Yankee free agent spending
by Cbeck3 on Dec 21, 2010 10:43 AM EST
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I made a statement a few days ago. I said the Yanks had slowed their free agent spending and other teams were overtaking us. Jscape challenged the statement. Since he is careful, and I spoke from memory, without checking first, I decided to look at the patterns. This is what I think I see in a jumble of data.
MLB has had 30 teams for 12 years, since 1998. I have looked at the Yankee spending against for all the teams. I think I can see three different periods in only 12 years. From 1998 til 2002 Yank spending grew at a pace very similar to overall spending. From then until 2005 Yankee spending shot ahead of overall spending until in 2005 our guys spent triple their1998 level while total spending was about double 1998 level. From 2005 when we slammed on the brakes to the present total spending has grown as we drifted around the same level. In 2010 the Yanks spent 2.97 times their 1998 level and total spending was 2.36 the 1998 level.
So, the Yanks are letting other's spending overtake theirs, but our spending is at quite a high level relative to recently historic levels.
I am not at all sure what conclusions can be drawn. We will surely know more as time passes but I continue to feel that those who control the Yanks slammed the breaks on spending. I continue think the Yanks are not the "win at any cost" team of their reputation.
Time will tell.
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First, your graph is backwards, that hurts my head. I’m guessing that the red line should be MLB average, I doubt we spend more in free agency than the other 29 teams combined. Also, did you include Arod in this, because people often forget that we didn’t get him in free agency.
Russell Martin is just like the Jewish Pharisees, trying to keep Jesus down.
It's MLB Total and Yankee spending
each normalized. So, the year’s spending divided by the 1998 spending. So, each initial number is 1. This makes it easy to compare the trends.
Of course normalized thhis way MLB Ave’s line would be the same as MLB Total.
"I’m never really surprised, but I am thrilled sometimes." Joe G. 2010
Especially interesting
since 2005 coincides with Cashman’s re-signing/ power play where he demanded central control of the franchise. I think the 2005-2010 Yankees best fit Cashman’s vision: the league’s top payroll spender, but with a highly ranked farm system able to produce major league role players.
"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
In this period the Yanks
were top spender every year but 1998. That year Baltimore was top spender.
"I’m never really surprised, but I am thrilled sometimes." Joe G. 2010
Another thought
I believe that Cashman puts a premium on flexibility, by position, for the roster, and for the payroll.
I believe he values a player like Swisher- able to play multiple positions, able to play multiple roles, and signed short term through his prime years.
Cashman is certainly willing to make a long term commitment to a superstar who is the perfect fit for the Yankees. I call this the Beltran lesson, because Cash has said that he regrets not pushing the payroll to an epic high when it meant losing Carlos Beltran to the Mets and several seasons of flux for the Yankees that included bad moves like Kenny Lofton, Johnny Damon and the short lived Hideki Matsui in CF experiment.
The payroll jumped in ’09 when two perfect players became free agents- CC and Tex. In ’10 and so far in ’11, the perfect player has not appeared (Lee is older than Cash wanted to sign for that long, while Greinke would have cost prospects and $).
"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
This isn't the best graph
I imagine while other teams may be overtaking the Yankees’ free agent spending, the Yankees have signed bigger contracts so I guess it evens out.
Arod, CC, Burnett, Tex vs. Crawford, Werth, Beltre, Soriano etc.
Jessica Alba as the data points
Russell Martin is just like the Jewish Pharisees, trying to keep Jesus down.
I don't have the data to do that
"I’m never really surprised, but I am thrilled sometimes." Joe G. 2010
Considering how big the gap in payroll is, I would say that
the term “overtaking” is a bit overstated—more like “inching closer.”
I actually think that at the moment the RS have passed us .
If the Yanks do not add payroll Bostson will take over as top spender.
"I’m never really surprised, but I am thrilled sometimes." Joe G. 2010
If that's the case, that would be great. They are only marginally better than last year
after adding an s*load of payroll and will have to deal with all of the “New Evil Empire” stories that will be sure to come up.
no, they're actually the American Dream
They made their money the old fashion way, they rolled up their sleeves and worked. They’re heroes fighting the evil Yankees and their devil money.
I can't tell
if you don’t use the sarcasm font
"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
You know...
I don’t even know how to make the sarcasm font.
I use sarcasm where I feel it is appropriate, and I trust to the intelligence of my faithful readers. So far, the four of you have never let me down.
"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
Not correct?
I don’t see how the Yankees payroll can be nearly as low. By Cots data sheet-the Yankees payroll is already at $178,361. That is without Pettitte+odds and ends. Is that right? Cots has the Red Sox at 136,782. To that you have to add (I think about 18 for Papelbon+Jenks). The Sox arb cases might be pricier than the Yankees, but not much so call that odds and ends.
Given that, you have to assume that with Pettitte+arb the Yankees are 200, the Sox165, and the Phillies@170. The Sox are no longer the second highest spending team, and are still significantly outspent by the Yankees. This gap may lessen in 2012 however given the upturn in Crawford+Gonzalez’ contracts (however the Sox also have Drew+Papelbon+Ortiz, etc off the books by then).
That was supposed to read 200,165,170
For Yankees, Sox, Phils.
I read that the BoSox payroll
was higher than the Yankees’ just after the Jenks signing.
I could be misremembering, but I believe there was a moment before the Yanks announced the Rivera signing, when that was true if you take Crawford’s average annual value ($20M) rather than the $14M it was later reported he will earn in 2011.
"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
He figured out the sarcasm font
Russell Martin is just like the Jewish Pharisees, trying to keep Jesus down.
I didn't say
The Yanks would end behind the Sox. What I said is right now the Sox have passed the Yanks. To stay that way Andy would have to retire and we’d have to not spend much of anything else. I do not really expect this to stand because if Andy retires we’ll make some surprise move, and it will be expensive.
I also point out the Sox have probably committed to a big raise for Adrian Gonzalez that they are postponing announcing to delay the Lux Tax implications.
"I’m never really surprised, but I am thrilled sometimes." Joe G. 2010
by Cbeck3 on Dec 21, 2010 8:34 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Probably
because Excel is a pain in the ass.
"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
Theres a free site for making graphs.
chartgo.com
Its pretty good.
"Don't give up, don't ever give up."
I got the numbers from Cot's Contracts
This was the way they listed the data. I cut and pasted it into Excel. The orientation didn’t bother me and I didn’t even try to change it.
"I’m never really surprised, but I am thrilled sometimes." Joe G. 2010
by Cbeck3 on Dec 21, 2010 8:42 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
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