Why the New York Yankees are so good.

Today, they just got the best player in a trade that was just approved.

They traded Alfonso Soriano and a minor leaguer to Texas for Alex Rodriguez...

That, my friends, is probably the biggest trade in recent history of the baseball world. This is why the Yankees are so good. They are willing to give up good players for even better players, and this is just proof. This is just so sickening, that I fear that the Yankees will still be in the World Series for coming years. *sighs*

What do you guys think about this trade?

Some people would disagree with you and say that the Yankees ruin baseball by throwing all their New York money at the good players while teams like Florida win the championship with a small salary. A lot of people hate the Yankees, I don't hate them, I think they've been dominant too long and someone else should get a turn. I also think baseball should use the salary cap but it will never happen.

This trade is good for everyone, except maybe Yankee haters. It's good for Texas that they now have more money to spend on pitching, and good for the Yanks that they get the best player in the game right now. A-Rod should have never signed with Texas in the first place. People are too greedy.

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Originally posted by Agent Proto
They are willing to give up good players for even better players, and this is just proof.

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That's just silly. Every team is willing to trade good players for better players, but the yanks have the oppertunity because of their deep, DEEP pockets. Or you can just call me a Yankee hater. I'm afraid they do ruin the game.

Manchester United do the same in the English Premiership. Wait a minute. They've signed a marketing deal with the Yankees. So this means they'll both get even richer and even more dominant. Both those teams could do the whole sporting world a favour and go bankrupt.

As a Rangers "fan", if something ever existed (I simply watch most of their games, and hope that they will win, but knowing they won't), I actually like this trade. No telling what they could get with all that extra money. Sure, A-Rod was good, but now they simply got younger. I mean, this lineup is a pretty good, young one:

Alfonso Soriano - SS
Michael Young - 2B
Hank Blalock - 3B
Eric Jordan - CF
Mark Teixeira - LF
Laynce Nix - RF
Catcher #1 (possibly Einar Diaz, but they need a better one)
Designated Hitter #1 (possibly that guy...I can't remember his name)

Of course, they still need pitching, but they have some solid young prospects in Juan Dominguez and Ricardo Rodriguez. R.A. Dickey can be a very solid 3rd or 4th pitcher. They just need to fill in the gaps.

I tend to lean toward the point of view that Sean's adopted, and after reading a few articles by writers on ESPN.com, it's even more solidified in my mind.

Sure, they do have deep pockets, but at what price? Many people have pointed out that Georgie Porgie's hastiness to take the title back to New York had made clubhouse chemistry suffer. Put Gary Sheffield, Kenny Lofton, A-Rod, Jeter, Kevin Brown and company in the same clubhouse, and do you think Joe Torre will be able to keep the peace? There's so many gigantic egos that it might become a big problem as the season wears on.

You also have to consider what they've given up to get so many superstars. They got rid of Nick Johnson to get Javier Vasquez, and Johnson was supposed to be the heir apparent to Jason Giambi if the big man's knees failed him. They got rid of Jeff Weaver for Brown, and everyone is quick to forget that Weaver was a pretty damn good pitcher in Detroit before he was thrown into the fire. And just imagine a pitcher of Weaver's potential in a place like Dodger Stadium. . . they gave up Soriano for A-Rod, and Alfonso had a phenomenal 2003 outside of the disastrous postseason. The guy that A-Rod is replacing, Aaron Boone, cost the Yankees their best prospect in Brandon Claussen. They gave up draft picks to sign Sheffield and Lofton.

One writer pointed out that one of the losers in this trade are the small-market teams. I don't think that's necessarily true, because lots of teams in recent years have shown that it doesn't take a lot of money to be a World Series contender. The A's are the leading example, but there's also the Twins, Royals, Blue Jays, Marlins, Cardinals and Giants. Most of these teams, if not all of them, have farm systems in better shape with better prospects for the future than the Yankees.

