Yankees Win the Best Thing for MLB

NEW YORK -- Oh, it was a loaded question, all right. The guy that I expected to answer was Bud Selig, whose role as baseball commissioner expands beyond the new sacred walls in the Bronx that feature the plaques of Yankee greats.

I asked the question anyway.

Given the mystique of pinstripes, television ratings that soar toward the farthest black hole at the sight of the interlocking "NY" in white against blue caps, baseball rock stars Derek Jeter, A-Rod, Mariano Rivera and the rest -- I mean, doesn't it help the entire game whenever the Yankees win it all?

Well, it does. Nobody cares about the Tampa Bay Rays in October or November, for instance, except those with too much time on their hands around the Skyview Bridge over the Gulf of Mexico. The world is dominated by Yankee lovers, Yankee haters and few in-between, and everybody knows it.

Instead, after hearing my question, Selig did what he had to do. He changed the subject involving the significance of the Yankees' slide past the Philadelphia Phillies at Yankee Stadium in Game 6 on Wednesday night for a 27th world championship.

"This is a year that I guess I'll never forget, given the fact that the economics of the sport were so difficult and because of the environment that we live in, and I said in July (at the All-Star Game) that this was our greatest year, and to have a postseason like that to finish it off, is just remarkable," said Selig, straight-faced, daring me to rephrase my original question, and I didn't. I got the message: the commissioner preferred not to discuss the truth about the Yankees, because he really couldn't.

Since baseball commissioners are into the phrase "politically correct" as much as "in the best interest of baseball," Selig is going to perpetrate the myth that the game is better when the Rays do what they did last season. That is, the Rays bored much of the nation after they sprinted out of nowhere with their slew of no names to take the American League pennant over the famous Yankees.

For verification of the "Who cares?" factor regarding the Rays, you nearly had remotes clicking away from the World Series last season at a record pace.

It isn't just the Rays. Nationally and internationally, nobody wants to see the Colorado Rockies on the verge of a world championship. The same goes for the Houston Astros and the Arizona Diamondbacks, both among the many teams to scare the daylights out of the networks and the rest of us by reaching a World Series since 2000 -- the last time the Yankees won one before this one.

Worse, during that stretch, the Florida Marlins captured a second world championship as a wild card, and they shocked the Yankees in the 2003 World Series. Not even those in Miami care about the Marlins, because they've finished last or next-to-last in baseball attendance after each season for the past 12 years.

You also had the Chicago White Sox taking the 2005 World Series, and they have zero national appeal. In fact, baseball fans in their own city care more about the guys on the north side. Plus, you had the 2002 world champs who were so confused about their lack of notoriety that they didn't know what to call themselves. They still don't know. They are the Los Angeles Angels now, but they were the Anaheim Angels back then, and they were the California Angels before that.

I know. Courtesy of the Boston Red Sox exorcising their curse during the past nine years with two world championships, they have their little Nation in response to the bigger Yankee Nation. But this Red Sox thing is fleeting. Elsewhere, more than a few people in Philadelphia (and I stress in Philadelphia) were pleased that the Phillies spent last season grabbing their first world championship in 28 years, and the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals thrilled their large and loyal fan base with their world championship.

You may yawn now.

It's all about the Yankees.

And the Yankees are all about the Steinbrenner kids continuing as splendid clones of their father -- George. He's the ailing Boss these days at 79, but to hear Yankees general manager Brian Cashman tell it, none of that matters. After all, George's sons Hal and Hank are in charge of a franchise that just collected its seventh world championship since the Boss bought the Yankees in 1973.

"I think this probably is the proudest moment of George's career, because not only has he secured another world championship, but his sons are the ones who delivered it," said Cashman, who fudged a bit with his statement. Courtesy of the $209 million that the Steinbrenner sons allowed Cashman to spend for the Yankees' current payroll, Cashman is the one who "delivered it."

"I think this probably is the proudest moment of George's career, because not only has he secured another world championship, but his sons are the ones who delivered it."
-- Yankees GM
Brian Cashman Among others, Cashman acquired CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, A.J. Burnett and Nick Swisher, all key to pushing the Yankees toward a baseball-leading 103 victories during the regular season and this world championship.

Hank Steinbrenner smiled while reflecting on his father who attended Game 2, mostly in seclusion. The Boss was back home in Tampa when Robinson Cano tossed to Teixeira in the ninth inning for Wednesday night's final out.

