Now I thought the Yankees got the memo about the recession. The memo read that everybody is supposed to be trying to save a little money and hold back on the spending spree.
I thought that Brian Cashman had learned his lesson that spending money does not always equate victory. The last seven Yankees season seem to have supported my assertion. Apparently, I was terribly misguided in my assumption.
After signing C.C. Sabathia to a seven-year, $161 million contract the rumors that had the New York Yankees pursuing pitchers like Ben Sheets and A.J. Burnett. Now the word is that Burnett is being offered about $85 million over five years. Another name on the tips of Yankee fans tongues is Derek Lowe.
Apparently the move out of the house that Ruth built is going to be one to a house built on the mound. The front office is bucking tradition and openly building a team with a much stronger pitching staff than its lineup. No longer will the 3-6 guys drop bomb on the outfield, instead the team is looking to KO opponents with strikeouts and groundballs.
If you look at this from another angle, an angle other than the Red Sox better get their sh*t straight to avoid another 100 years under the Yanks thumb, you will see that the league is becoming much more pitching conscious.
The years of multiple 50-home run hitters in a single lineup are gone and now each team is looking for a pitching rotation that can put up three guys with an ERA under 3.00. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have been at the forefront of this shift in baseball focus and now are finding teams desperately trying to stock up enough arms to make it to the playoffs in each and every division.
Want some actual proof. Think back to this last MLB season. What did you here more about, the home run race in either division or the Cy Young competition in the National League? That’s what I thought. Welcome to the era of the ERA.