Dr. Tyler; Captain America

Let's see 2002, and then 2003 (where the team themselves are claiming a 30 million dollar deficit, not the league). IIRC, the team got their stadium in 2001, which would explain the original profit.

.... "Red" doesn't mean profit.

I ask again. Where does it say teams are losing money? MLB's figures aren't worth the paper they're written on. I'm using the Pirates because I'm most familiar with their situation. So, show me a report for the past three years that the Pittsburgh Pirates have been making money.

Pittsburgh had fans packing their stadium for the first year or so (until they realized the team blew) and they were still in the red.

They're also not in the red. What businessman is going to spend more money on a franchise that is losing him 30 million dollars a year? Name me one so I can ask him for a 0% interest loan of about 2 million bucks.

The Yankees will just sign another 10 free agents to replace them. And damn, baseball has been going a long time without a labor agreement...

I don't care if they're fucking Bradford, PA. They're still not a small market in any sport. It's no coincidence that the Rams and the Cardinals are both top 10 in payroll in their respective sports.

St. Louis has a high payroll in every sport they have a team... ...and it's considered one of the biggest sports towns in America. That's not a small market, dillweed. No need for personal attacks. St. Louis has a smaller population compared to other baseball cities. Sorry, tired. They're still not a small market.

Nothing, they'd still get some choice free agents because they're the Yankees. However, they won't get EVERY GOOD PITCHER on the market, or get first dibs of EVERY high priced FA in the league.

St. Louis has a high payroll in every sport they have a team... ...and it's considered one of the biggest sports towns in America. That's not a small market, dillweed.

Go ahead and do one, then.

Please. Anaheim is NOT a small market.

Oh, and Florida Marlins 1998, with a payroll almost to the Yankees'.

except that they don't have as much money? Why do the Yankees have more money? And if its New York, then why don't the Mets have this money? THEY DO.

Angels, Diamondbacks.

Hey, awesome, the small market teams can compete? How many series have they won in the last 10 years?

According to every independant analysis (including Forbes magazine), baseball is NOT losing money. Its called tricky accounting. Baseball teams are making plenty of money. BASEBALL isn't, but individual teams ARE. That's why you need profit sharing.

But when you only have a 5-6 year window with any prospect, what's the fucking point? You KNOW you're going to lose them after a few years on the team, right after they have their big season and bring you to the brink, but not quite over it. You talk about the A's and the Twins, but how many Series' have they won in the last 5 years?

Except when most of them are losing money year after year...

Sure, you don't want it to the level of football. However, right now, it's absurd that some teams have no chance to even get halfway to where the Yankees are. Why was there such a backlash against contraction? At this point, you'd might as well cut out half of the MLB's teams because they'll never make the series. I agree that this year was great, but this is the exception, not the rule.

Or Kendall... Or Derek Bell... But regardless, that team's gonna lose 30 million dollars a year anyway. Baseball sans a salary cap is going to always be the Yankess and every big market club against each other, with PERHAPS a Cinderella every once in a while.

Sure, but the small market clubs have no chance for the most part.

Adds more uncertainty to the regular season. Gives teams like the Pirates a chance to actually win.

Oh, shut up. It was an amazing, emotional game.

The only possible way I could cheer for the Yankees is for Moose to get his ring... ...but fuck the Yankees