OVERPAID, AND JUST PLAIN OVER!
Yankees pay big bucks and get big whammy for aging veterans




By: Russ Rose
Special to Yankees Talk Shop
May 4, 2005

Tonight’s performance by Kevin Brown should be a big wake up call to George Steinbrenner. Paying big money for overrated stars isn’t working. The formula of the 1980’s isn’t working any better now than it was then.

In case you haven’t been following all that has been going on in the past couple of years the New York Yankees have gone from first to worst in both the standings and in getting quality performances from their highest paid players.

In the aftermath of the 2001 World Series Yankees owner George Steinbrenner looked west and coveted a free agent first baseman by the name of Jason Giambi. In order to do that Steinbrenner turned his back on the man who successfully replaced Don Mattingly at first base. That man was Tino Martinez. Martinez who helped deliver five appearances and four championships in the World Series was shown the door in order to make room for a behemoth of a man in Giambi. Giambi had been the 2000 American League MVP and was the runner-up in 2001. He hit home runs, drove in runs, had a great eye and could hit for average. So what if he had less than superior defensive skills. His offensive numbers would more than make up for any lapses using his glove.

In 2002 Giambi performed pretty much as advertised. He hit .314 and knocked in 122 RBI while depositing 41 balls over various stadium walls around the major leagues. However, over time a deep dark, but suspected secret would come out. In 2003 Giambi stumbled out of the gate and never repeated his first year with the Yankees. His home run production was the same, but his RBI production dropped from 122 to 107. His average dropped from .314 to .250 and his strikeout rose from 112 to 140. Something definitely wasn’t right. In the 2003 playoffs Giambi basically disappeared. In the World Series against the Florida Marlins Giambi knocked in only one run and hit one home run. His batting average for the six-game series was .235

Over the winter the MLBPA and MLB agreed on a drug testing program. When spring training started in Tampa, Florida signaling the beginning of the 2004 season Giambi showed up noticeably thinner. He told reporters he only lost four pounds of fat while changing his diet. Anyone with half an eye could see Jason was much slimmer than would be indicated by a four pound loss in weight.

As the season progressed Giambi started missing games due to various injuries. Rumors swirled around that he was very ill, but neither he nor the Yankees would spill the real reason for Giambi’s illness. All anyone knew was he was experiencing weakness and lack of stamina.

Around the beginning of September, 2004 the New York Post broke a story saying that Giambi was being treated for a tumor near his pituitary gland. As reported these types of tumors are often associated with steroid use. Giambi only appeared in 80 games while hitting .208 with 12 home runs and 40 RBI. Not great production from a guy who only two years ago signed a 7-year, 120 million dollar contract.

During the off-season Giambi, along with other prominent MLB players, was subpoenaed to testify in the now infamous BALCO case. Information leaked from the secret grand jury hearings indicated that in his testimony before the grand jury Giambi admitted he knowingly used performance enhancing drugs while playing major league baseball. Giambi’s secret was apparently out. He later apologized to the New York fans, the media and team(mates), but never really said what he was apologizing for?

Giambi promised to bounce back for the 2005 season, saying his physical problems were behind him. He was ready for a fresh start. So what has happened so far this season? Giambi has played in 24 of 27 games while hitting below his reported weight (.217/230 lbs). He has hit 3 home runs and knocked in 6 RBI. He is still able to draw the walk, but he has 25 strikeouts compared to 16 walks. Is this what George Steinbrenner paid $120 million for? I think not.

What makes this situation so surreal is the Yankees signed a free agent first baseman to play first base, while Giambi got swings as the designated hitter. The name of that free agent is Tino Martinez. What’s that saying? What goes around comes around?

Let’s look at another disaster by the name of Kevin Brown. You know the same selfish guy who decided to break his left hand in the middle of a pennant race last year by punching out a clubhouse wall.

Brown or KB as he is “affectionately” known was brought over from the Los Angeles Dodgers before the 2004 campaign in a trade that sent snake bit Jeff Weaver west. Brown was in the final two years of his 7-year, $105 million contract. Steinbrenner was hoping for the pitcher who went 14-9 with a 2.39 ERA for the former Brooklyn Bums. Instead, he got more of what he sent west. Although, he amassed a 10-6 record Brown bloated his ERA to 4.09 during which he spent two tours on the disabled list. The latter was due to the aforementioned self-inflicted physical abuse he heaped upon himself. The Yankees hierarchy and teammates wanted to kill this guy, but murder is still a huge infraction on the law books.

Hoping against hope the Yankees were praying Kevin Brown would rediscover the form that made him one of the most intimidating and feared pitchers in baseball. They wanted the guy who had some of the filthiest stuff on the planet. Instead of getting lemonade the Yankees have gotten lemons.

What is Brown’s line so far in 2005? How about an unimpressive 0-4 record with an ERA of 8.25? Brown has given up 22 earned runs on 41 hits in 24 innings of work. That is nearly one run per inning. Is this a $15 million dollar per year player? That’s not even pitching in single A ball.

The list of underachievers almost appears endless. Bernie Williams? He’s making over $12 million this year, while hitting .247 with one home run and 9 RBI. He has mercifully been benched as he can no longer make a decent throw from shallow center field to throw out a runner tagging up from third base. Another free agent acquisition named Jaret Wright was signed to pitch for the Bombers at $7 million per year for three years. So far Wright has earned a record of 2-2 with an ERA of 9.15. Wright’s .500 record is thanks in part to a 19-8 drubbing the Yankees gave the Tampa Bay Devil Rays earlier in the season. As of now Jaret Wright is cooling his heels on the disabled list.

Right now only Alex Rodriguez (who had a very sub-par 2004 season), Derek Jeter, Gary Sheffield, Carl Pavano and, earlier, Hideki Matsui have earned anywhere near their salaries. If you want to see who is overpaid with how they’re performing so far this season I invite you to click on this link [url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/teams/salaries?team=nyy]2005 salaries[/url] and you’ll see what I mean.

This aging team isn’t getting any younger. Old age, over-spending and a depleted corps of minor league players may have finally caught up with the Yankees. We may be witnessing the beginning of a collapse feared by Yankee watchers for some time now. We may be harkening back to those dark days known as the 1980’s. It’s too early to give up on this team yet, but the vital signs aren’t good. If this team sinks any lower life support may be too late to save it. The Yankees have a proud tradition and now is the time for every player to gut check themselves and ask if they have what it takes to make it to the top of the mountain one more time. All we can do is hold our collective breaths and stand by. Right now this is an overpaid and over-the-hill team playing like a bunch of geriatrics. Are the Yankees finally over or just overdue? We will all find out very shortly.


PLAY BALL!


© 2005 Yankees Talk Shop @ ezboard.com

Redistribution, rewriting, rebroadcast, or republication of this story is prohibited without the prior written consent of Yankees Talk Shop and it's affilitates