|
The 2008 season is the last to ever be played in the house that Ruth built. So many Yankee greats made their name at the old Yankee Stadium in the Bronx the memorial park past the outfield is practically a hall of fame by itself.
The success the New York Yankees saw in the stadium between 1923 and 2008 is unmatched by any other team in the Majors. During that time, the Yankees earned 26 World Series Championships, and they appeared in the Fall Classic a whopping 37 times.
No team has even come close to earning success like that in Major League Baseball. The Dodgers are second place in terms of World Series appearances with 18. The Cardinals are second place in wins with 10.
A great chapter in the history of baseball has been closed with Yankee Stadium. We’re moving into new territory and a new ballpark. The endless memories and magical moments that helped to define Yankee Stadium are no longer drifting around. All that remains is a blank canvas for the Yankees to make new memories. They’ve been given a fresh chance to show new generations of fans what it means to wear the pinstripes and why they’re called the Bronx Bombers.
It’s nice to have this chance, but the move finds the Yankees in an interesting place. There’s so much potential to create a championship caliber team. Then again, there’s an equal amount of potential for this team to be driven into the ground through the routing of its farm system and horrible free agent signings, something the Steinbrenner-era Yankees are infamous for.
Sure, Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera, are all products of the Yankees farm system. But most people will tell you, the Yankees are far behind many other teams when it comes
to fostering prospects.
Mike Lowell? Dioner Navarro? Jake Westbrook? They’re just a few names that made their debut with the Yankees or rose to the Majors through their farm system, only to be traded away.
The Yankees have to stop this tradition. The Red Sox are where they are not because of their ability to sign free agents, but because whenever a hole pops up in their team, they can instantly fill it with a player from their farm system who will actually be able to contribute to the team.
The Evil Empire, as some have affectionately dubbed it, are in the business of signing high profile free agents. The Steinbrenner’s believe in star power, and that has done more to hurt the Yankees then to help them.
With all of the money the Yankees have thrown away in paying people like Carl Pavano, Kei Igawa and other players along those lines, other teams could have paid the salary of all of their players.
This isn’t to say signing free agents is a bad idea. I’m not against it. But when a guy like Pavano puts up mediocre numbers for a couple of years, then busts out and wins 18 games once when his previous career high was 12 all happens on the last year of a contract of all times, I’m a little skeptical about how great of an idea it is to sign the guy. I think you would have to be nuts to throw $40 million at a pitcher like that, which is exactly what the Yankees did.
These shenanigans have to stop. If they want to play meaningful October baseball anytime soon, they have to stop throwing money at players like Pavano and start focusing more on their minor league players.
As much as I might not agree with moving Yankee Stadium, it’s happening. The last game has already been played at the old Yankee Stadium, and it won’t be long before it’s torn to the ground. If the Yankees want to make their first years in their new home something memorable, they’re going to have to change their ways. They’re going to look to the future, one they make for themselves with their own players they raise, just like they did in the mid 1990s.
 Add as favorites (25) | Views: 537
|
