Why the Yankees Will Suck in 2009

For those of you asleep for the last two weeks, well, you have missed a lot of freaky things.

Wake up to the world where the New Orioles are paying over $11 million per year to have Jamie Walker and Danys Baez setup for the showstopper Chris Ray (congrats J Schubes).

Adam Eaton, a potential #4 starter gets an $8 mil per deal and even those asleep know about Juan Pierre and Gary Mattews Jr.

The new collective bargaining agreement, signed about 3 weeks ago, combined with the overall financial success of the game has left baseball owners with such deep pockets that Manny Ramirez's 37 million dollars owed to him over the next two years is being talked about all over ESPN like it is cheaper than my local bodega.

It's nice to see these athletes get paid a lot. Their lives aren't already sweet enough.

But there is one reason why I could not be happier with what is going down in baseball. Simply put, the Yankees will suck in 2009.

This is not 2002 anymore.

The Yankees can no longer simply outbid other teams for the top players' services. Three years ago is there a chance that Matsuzaka doesn't end up in the Bronx? No way! And that is just with regards to the Red Sox.

But what has happened in Baltimore is the perfect indicator of the Yankees' eventual failures.

Last year, the Yankees were willing to pay Kyle Farnsworth "closer" dollars to "setup" in the Bronx. The Yankees and only the Yankees could afford to do this.

This year, the bottom feeding Orioles gave Baez 3 yrs and $19 mil to do the same ($1 mil more than the Yanks paid Farnsworth).

Another example comes with the Indians' David Delluci signing yesterday. This guy would be the perfect fit as the Yankees' utility guy and #4 OF heading into next sesaon. Unfortunately, the Indians gave him $11.5 mil to protect Big Pronk and co. in Wahoo Land.

The perfect example, though, is Barry Zito. The Yankees always need pitching. Last year they had only two dependable starters in Mussina and Wang. Of course they would want to get their hands on an ace like Zito.

Only now, so do 10 other teams with cash to burn.

There is simply too much money spread around baseball for the Yankees to purely outbid other teams. This is Part 1 for the Yankees' soon-to-be demise.

Part 2.

The Yankees are no longer the most attractive team to play for in New York.

Over the last six years America has witnessed a dynasty crumble. In 2000 the Yankees were led by a Hall of Famer in the making, Derek Jeter, 27, who would go on to lead the Yankees to many more titles.

All the big names wanted to join this dynasty, and join them they did.

But every year something new went wrong.

In '01, Mariano faultered.
In '02, there were those damn rally monkeys
In '03, they couldn't overcome those pesky kids in Florida
In '04, need I say anything here

In '05, that is when it truly unravelled. A-Rod's a bum; so is Big Unit (that's $41 mil worth of bum).

Finally there is year. The wheels totally spun off. The '06 Yankees were more of a soap opera than that show with the little midget that everyone loves.

Everyone was looking to pass the blame somewhere else.

One day it was that A-Rod is a bust. Another day it was that the invincible Torre had lost control. Even Jeter caught some blame.

All of a sudden the Yankees are a circus.

And why would a player want to jump in with the clowns when he could show up in Queens?

The Mets '06 look a lot like the formation of a dynasty. Not 1 but 2 marquee kids, Reyes and Wright.

A clubhouse filled with smiles and camaraderie.

And all of a sudden, a team that looks like it could be winning for the next 5-7 years.

So, not only are the Yankees unable to outspend their opposition to land the marquee players, they are not even the most viable option in their own city to land a big name.

Funny too, I was reading something the other day about how Henry Blanco wouldn't come to the Mets in '03, that he took less money to go elsewhere.

Funny how things change.

Part III: The Old Get Older.

Mussina:37
Johnson:43
Rivera: 36
Posada: 35
Giambi: 35
Jeter: 32
A-Rod: 31
Abreu: 32
Damon: 33
Matsui: 32

The entire Yankee team outside of Cano, Cabrera and Wang is passed its prime. Who knows where they will be in two years?

Rivera should be long retired as will Unit and Mussina.

Jeter's little inside-out swing will be a step slower and result in a few more pop ups and strike outs.

Unless Balco makes an even more potent steroid than is already on the market, than Giambi is done.

This is a team on the decline. With the Red Sox and Blue Jays continuing to reload, both young and old, I honestly believe that the Yanks might finish third this coming year in the East.

If not this year, well certainly in '09.

The Yankees have been doing everything that they can to stock up their empty farm system.

The trade for Humberto Sanchez is a nice start. But he has arm troubles. Pretty much the entire future of the Yankees rests in the shoulder of their prized pitching prospect, Phillip Hughes.

While Hughes is supposed to be as legit as they get, he really makes up 100% of their top notch prospects.

When the old get older, when there aren't enough young bodies to bring in, and when your bank account can no longer get you out of trouble, bad things start to happen.

I love baseball.

Vaya con dios.

Sip