New York Yankee notes: Venditte still a sideshow

by Ed Valentine on Mar 31, 2010 6:00 AM EDT in New York Yankees News

CC Sabathia had a rough outing Tuesday, failing to make it through the fifth inning. Nobody seemed to care, though, as the main attraction was switch-pitching Pat Venditte.

Venditte pitched 1.1 innings in his role as Spring Training sideshow. That is really all Venditte has ever been in the Yankee organization -- a curiosity, somebody to watch because he is different, not because of his ability.

He knows he is the only one who can change that.

"I understand where it's coming from, and it's my job to go out there and prove that I can pitch," Venditte said. "People are going to have their doubts when they hear something like this, and it's my job to prove that I can do it."

A study found that the Yankees pay their players a higher average salary than any other franchise in sports. That should not surprise anyone. What blew me away is that the next three teams on the list were international soccer powers. I had no idea that sport was so lucrative.
Time Warner Cable subscribers will be able to get Yankee games streamed to them on their computers this season.
Accuscore projects the Yankees as American League East champions.
SI.com's Tom Verducci listed his top 10 teams of all time. The top three teams on the list were the 1927, 1939 and 1998 Yankees.
Sliding Into Home has an excellent look at former Yankee prospects who are trying to win jobs around the majors this Spring.

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You didn't realize that soccer is the #1 sport in the world?

The value of the top European soccer teams is approximately equal to the value of the Yankees. (That’s one reason why the Yankees cross- market with a British club- I think it’s Manchester United, who are the Yankees of Brit sports). It follows that franchises worth over $1 billion would pay their players accordingly- they acquire top international free agents the same way MLB does. Look at the rosters of the top British (or any international) team, and you’ll find homegrown talent is comparatively rare.

I was actually surprised that the Yankees came out #1 in salary.

by designatedquitter on Mar 31, 2010 10:44 AM EDT reply actions

Well, I knew that

But I had no idea the three highest-paying teams in the world after the Yankees would be soccer teams.

by Ed Valentine on Mar 31, 2010 10:53 AM EDT up reply actions

yeah surprised you haven't heard about it

remember how the red sox paid 50 mil for the rights to negotiate with dice-k? i think it was real madrid who paid 130 mil to negotiate with cristiano ronaldo…

they got green

by march20 on Mar 31, 2010 10:53 AM EDT reply actions

Shows

how much attention I don’t pay to soccer. I must be sheltered. LOL!!

by Ed Valentine on Mar 31, 2010 10:54 AM EDT up reply actions

You're not missing anything

soccer is for women, and for people who play sports like women.

This sticker is dangerous and inconvenient, but I do love Fig Newtons.

by Lord Duggan on Mar 31, 2010 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Yes, "People who play sports like women."

I do too.

by designatedquitter on Mar 31, 2010 1:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh I see what you did there.

This sticker is dangerous and inconvenient, but I do love Fig Newtons.

by Lord Duggan on Mar 31, 2010 2:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Soccer is actually for men with high boredom threshholds.

by designatedquitter on Mar 31, 2010 3:29 PM EDT up reply actions

And a high tolerence for men

who fall over and cry any time another guy gets too close to them and who can put their legs over their head.

But yes, it’s also boring.

This sticker is dangerous and inconvenient, but I do love Fig Newtons.

by Lord Duggan on Mar 31, 2010 3:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Soccer would also be better if you were allowed to actually injure opponents during "injury time," as the name implies

by designatedquitter on Mar 31, 2010 4:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Who did you expect

would be at the top places in the list? There are other sports apart from U.S. sports, and there’s a reason why football is the world’s most popular one (and it’s not even close). And for those who think football is boring, if you watched the 2-2 draw between Barcelona and Arsenal, hopefully your views have changed. If not, watch next week’s game. It’s never too late to learn something new.

by BronxBombers27 on Mar 31, 2010 4:58 PM EDT reply actions

Nothing more fun than ties.

Oh wait, girly men in high socks kicking a ball and then tying is more fun.

Soccer (please don’t call it football) is popular in the rest of the world because to play American sports you need more money and a higher standard of living. Take anything circular and you’re equipped enough to play some soccer with your friends.

I’m sorry, but there’s just no chance of soccer ever being anything more than sideshow in America. We have sports that are better.

This sticker is dangerous and inconvenient, but I do love Fig Newtons.

by Lord Duggan on Mar 31, 2010 5:15 PM EDT up reply actions