Yankees Chick - News, Rumors, and Opinions on the Bronx Bombers From a Brunette Babe

Yankees detractors are big fans of carrying on about the team’s alleged “Two Million Dollar Payroll” (exaggerators… it’s only $195,229,045, come on now). Despite the fact that the team’s ability to afford the monster contracts can be directly attributed to their popularity and history of accomplishments – which, of course, is in large part due to the big players they can wrangle in with that big payroll; it’s like the circle of life except with baseballs and cash dollars – and the glaring reality that there are several teams that are creeping up towards Yankees-style payroll, folks continue to stubbornly hold on to some bizarre abhorrence of that payroll. The apparent consensus amongst these money-haters is that a team investing so much money should be invulnerable to injuries and slumps and is obligated to win every single game.

This attitude makes me a very bitter Yankees Chick. I am so sick of hearing people snicker and snidely remark “that’s the best you can do with your $200 million payroll?” I certainly understand that higher-paid players come with elevated expectations, and I absolutely identify with the sentiment of “buyer’s remorse” or “what the hell, we ain’t gettin’ what we paid for here” when players are a bust (I’m looking at you, Carl Pavano… not literally, of course, because you’re probably in surgery for some ailment or another at this very moment), but the use of that blanket statement is simply out of hand. It seems ridiculous to even type this, because it is so obvious, but my lovelies, there are so many factors affecting a team’s overall record besides money. Money cannot prevent line drives from breaking pitchers’ hands, or every molecule of matter in Painvano’s body from crumbling into dust, or Johnny Demon deciding that this year would be a good year to just relax and hit .260. Referring to the Yankees as “underdogs” probably sounds silly, but the way this year has gone has made them seem like some scrappy kids struggling to stay competitive with the big kids. I know it’s tough to ignore the expectations of a mega-jillion-dollar payroll, but I think the team has accomplished some impressive stuff in spite of all the injuries and first-half depression.

An old man came back from “retirement” (again) and made a big impact on the team, pitching well and serving as a good role model for the youngsters.
2 kids barely out of college breezed through the minors and came up to provide pitching support just in the nick of time. Joba pitched 17 straight innings without allowing an earned run, and Kennedy has a 1.89 ERA in 3 starts.
In his 2nd outing for the team, Hughes was almost 7 innings into a no-hitter… before he got injured.
Jorgie Boy pulled through with the performance of a lifetime.
A-Rod gave the horrid booing fans plenty of reason to shut the hell up, putting up great numbers AND undeniably clutch hitting.
Andy Pettitte came back for a second round of the NY life and proved himself to be just as good – if not better – than the last time he was here.
Shelley Duncan is… hilarious (new official job title: Spirit Coordinator)

All that’s left to make this a true “moving story about underdogs coming from behind in the last weeks of the season to capture the hearts of the nation” tale is a World Series win.

Oh… and maybe a discovery that the payroll is really only like $75 million. Makes for a better story.