Reactions

Are the Yankees good for baseball?

SI.com's John Donovan and Jacob Luft went Head2Head on whether the Yankees' spending spree is good for baseball. Here are some of your responses:

During the past dismal football season for the New York Giants, the owner, Mr. Mara commented on the half-empty stadium they were playing to, even though every game is sold out with season-ticket holders. He said that people will not come out if the product being offered is inferior. Like him or hate him, Mr. Steinbrenner puts a quality product on the field. If everyone hates the Yankees so much, why do they lead the league every year in road attendance?

-- Marty Israel, Hazlet, N.J.

No! Steinbrenner has tons of money ... great for him. Every time he signs a player with a ridiculous salary, $100 million-plus to play a game, the cost of my tickets goes up because we have to try to compete with that! It now costs $50-plus a seat, plus the peanuts and Cracker Jack and for a family of four. We're lucky if we can go to one game a year. The rest of us are tired of the Yankees every year. Let them have the All-Stars, give the rest of baseball back to America.

-- Bill Gullicksen, Hanson, Mass.

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What team draws the most attendance when they are on the road? Easy -- the Yankees. Somebody must like watching them (or their home team trying to beat them), actually a lot of somebodies.

-- Joe Hubner, Wantagh, N.Y.

I truly don't know whether the Yankees are good for baseball or not. But I do know this: going after high-priced players just because you can afford to isn't very sporting. If there was a hard salary cap in MLB like there is in the NFL, then what you would see is more competitive balance and the best team winning on a level playing field. Tell me, what is fun about watching a team stacked with ringers? I mean, big deal, aren't they EXPECTED to win?

-- Arlen Crawford

I hope A-Rod has the same good fortune that Jr. had when he went to the Reds.

-- Scott Past, Seattle

Just look at football. The world champs one year are at the bottom of the pile the next. Where are the rivalries there? Does anyone care when Dallas plays Washington anymore? How 'bout Bears/Vikes? The Browns? The Giants? The 49ers? The Evil Empire is great for baseball -- unless you live in Milwaukee or some other small market that probably shouldn't have a team in the first place. But for the rest of the country it's good to have someone to hate. It's great to root for the underdog. A battle of unknowns, well ... let's see what's on the golf channel.

-- Robert Worden, Indianapolis

It tastes so good when Georgie loses. Oh God, it's the greatest feeling in the world.

-- Matt Dinan, Geneva, N.Y.

I find it so ridiculous how all the writers want parity in all the leagues. What next for baseball, teams letting all there stars go because of the cap? Do you think that's fun? If Boston had acquired A-Rod you would all be dancing on your desks for joy sipping Sam Adams.

-- Nick Mezzina, Naha City, Japan

The Yankees are what every fan wants in their city. Why do you think we hate them so much? Hate equals envy. I'll tell you one thing, money and desire create good teams. Look at what Mark Cuban did with the Mavs. I used to be a Rangers fan, but I've given up. Add me to the list, I'm leaving town with No. 3, err No. 13, and watching the Yankees. They got a new fan.

-- Jacob O., Dallas

Baseball is supposed to be for the fans. Then why are more and more fans turning to football? Because teams like the Pirates and Brewers are practically fielding minor league teams, while the Yankees very well may be the AL All-Star team this year. As long as this much talent is so concentrated into one city, fans will continue to leave. Sure, Boston fans hate the Yankees enough to watch the games, but to the rest of the country it's tired and boring. It has become cliched. Baseball is more than just one team; but it sure doesn't seem that way anymore.

-- Kyle Hess, New York

As a lifelong Tiger fan (since 1942), we saw "those Damn Yankees" win, win, win. When Dad would say, "let's go to Tiger Stadium" we would say, "Oh I don't know." "The Yankees are coming to town," he would add. "The Yankees! Let's go!" The Yankees are the most exciting draw in sports; we respect them and admire their excellence. MLB would be Dullsville without the excellence of the Yankees, and knowledgeable baseball people know it.

-- Marshall Johnson, Slidell, La.

Maybe this A-Rod deal isn't such a bad idea. Maybe one team from every division should sign one star to a contract that is worth millions more than the player's value. Then they trade him to the Yankees for a good player with a decent contract or a few good prospects. That way their payroll skyrockets to where they pay a payroll tax of $150 million. Then MLB will have true revenue sharing. The small market teams will get what they want, financial stability. They may not win, but they will be happy. Then, if they want to get back at the Yankees, everybody trades all of their players whose contracts run out at the end of the year to one team who is picked to beat the Yankees. Every year that team rotates so that even Milwaukee gets a shot at winning -- but only after Bud sells the team.

-- Steve Sayers, Hickory, N.C.

Can people stop being so damned bitter about the Yankees success already? Stop being so jealous and get your own team to spend some money (all the owners have it, you know) and your own fans to come out to the stadium to see your team, and field a competitor already. Quit whining.

-- Dan Morra, West Caldwell, N.J.

I hate the Yankees, but Steinbrenner is the only free-market benevolent capitalist (at least, to his players) among a group of shady, underhanded, underworld-esque, colluding owners.

-- Jack Mitchell, New York

I will never watch baseball again until they get a salary cap. Screw baseball. I am done with it. I can still watch soccer, basketball, golf, basketball, and boxing. I don't need this Yankee crap. I'm completely fed up with it. So these three sentences sum it up for me. SCREW THE YANKEES. SCREW BUD SELIG. SCREW BASEBALL.

-- Joe Mitchell, Davenport, Iowa

I am schocked to discover that people with wealth and power have an advantage over the rest of us. I am sure that has never, neverhappenedd in history before!

-- Michael Bartley, Oregon City, Ore.