Bernie was nearing the end, they never for a second thought Bubba was the future and it was a year before damon was a FA. Beltran is better than damon and george could have stuck it to the Mets but they didn't want to spend that much. Why would it have been a PR fiasco? we already got randy Johnson, carl pavano and Wright so they addressed SP. The guys will cost $100 mil to the Sox, I don't think he yanks would have gone that high. If it was $35 mil then yeah but getting into the 40s when they already have a presence in the Japanese market made no sense for the yanks. If they didn't have matsui then I think they'd spend whatever but boston spending so much only makes sense b/c of the dollars they'll make back from him in japan.
My jaw literally hit the floor when I read this (mainly for the Bubba line.) Bernie Williams was already a disgrace defensively, as he had been since sometime around 2002. Cashman had been thinking of ways to replace him. Damon wasn't already on the radar, and even if he was, it still made little sense to wait a year for him when Beltran, who is younger and a better offensive and defensive player, was on the market. As far as Bubba, not a single living, breathing person thought for one millisecond that Bubba Crosby was the "future" in CF. Including Joe Torre. I'm hoping that was just a joke. The bottom line is the Yankees didn't pursue Beltran because they had finally reached the point financially where they just couldn't do it. Cashman from the beginning wanted Beltran, but the Tampa morons had George's ear at the time, and screwed us over by trading for RJ and giving him a contract extension. If Beltran was signed and they didn't make the RJ trade, it wouldn't have been a PR disaster. Maybe some people in the media would question it, but most Yankee fans wanted Beltran and not to trade for RJ. Unfortunately, this line of thinking shows that people still think George rules the Yankees with an iron fist. It's Cashman's team now, and he has stressed cutting payroll, becoming more flexible, not overpaying. The Yankees had interest, and offered a bid amount that they felt was fair (looks like it was approx. $25M). Boston bid above and beyond what anyone else expected. They had yet to plant their flag in the Asian market like the Yankees and Mariners. This deal financially means a lot more to them than it does the Yankees.
I like this move as the $42 mil will be off-set by the fact that the Japanese market($$$) will open up for the Red Sox like it has for the Mariners and the Yankees. Hopefully this guy is as good as he was during the WBC.
Bubba was Torre's guy, there's no question about it. Torre actually promised Bubba the job. Why do you think he cried when he had to tell Bubba he was outta here? Damon was on Cashman's radar. You can believe that or not at your leisure, but Cash knew he was going after Damon. Dual-purpose, get a good leadoff hitter who plays a position of need, and stick it to the Red Sox. I have to ask if you're serious. Wait, no I don't. I know you are. Who is talking about a Japanese presence? This guy is the top FA pitching prospect this year. What part of that doesn't make sense? The Yanks need a top-tier pitcher, and surely don't want the Sox to get one.
Link for that? Maybe I missed it and Torre did promise Bubba the CF job. But if that was the case, Cashman would have fired him within three seconds of those comments. He liked Bubba because he was "gritty", and he liked him filling that 25th man role. Although Torre makes some interesting in-game decisions, the man was smart enough to realize that Bubba Crosby never was going to be the starting CF. Not a single human being ever thought Bubba would be the starting CF here. He had one good year in the minors when he was in his mid-20's, but other than that, he was barely average in the minors. Nothing he has ever done in his lifetime would ever justify him starting in CF for the Yankees.
http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2006/11/14/sox_get_the_word_today/ Takes Boston-New York to a worldwide level.
I agree very much with this...alio,there were a couple points you made there that had me scratching my head as well
*shrug* That's how I remember it. Am I wrong? I can't remember for sure. I am going by what I believe I remember. As for Beltran, you can forget the theory that every Yankee fan wanted Beltran. I was elated when we didn't sign him. In 20/20 hindsight, I was wrong about him, but I saw him a a flash in the pan who was capitalizing on a fantastic postseason performance. Again, back to Matsuzaka, this is not just about getting a foothold in the Asain market. Maybe it is for the Sox, I don't know, but I would hope not, since that is just clownish. You pursue players to improve your team, then let the viewership fall where it may. If a player provides you both, more power to you, but I would think you put the money on the guy if you want him to come in and be dominant, not because you want more Japanese fans.
I never said every Yankee fan wanted Beltran. Most did. Whether it was in the real world, on forums like NYYFans. Even here, the majority of Yankees fans on TGG were upset when they decided on RJ over Beltran. Crosby wasn't ever going to be the CF of the Yankees. The only time any hint of that was given was last off-season when Cashman publicly stated "I wouldn't have a problem going into the season with Bubba Crosby as my starting CFer", which he said only to try and make it seem like the Yankees were less desperate for signing someone. Of course, they ended up giving $13M per year for 4 years to Damon, so the entire motivation was moot.
Guys it was the money.....the yankees decided to slow down a bit with the money....they had to pay RJ. as far as Im concerned thats it...as far as bubba goes alio, Joe loved the guy but I dont think he ever had him penciled into centerfiled every day at any point...no way....plus, his love for bernie was and is un-dying so he wouldnt have had anyone penciled in at center until Bernie dropped dead
No, it isn't. The posting fee does NOT apply to the tax threshold or the team salary. It's a simple business decision. They are basically paying $42 million for advertising in Japan which they will more than likely make back over the course of his contract, and they also just so happen to get a potential ace as well.
Why would Cashman object? It would come straight out of Steinbrenner's pocket and not count at all toward the team payroll.
It's the perception that the Yankees would have bid whatever if this wasn't a blind auction. If they wanted him bad enough, they would have bid much more than $25-30M regardless of the fact it was silent bidding, but the revenue Matsuzaka brings from Japan isn't worth as much to them as it is to the Red Sox. Thus, they didn't feel it was worth a total investment of nearly $100M for an "unknown". Steinbrenner may have bid whatever just to beat the other teams, or get another big time star. Cashman didn't feel it was worth it.
The most annoying thing in baseball is the trend of Yankee fans refusing to blame Cashman for anything. EVERY bad move was made by Stienbrenner and EVERY good move was made by Cashman. It's out of control. [/rant]
You're going to need to cite that reliably, because every source that I've read has more than one team over $30 million and pushing into the mid-30's. The Yankees were definitely NOT submitting a half-assed offer of $25 million for this kid. It was EXPECTED that they would be the high bidder. Hell, the Red Sox, themselves, expected it; which explains why they submitted what seems to be an obscene case of out-bidding yourself. Surprised the crap out of me, to be honest. Surprised everyone; to the extent where nobody even believed the story until three days later when it became official. I even found this gem, written before Buster Olney's story, which matter-of-factly notes how the Yankees were planning on negotiating immediately. Nice job reporting, guys. Here's a bone to all you Yankee people out there, who still don't believe it went down this way: I don't think the Red Sox will be able to sign him. First contract numbers I've seen were a planned offer of $45 million over five years, but there was a caveat that Boras was looking for much more than that. What I think will happen is that Boras will convince Matsuzaka (correctly) that they can shop the Sox offer next year as below market, since the next team won't have the burden of a acquisition fee to his Japanese team. He'd be right. Daisuke will be elsewhere in 2008.
Well, I have blamed Cashman for things (Pavano, being adament about not trading A-Rod, fighting for Torre to return) but he's done much more good than bad. And when you look at Tampa's track record, they've done more bad than good. I prefer Cashman's approach of rebuilding the farm system, and making the major league team younger and more flexible. I'm sure most Yankees fans agree with me, and they disagree with Tampa's approach of consistently overpaying for veterans. Just like it was as late as last year, when every good thing the Red Sox did was a result of Theo, and every bad thing they did was a result of Lucchino.
