For years I've heard agents sound the horn of the "free market" or "capitalism" at is best when they describe the sky rocketing salaries of their clients.

Does anybody else have a problem with this line of bizarre thinking?

Your typical business is run for profit.  Although the world is starting to recognize the efforts of business' that regard the environment with respect but typically money talks. 

Baseball on the other hand always seems to stray off the beaten path of Capitalism or Free Market economics usually onto the path of Stupidity!  WHY I ASK?  The answer is simple.

The half wit (in baseball terms) billionaire owners of too many franchises view the sporting world as a forum to boost their own inflated egos.  If these same owners ran their REAL business the way they run their teams then they'd be lined up for a meal at the local soup kitchen.

The agents of the baseball world prey on these helpless egomaniacs.  One against the other - $10 million here another 20 mill their - it's sickening.  

The real losers are the fans who take it on the chin - get up - bring their kids to the game buy a hot dog and a pop - to watch Manny or Barry or Alex saunter down to first base on a ground ball to the pitcher.  The fans who now are worried about their jobs - worried about putting apresent or two under the tree for Christmas - worried that they might be lining up at the soup kitchen.

All the while Manny threatens to retire because no ones showing him the love he deserves - Furcal's agent is so slippery next week he's entering one of those county catch the pig contests - but he's the pig - Hank and Hal think America's pastime is watching the Yankee's spend money so their dishing out faster than Congress can bail out the next fat Wall Street Tycoon.

The next time someone says something stupid like baseball salaries are free market economics at work - point the finger at one of the idiot owners in the news that week - make sure it's the middle one! 

Dodger fans beware.

Manny gave you a glimpse of what a focused and superior hitting machine waiting for a huge pay day could do in August, September and October.

Do you really want the "I just signed a huge contract" Manny in your clubhouse and Mannying Left Field for the next 3 or 4 years? 

Dodger baseball is pitching and defense.  While the days of Garvey, Cey, Russell, Lopes, Baker and Smith are gone the future looks bright with Martin, Either, Loney, Kemp, DeWitt, Broxton, Billingsley and Kershaw. 

The Dodgers are finally starting to reap the rewards of a once again productive farm system.  Let Manny be Manny somewhere else, let the kids play and pick up a couple peices to the 2009 puzzle in July for another post season run!

Now it's Burnett in Yankee pinstripes.   That's a lot of cash for a 31 year old pitcher that's won 87 games.   In this market what would Roy Halladay be worth?  I know Sabathia is a work horse but all those innings smell like a trip to Dr. Andrews is right around the corner.  I'm not a Yankee hater but it's easy to project misery for Cashman.

Burnett - 5 year deal - $82.5 million - one off year with elbow soreness, one year off for recovery after surgery, one half year learning to trust the elbow again and 2 1/2 years of good production - OUCH!

I hate to wish it on anyone but Sabathia also looks like a perfect candidate for arm problems.

While the Yankees build with more and more cash the Rays and their young home grown positional players and young studs in the starting rotation should only get better on the field.

OH and with the luxury tax on all that Yankee spending - they'll get another huge pay day to pay for all of that talent. 

I've got an idea for George and Hal and Hank - Change the name of the network from YES to MAYBE!

December 11th

Brian Cashman is either the luckiest GM in professional sports or he's damned to go down in a flame of Yankee money with Hank and Hal pouring gasoline on the flames. 

Don't the Yankees realize that the reason they won the string of championships in the 90's because of home grown products named Jeter, Posada, Rivera and Williams.  

Scott Brosius at 3rd, Knoblauch at 2nd, Ricky Ledee even Paul O'Neil never would have commanded top tier $$$.  They won because they had character and they played for the team. 

The Yankees can spend what they want to build there All-Star team and by doing so kick every average baseball loving, working stiff in the groin around the country but it won't buy them a championship. 

I've got three words worth somewhere around $450,000,000 - AROD - Giambi and Pavano.  Very few eggs in a very large basket!  Will history repeat itself?  For baseball's sake I sure hope so!!! 

Brian Cashman is either the luckiest GM in professional sports or he's damned to go down in a flame of Yankee money with Hank and Hal pouring gasoline on the flames. 

Don't the Yankees realize that the reason they won the string of championships in the 90's because of home grown products named Jeter, Posada, Rivera and Williams.  

Scott Brosius at 3rd, Knoblauch at 2nd, Ricky Ledee even Paul O'Neil never would have commanded top tier $$$.  They won because they had character and they played for the team. 

The Yankees can spend what they want to build there All-Star team and by doing so kick every average baseball loving, working stiff in the groin around the country but it won't buy them a championship. 

I've got three words worth somewhere around $450,000,000 - AROD - Giambi and Pavano.  Very few eggs in a very large basket!  Will history repeat itself?  For baseball's sake I sure hope so!!!