It may burn Red Sox fans that they missed out on A-Rod because of a small difference in cash, but they should remember that they still have Manny Ramirez and Nomar Garciaparra. Manny is still one of the best sluggers in the game, and Nomar is still one of the top three shortstops in the majors. Just because they missed out on number one doesn't mean it's the end of the world, because they still have number two.

Obviously, trading for A-Rod makes any team better, and the Yankees are no exception. Somehow, though, I don't think it makes them that much better. At the very least, it will probably have huge repercussions down the road.

It just saddens me because now I might have to draft a Yankee. Of course, the question remains, what happens if this all-star team doesn't win the world series?

Then they'll sign Chavez and Tim Hudson next year. :(

This year, watch the Rangers have a winning record, and the Yankees a losing one. Just watch.

As much of a Yankees fan as I am, I declare that once Joe Torre leaves, the Yanks will fall completely apart because egos will always corrupt, not matter the talent level. The Yanks are so very close to having TOO many egos right now. The teams that won the world series in past seasons were all about the team, yet this year, the players are driven for selfish reasons. Granted, they too want to win, but if they do indeed win the series, I have a feeling that personal gains will take the place of the team because now everyone will have their rings and can focus on stats instead.

Oh where are the O'Neills, the Martinezs, the Scotty B's? We are in dire need of them now, players who wanted glory for all, not just for themselves.

Take care all.

You also have to consider that the other main cog in this deal, Alfonso Soriano, was a very good player in his own respect. Sure, you might suspect otherwise after the 2003 playoffs, but consider this.

Soriano
.290, 38 HR, 91 RBI, 114 runs, 198 hits, .338 OBP, 35 SB, 130 strikeouts

Rodriguez
.298, 47 HR, 118 RBI, 124 runs, 181 hits, .396 OBP, 17 SB, 126 strikeouts

Yeah, of course Alex Rodriguez's numbers were great. However, Soriano put up numbers that no other second baseman in the league could dream of. A potential 40-40 guy I could put at the top of my lineup? Sign me up! A-Rod isn't the same speedster he once was, but I seriously think the Rangers did well for themselves by acquiring top-notch talent for a position that doesn't have much.

With all of the youngsters in that Texas lineup, I think they could be every bit as potent as they were last year.

1B - Mark Teixeira
2B - Michael Young
3B - Hank Blalock
SS - Soriano or Adrian Gonzalez (?)
OF - Soriano (?)/Ramon Nivar
OF - Brian Jordan
OF - Laynce Nix

Granted, the pitching still has a long way to go, but their offense is still in pretty good shape, I think.

Chances are, Adrian Gonzales will end up playing 1st, and Teixeira at LF. I forgot about him when I made my original post, so, I would bet this:

1B- Adrian Gonzales
2B- Michael Young
SS- Alfonso Soriano
3B- Hank Blalock
LF- Mark Teixeira
CF- Brian Jordan
RF- Ramon Nivar
DH- Laynce Nix
C- I still can't remember that dude's name.

Michael Young might get bumped over to SS and leave Soriano at 2B. we shall see.

Yeah, I heard that, but there's a big paradox about this. Alfonso Soriano is not a good defensive player, and Michael Young is a Gold-Glover. Moving Young to short could really mess up his flow and stuff. But having Soriano at the arguably most important defensive position (ss) could be disastrous.

Q: Why are the New York Yankess so good?

A: $

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Originally posted by edczxcvbnm
Q: Why are the New York Yankess so good?

A: $

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Yeah, that would be exact response as well. A salary cap would destry the team thoroughly.

But its funny to see that same way of running a team in the NHL fail horribly. The New York Rangers have a good handful of the leagues most tallented players, and have the highest payroll in the league, yet they are below .500 still.

And we all have a good laugh.

Baseball isn't dependent upon playing as a team like hockey is. You can have the best players in the nhl but unless they can work as one they will still do poorly.

The NY Mets are superior to the Yankees in every way.

Except maybe that baseball thing you're all talking about.

well, ARod is a much better shortstop than Jeter too, but you know...who cares about who is actually good at their position?

