I hate the Yankees.

[scottysprings]

I for one like the Yankees. So take that all you haters

[The_Admiral]

"Aw, Burnett's a prick. He can turn the double play himself for all I care."

"Well, I was gonna ground out to third, but Millar bought everyone pizza today. I'm gonna bat him in!"

[Shmee]

To the OP... deal with it. Tell your favorite team's owner to invest more in the team and stop whining about what George Steinbrenner does with his money. When he bought the Yankees, the team was in shambles. He's turned them into the biggest sporting property on the globe by being the most dedicated owner in sports.

Those who cite the size of the New York market forget that the Yankees contend with the Mets, Knicks, Nets, Rangers, Devils, Islanders, Giants, Jets, Cyclones, Staten Island Yankees, LI Ducks, Red Bulls, Broadway, and the best concert scene in the world for the public's entertainment dollars.

Entice more people to move to your city. Go to more games, buy more merchandise, and then maybe your team will spend more money than it does now. In the meantime, do not begrudge the Yankees their success. Jealousy is a very unattractive trait.

[TC]

"Aw, Burnett's a prick. He can turn the double play himself for all I care."

"Well, I was gonna ground out to third, but Millar bought everyone pizza today. I'm gonna bat him in!"

Is this your example of there not being team chemistry? If so, I meant in the whole MLB. Team chemistry is legit.

[The_Admiral]

Hypotheticals to illustrate how everyone's roles are specialized and isolated enough that the players' respective personalities are irrelevant. If liking or disliking your teammates affects the way you're playing baseball, you're not playing it at its highest level. You pitch, hit, field, and run to the best of your ability or you're outta here. Let's say you're at second. Grounder comes up the middle. Doesn't matter who's at short, you turn the double play. Let's say it's noted do-gooder David Eckstein. Does this make you work harder to turn the double play? That means that for anyone less, you're not trying your hardest. If it's some dickhole, do you let it roll into shallow center? Not if you want to play in the bigs.

[rams80]

Since when is team chemistry not a part of baseball? Let's hear some examples of how team chemistry does not exist in baseball. Do you have any for team chemistry? None for team chemistry? I think it does exist.

It's more limited than in other sports, though. Think about it. At its heart, this "team" sport is one guy swinging a bat in an effort to hit a ball thrown by another player. Where is the chemistry in that?

[JamieRose]

Oh-bla-di, Oh-bla-da, life goes on.

I do agree that a salary cap should be in place. This is from a die-hard fan of the 2nd biggest payroll.

[See Red]

Oh-bla-di, Oh-bla-da, life goes on.

I do agree that a salary cap should be in place. This is from a die-hard fan of the 2nd biggest payroll.

You're a Tigers fan?

[JamieRose]

Oh-bla-di, Oh-bla-da, life goes on.

I do agree that a salary cap should be in place. This is from a die-hard fan of the 2nd biggest payroll.

You're a Tigers fan?

Woah when did that happen?

[TFoA]

Oh-bla-di, Oh-bla-da, life goes on.

I do agree that a salary cap should be in place. This is from a die-hard fan of the 2nd biggest payroll.

You're a Tigers fan?

Woah when did that happen?

Last year when they went on THEIR buying/trading spree.

[See Red]

Oh-bla-di, Oh-bla-da, life goes on.

I do agree that a salary cap should be in place. This is from a die-hard fan of the 2nd biggest payroll.

You're a Tigers fan?

Woah when did that happen?

Last season. Mets were third, Sox were fourth!

[JamieRose]

Oh-bla-di, Oh-bla-da, life goes on.

I do agree that a salary cap should be in place. This is from a die-hard fan of the 4th biggest payroll.

You're a Tigers fan?

Woah when did that happen?

Last season. Mets were third, Sox were fourth!

Well I live under a rock, fixed it though.

[NJTank]

The Onion was only off by six years

Yankees Ensure 2003 Pennant By Signing Every Player In Baseball

[See Red]

Oh-bla-di, Oh-bla-da, life goes on.

I do agree that a salary cap should be in place. This is from a die-hard fan of the 4th biggest payroll.

You're a Tigers fan?

Woah when did that happen?

Last season. Mets were third, Sox were fourth!

Well I live under a rock, fixed it though.

But now it looks like I was wrong!

[STL FANATIC]

Hypotheticals to illustrate how everyone's roles are specialized and isolated enough that the players' respective personalities are irrelevant. If liking or disliking your teammates affects the way you're playing baseball, you're not playing it at its highest level. You pitch, hit, field, and run to the best of your ability or you're outta here. Let's say you're at second. Grounder comes up the middle. Doesn't matter who's at short, you turn the double play. Let's say it's noted do-gooder David Eckstein. Does this make you work harder to turn the double play? That means that for anyone less, you're not trying your hardest. If it's some dickhole, do you let it roll into shallow center? Not if you want to play in the bigs.

Do you believe that some guys step up their play in big moments (I'm not gonna get into "clutch" necessarily..)? Or whether their play steps up, step up their effort? Can rivalries or playoffs really bring out the best in some guys?

I think that is absolutely the case. But are those players not fit for the big leagues because they aren't always at their absolute best?

Heck no.

Almost all players give it their all and play as best they can period, but subconsciously, psychologically, whatever you will, players improve when they're comfortable and/or when the meaning of a game is significant.

And there is no shame in that.

Team chemistry ABSOLUTELY exists.

[JamieRose]

The Onion was only off by six years

Yankees Ensure 2003 Pennant By Signing Every Player In Baseball

That just made my life, thank you.

[The_Admiral]

Team chemistry ABSOLUTELY exists.

The Charlie O A's hated each other's guts and won world championships. Clearly they were unencumbered by lack of "team chemistry" and chose to instead do their assembly-line roles really really well.

I'll entertain arguments for team chemistry in basketball, and even make them, because it depends on interplay and communication and individuals working together and all that. Baseball's an assembly line, though. You get up there and plate the runners whether you like 'em or not.

[STL FANATIC]

I'd also like to add in this thread a much shorter version of what I posted in the other thread.

My problem with the Yankees crazy spending isn't that they're going to dominate the league. History shows that's no guarantee. Perhaps it's not even likely.

But they're "sign at all costs" mantra drives up the prices of every good player and it sure makes it hell on the teams that can't afford an unlimited budget to sign their stars.

This contract combined with A-Rod's makes Albert Pujols' value about $35 million a year. But who, outside of the Yankees and Red Sox, can afford to give him that?

The only good news is that by giving Tex this deal with no opt-out and a no-trade the Yankees won't be in the market for a 1B anytime soon.

[STL FANATIC]

Team chemistry ABSOLUTELY exists.

The Charlie O A's hated each other's guts and won world championships. Clearly they were unencumbered by lack of "team chemistry" and chose to instead do their assembly-line roles really really well.

Well fantastic. Of course that can happen.

Would you at least agree that a certain team chemistry exists in basketball? Shaq and Kobe hated each other and were unstoppable together.

But that doesn't mean good chemistry doesn't make a team better.

[The_Admiral]

It doesn't mean it does, either. I'm very confident in saying there's no clear causal relationship between getting along with your teammates and winning. Some players get along. Some don't. I can't quantify how it affects play.