Todd Jones Cries About Yanks Spending

Retired Tigers closer Todd Jones writes a blog on SportingNews.com. Today he had this rant (hat tip to Scott Proctor's Arm) about the Yankees, their spending, and us fan. (I think Jones is just bitter about his 1-3 record with a 5.59 ERA against the Yanks in his career. Or maybe it's his 0-1 record and 14.85 ERA over the last three.)

First there was CC Sabathia. No one thought too much about that signing. The Yankees usually act like the spoiled only child who threatens to hold his breath until he gets what he wants. They wanted pitching, so they signed him. Now all Sabathia has to do is win 20 games and/or the Cy Young Award every season for the next seven seasons.

Then, there was A.J. Burnett. He was the first pitcher to use his opt-out clause to the tune of five years and $82.5 million. That's cool. He has the big fastball that general managers and fans love, and he won a career-high 17 games in 2008. Good for him.

But now comes Mark Texeira. I'm talking eight years and $180 million. And he's not even the highest-paid player on his new club?

Is it just me or does he sound very bitter?

Now that the Yankees have spent so much and have future Hall of Famers up and down their roster, they're supposed to win. Anything short of reaching the World Series will be a disappointment.

Uh, Todd, this isn't anything new. Where have you been? This is the Yankee way. 26 World Series championships will do that to you.

That is no way to go through a season. Baseball turns into a job really fast when you strap such an 800-pound gorilla on your back the first day of spring training and carry it around during a six-month-long regular season (and perhaps into the postseason).

I wonder if Yankees fans ever blush. What's so special about pulling for the bully at the end of the street who beats up on the smallest kid in town? What's cool is when you're rooting for a team that comes from nowhere. Most of us like the underdogs, and they still have their day in baseball, as we saw with the Rays this past season.

The Yankees should know by now that money can't buy a championship. You know, I have a feeling this won't turn how the Yankees are planning.

Why are people acting like this is something new? The Yankees spend money, it's what they do, and it's what they have done - for many years now. This fake outrage that so many people have shown in recent days is ridiculous. Get over it, and move on with your lives.

In 2009 the Yankees will likely have a smaller payroll than they had last year. Nobody seems to care about this. To me it sounds like something pretty significant, but that's just me. Yes, they signed the big three free agents on the market, but overall they should actually CUT spending. And in the process, they've made themselves a whole lot better.

Regarding us fans, I love rooting for the Yankees, and yes it's fun to root for the Yankees too. What's better than rooting for the most successful team in professional sports that's also consistently trying to improve themselves? It's certainly not rooting for the Minnesota Twins.

Also, I'm getting a little tired of Yankees fans being upset or ashamed that their own team spends money like the Yanks do. They spend to put the best product possible on the field. Isn't that exactly what every fan wants from his or her team? You think any Marlins or Pirates fan would feel bad if their team's spent the kind of money we do?

Don't feel bad, feel proud. After all, you're a big part of what makes this possible. If it wasn't for us fans the Yankees couldn't spend the way they do. We buy the four million tickets each year, we buy the hats and jerseys, we watch the YES network. And seriously, would you rather if Hank and Hal just pocketed the money? I know I wouldn't. But I guess then nobody could complain and make you feel bad, right?