Who even cares about baseball?

everyone but you! :D

eestlinc, do you really think that A-Rod is better defensively than Jeter? Befpre he got hurt, I'd list Jeter as the best defensive shortstop in the game. He's a human highlight reel.

I like what Steinbrenner said about his detractors; that they don't know how to do the math. The Yankees didn't buy anything in this trade. They traded a superstar they raised themselves for someone else's superstar. I may even have to say that Texas got the better end of the deal.

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Originally posted by LH
eestlinc, do you really think that A-Rod is better defensively than Jeter? Befpre he got hurt, I'd list Jeter as the best defensive shortstop in the game. He's a human highlight reel.

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Rodriquez has always been better defensivly then Jeter. Who has more gold gloves? Yeah.

Personally, I think this deal sucks. Baseball really really needs a salary cap. Players only go to places for the money. Why else would Pudge sign with the Tigers?

But it will be okay when the Yankees with there 185million dollar payroll don't make it to the World Series, and some other team like the Royals do.

Personally, I don't think Gold Gloves are a very good indicator of a player's defensive worth. Plenty of people have won 'em that didn't exactly deserve him.

I'd put A-Rod and Jeter on about the same level defensively, on the same level as Nomar Garciaparra and Miguel Tejada, who are all a rung below the likes of Orlando Cabrera, Jose Reyes and Rafael Furcal (among others). Third base is a lot more difficult to play, though, and the transition will probably come at some cost defensively.

Not all shortstops can make the move easily, like Cal Ripken did back in the late 90s. I don't think Rodriguez will be any different, in that respect, he'll have some growing pains.

And about the salary cap, read this.

I say third is the hardest position to play in baseball. Chavez makes it look so easy... good luck A-Rod.

Being in Washington, I dont like A Rod because he left the Mariners for Texas Rangers for alot of money, now hes at New York are rivals. I think he is over rated, but yea whatever not a big base ball fan here.

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Originally posted by Del Murder
I say third is the hardest position to play in baseball. Chavez makes it look so easy... good luck A-Rod.

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If Ripken can make a nice transition from Shortstop to Third, I'm postive A-Rod can do the same,

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Originally posted by El Mariachi
Personally, I don't think Gold Gloves are a very good indicator of a player's defensive worth. Plenty of people have won 'em that didn't exactly deserve him.

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Exactly son, exactly. For instance, some things like fielding percentage and stuff like that is completely meaningless to me. There are some errors put on fielders that don't really deserve it and some put on players who were quick enough to go after the ball where a fielder with a better % wouldn't be nimble enough to make it there in time. All I really know is that I've seen Jeter make some plays that will never be duplicated. He reminds me of the Wizard sometimes how he's always there and can throw a beam straight to first from the crappiest arm slot.

Well, gold gloves aside, there are plenty of stats like field perc, range pect (how many balls hit in his range that he actually fields at all), etc that all show ARod is a much better shortstop defensively than Jeter. Jeter is really mediocre defensively, a few spectacular plays or not. This is the generally accepted view by baseball experts.

I agree with EB. Whilst watching Rangers games all last season, Rodriguez is probably the best defensive shortstop in the league, if not it's Nomar. I've seen Jeter play enough, and while he is good, he's not in the same league as A-Rod. Well, he is in the same LEAGUE, but you know what I mean.

Last year, A-Rod won the Gold Glove at shortstop, and it'd be hard to argue he didn't deserve that one. He made only eight errors at a crucial defensive position (David Eckstein also had eight, but in 40-something less games; Jeter had 14 in exactly 40 less), had the highest fielding percentage of any qualified shortstop, and he turned more double plays than any of his comtemporaries.

Not only that, his range factor and zone rating (check out STATS, Inc. for that) are considerably better than Derek Jeter. All that considered, my guess is that A-Rod will have a relatively painless transition, but that defense up the middle will suffer because Jeter has clearly lost a step over the years.