"We all talked to him, very briefly," said Hank, referring to Hal, as well as their sister, Jennifer, who also is part of the Yankee hierarchy. "He was fine, he said. And he always says the same types of things. You know, when Mo (Mariano Rivera) is in the game pitching, he'll say, 'Oh, he's something, isn't he?' Or he'll say the same thing about (Derek) Jeter, or he'll say the same thing about A-Rod, Andy.

"I mean, he's very proud of all of them, right on down the line. But at the end, it was just emotion on his part."

Just like the emotion of joy or of hatred generated everywhere by another Yankees world championship, which is splendid for baseball.

Whether Selig says so or not.

Terence Moore is a national columnist and commentator for FanHouse. He is a frequent panelist on "Rome Is Burning," an ESPN show hosted by Jim Rome, that is seen Monday through Friday at 4:30 PM ET. Moore spent more than three decades working for major newspapers, including 26 years as an award-winning sports columnist for the San Francisco Examiner and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He resides in Atlanta.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

11-06-2009 @ 1:49AM

Frank and Angela said...

Let me understand what you are saying Mr. Moore and correct me if I'm wrong. The state of baseball is fine as long as the Yankees are the champs. As a matter of fact, if I'm reading you correctly now, the Yankees should at least be in the world series every year, win or not. Perhaps you should include other high market teams such as the Dodgers or the Angels because of high TV ratings. Why play the regular season. Just go right to the playoffs in April including only teams from the 6 largest television markets so the ratings will always go over the top. As a baseball fan, I say you are so wrong you should write another article retracting what you just said.

11-06-2009 @ 12:42PM

tonytiger18 said...

As a Yankee fan, I do agrre with you Frank.

Competition is good at any level whether it is in sports, business, or every day life.

I belive that what Terrence stated is off the mark.Perhaps, he should have stated that mediocre teams are bad for the game, and include that owners that don't strive to make their teams more competitive are also bad for the game.

Their is no intensity when viewing a very good team playing an inferior team, in any sport.

Do I get energized when the Yankees play the Red Sox, Angels or the Phillies? Of course, I do.

But, I don't get that same energy when they play the Royals or the Pirates or any other team that is inferior. But, I still watch those games as well.

11-12-2009 @ 2:26PM

leolovesfreddy said...

HEY FRANK

11-06-2009 @ 4:37AM

jannepeter said...

Well I happen to be an avid baseball fan for over 40 years. I do love to see teams like the Twins or Rays in the World Series. Because the system allows a team like the Yankees to purchase a world series buying up every one of the top free agents I have decided to never watch another game. I am now going to be strictly football fan where there is parity and some promise for most any team. Your theory does not apply to me as my TV will be off next baseball season and I do not think the game will ever pull me back as a fan.

11-06-2009 @ 2:47PM

THE HAWK said...

Maybe you should tell your team to spend some money.
By the way The Red Sux, White Sox, Mets, Dodgers, Phillies have salaries well over $100 Million dollars. So why is it that the Yankees are the only team accused of 'buying' a title. Is it ignorance, stupidity or 'jess plane jellisie'

11-12-2009 @ 2:06PM

YOU LIE

11-06-2009 @ 6:56AM

Geezer said...

Who cares whether anyone "wants to see" the Rays or Rockies? They were the best teams in their leagues those years and deserved their place in World Series history. Why should they get their accomplishments taken away because the Yankees bought another one?

11-06-2009 @ 8:14AM

simplyaok said...

I think the "so called" people sittng around the "Skyview Bridge" would be appalled Terence. It's the Skyway Bridge!!!! Ditto on the rest of your article..

11-06-2009 @ 9:10AM

ftheyanks said...

This is the biggest bunch of bs I ever read.facts to the pigs running MLB 2012 is the end of the collective barganing agreement.Facts every team in baseball other then maybe the yanks and that pig stienbrenner want a salary cap.And last of all fact if the yankless team were thrown out of the leage right now MLB would survive.ftheyanks

11-06-2009 @ 10:24AM

Bilal said...

do you ever post with a collective head or is it always just blowing smoke?

11-06-2009 @ 9:33AM

psu74dl said...

here is a little factoid for all of the Yankee haters out there. The Yankees ownership cares more about winning then they worry about making money. Most all other owners out there care about one thing and one thing only and that is putting money in their pockets instead of purchasing talent to put on the field. Salery caps will never work just take for example Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, Cleveland Browns all of these teams are at the cap limit but they still stink.

