Stop saying $189 million.

"If the Yankees were actually to fall not just out of first place but all the way out of the playoffs, I suspect there will be a groundswell for the organization to behave like, well, the Yankees.

In 2008 when the Yanks missed the playoffs for the first time since 1993, they invested $423.5 million on CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and A.J. Burnett. The further impetus was provided by the need to fill an expensive new stadium opening in 2009."

They won the World Series that year.

"And I wouldn’t be surprised if, after all the talk about getting under the $189 million luxury tax threshold for 2014, the Yankees U-turn should this season end poorly. They are not going to jeopardize the brand — worth billions — to save the millions available via the new collective bargaining agreement for going under the threshold."

Hank and Hal are trying to sell a Shoe Dini to you.

 

Don't buy it.

If the Yankees win the World Series this year ... if they sweep the playoffs, winning every game by 10 runs ... they should still make a U-turn and spend more than $189 million.

 

 

"Since the end of last season, four teams invested more to assure a playoff spot in 2013 than any others and if the season ended today, none would be in the postseason:

* The Marlins bought free agents Heath Bell, Mark Buehrle and Jose Reyes to build — by far — their largest payroll ever and the seventh-largest in the game. By midseason, Miami was in sell-off mode and today is a last-place team.

* The Angels made Albert Pujols the second-highest paid player in baseball and also signed C.J. Wilson. Total offseason investment: $317.5 million. That wasn’t enough, so in July the Angels traded three of their top eight prospects to Milwaukee for Zack Greinke. They have all of that and arguably the greatest rookie year ever being produced by Mike Trout. Yet, they not only have so far failed to accomplish the mandate — overtake the Rangers to be the supreme AL West team — but actually also trail the A’s."

Sure, you should need to spend the money wisely.  Nothing guarantees a playoff spot: High payroll, low payroll, young team, old team. new stadium, old stadium.

Would the Angels be better off without Albert Pujols?  Of course not.

Is Joel Sherman really saying that the A's are the new model for success?  Because I can list a lot of low payroll teams who are purty darn bad.  Like every low payroll team besides the A's.