very unlikely that a championship team is going to be built through out bidding teams on open market. It actually has never worked out that way. Yankees were most successful when their homegrown players were in their prime. Not when they got the Texieras and Arods of the world. Same for Boston with Crawford and AGon.

2015 Free Agent class is so weak it will be highlighted by everyday players like Hanley Ramirez and Chase Headley.

[blumj]

The first two things I thought of when I read about this deal last night were 1. is Ellsbury going to stay healthy for that long? and 2. how the heck is Red Sox nation going to take that news?! They didn't handle it well when Damon did the same thing in 2004 so this one is probably not going to go over well either. I guess I'll find out first hand soon. I'm going to Boston in January for the US Figure Skating Championships and will be there for a week. *braces self*

I'm not hearing much anger up here, Ellsbury never showed much personality so there isn't that personal connection that makes fans feel betrayed. And also because the contract looks gigantic and nobody feels like the Red Sox should have come anywhere close to matching it and everyone understands Ellsbury taking it.

[M2]

Are they freakish if your team's ancient?

The Yanks are wading ever closer to dumb 80's spending.

Fair point, though it was a group of players without extensive injuries. Also, the Red Sox won it all with a fairly old team.

I'd say their 80s spending was dumb because they had a habit of paying second and third tier free agent like first tier guys and thinking the money would make the man. I think you can apply that to Ellsbury, though he is technically first tier in this free agent class. However it's kind of hard to fault them for A-Rod, Sabathia and Teixeira. Those guys delivered. McCann's their only other major long-term obligation and he has been the best power hitting catcher in the game in recent years.

Their problem of the moment is that they're going to have to buy a new core to replace the one on the way out. In retrospect, it's mildly shocking the Yankees didn't grab Chapman, Cespedes or Puig when they were on the market.

[757690]

http://mlb.si.com/2013/11/20/what-is...coby-ellsbury/

If Ellsbury stays healthy, it's not a bad contract. But that's a big "if."