When baseball looks at the Tv ratings and see how many people watched the world series this year they know that the reasons they watched were to see the Yankees Win or to see the Yankees implode and lose. Either way 85% of the viewers could care less about watching the Phillies as was proven last year with the lowest rated series of all time. So what they are saying is right by the Yankees being in the World Series win or lose is definatly a good thing for baseball...

For all of you haters out there tell your team owners to start spending the luxery tax money that they recieve every year from teams like the Yankees and Red Sox on putting talent on the field instead of putting another Ferrari in their garage.

11-07-2009 @ 10:57PM

Jon-Erik Nissen said...

Sure, tell someone else to spend THEIR money. Let's get some sanity here. The FACT is, the Yankee$ MAKE more money than other teams. For other teams to spend like the Yankers, would require them to LOSE money. Does that make ANY sense to any of you? As for the luxury tax; that is a joke. What each team gets is a pittance, once it is divided up. Wouldn't even pay for one A-Roid.

11-06-2009 @ 10:26AM

If they yankees were out, Baseball will fail... Believe that. You know how much money other teams make off the yankees? Please, get your facts straight people.

11-06-2009 @ 11:07AM

yjustraceing said...

The Yankees still suck they play weak teams.And they should not be called world champs when they did not play any one in the world.and that goes for all the teams.It should be League Champions,well good luck to the newyork Fankees they suck!!!

11-06-2009 @ 11:46AM

yjustraceing ;
you can't realy be this dumb, can you?

They play Toronto 18 times per year, They are a Canada Team which would make it a foreign country. Is that good enoungh for you Corky!!! Go put your helmet back on...lol

11-06-2009 @ 6:07PM

ernaldgb said...

Mr. Moore, you are mistaken. I root for underdogs all the time, and I'm sure there are more than a few others like me. It is a joke to endorse what the Yankees stand for: profligate spending designed to buy championships. Can anyone actually believe that spending the kind of money the Yankees did last offseason, the kind of money no other club has, bought them another ring? Might as well call you Gordon Gecko! "Greed is good!" The Yankees as a franchise are greedy, their fans are greedy mixed with an overwhelming sense of entitlement, and the players on the team acquired through free agancy are the greediest of all. Anyone with half a brain realizes baseball deperately needs a salary cap, not a luxury tax that the Yankees just laugh at.

11-06-2009 @ 6:08PM

pahudhomes said...

Hawk you're an idiot. The Yankee payroll just for the 4 free agents they picked up is MORE than the ENTIRE payroll of Tampa, Royals, Pirates probably combined. They spend friggin money like Obama and our government. To be a Yankee lover is OK but when is baseball going to realize the only salvation for saving the sport is a salary cap like the NFL. Sort of brings back the "any team can beat any other team on a given Sunday" Not so in baseball. Let's bring the big spenders back to earth an install a cap.

11-06-2009 @ 6:14PM

God Bless You said...

LETS GO YANKEES; I beleive that the Yankees are baseball think about it every where I go and I like to trave North, South, East and West you see Yankee hats, shirts, banners, jackets etc. etc. now if that doesn't tell you something then you are just to stupid to understand or just blind, no I don't beleive the Yankees should be champs every year because why watch or go to games when we know who will win but let's face it who do you think brings in the money, because thats what it's all about, alot of people say the Yankees spend to much money, how about what they draw in to the game of baseball from fans. I see games on tv when the Yankees play on the road and I hear LET'S GO YANKEES in the the visiting ball park and the seats are full when they come to town you don't see that with other ball clubs not the Phillys, or even the Redsox think about that and tell me rather you hate them or love them like I do if the Yankees are baseball any way to finish, the Yankees are and always will be the best in baseball so eat your hearts out and remember LET'S GO YANKEES next year number 28 Ha!! Ha!!

11-06-2009 @ 6:26PM

I'm back to change my mind. Since television revenues are so important to MLB as a business, then, yes, the Yankees are best for baseball. Too bad that doesn't translate to being what's best for fans all across the country.

11-06-2009 @ 7:54PM

athunontop said...

This writer is flippin nuts! Only yankee fans (and thats the only ones defending his column) think they are good for the game. The NFL has supplanted baseball as America's game..why?? because in any given year, the fan's favorite team has a chance because of the weighted schedule depending on the finish the previous year and the salary cap. And that is GREAT! The yankees are hated across the country NOT because they win the most, but because they WIN BECAUSE THEY BUY THE PLAYERS! The only yankee players worthy of respect are Jeter, Posada, Riveria...because they are long time core players..not purchased after another club trains them.

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