Nippon Series & World Series

The Yankees of Japan, the Yomiuri Giants, have reached the top of Japanese Baseball. The Giants beat the Nippon Ham Fighters in game 6 of the Japan Series.

I watched a few games of this series and didn't think much of it until the Yankees won the World Series. The world seems to always surprise me with weird coincidences. Both the Yankees and the Giants are big time spenders in their respective leagues and countries and both teams were in a little drought. The Yankees haven't won since 2000 and the Giants haven't won since 2002.

Just a little information for my readers.

For more info, head over to the Japan Series Wiki or the official Yomiuri Giants webpage (warning, it is all in Japanese).

Worth $1,751,732?

2009 opening day payrolls according to USA Today.
Yankees - $201,449,189
Blue Jays - $80,538,300

Number of regular season victories.
Yankees - 103
Blue Jays - 75

Money spent per victory.
Yankees - $1,955,817
Yankees - $1,751,732 (World Series)
Blue Jays - $1,073,710

Difference per victory.
$678,022

A difference of $678,022 per win. Oh yeah, that includes a World Series championship. The old business mentality, "To make money, you need to spend money" holds true yet again. The Yankees go out and spend like crazy on talent and guess what happens, they bring home a championship. Not only are they bringing home a championship but they are giving themselves different revenue streams. Adding playoff games increases ticket revenue, all the merchandise from AL East champs, ALDS/ALDS champs, and of course the big one World Series champions gives the Yankees an opportunity to spend big time money on free agents and on their high salaries.

That is life and for all those fans who cheer for a losing team that spend almost nothing on salaries, you should be complaining to the owners instead of bitching about all the money the Yanks are spending.

If I was a rich S.O.B, I'd spend the extra $678,022 per game to win a championship, I'd do it in a heart beat. With the extra $678,022 spent on salaries, I'd recoup that in a second with TV rights, merchandise, and tickets sold. Actually, I would be making it all back and more.

Back on Top

The 2009 Yankees are officially the World Series champions.

For fans in New York this is a day that they have been waiting for since 2000, nine long years of not bringing home the championship. I'm still not 100% if I enjoy watching the Yanks taking home another title.

On one hand, I think it shows that with the proper owner with the proper attitude, any team can win the World Series. George Steinbrenner has deep pockets and is not afraid to show it by signing the best talent available on the open market. We all know owners from around the league have the money and resources available to them to sign the big time free agents but have chosen to penny pinch and make a respectable profit, not caring if the product on the field adds to the win column. Steinbrenner is great for baseball because he proves that the passion for winning will find it's path to the World Series trophy.

On the other side, how can baseball survive if only a few teams get all the big time free agents. The casual fan from the smaller markets, these are the ones that matter most, will stop attending games and basically take away the revenue source that is so badly needed by the owners. These teams will continually make a loss which may lead to a bankrupt team or one less baseball team for the Yanks to compete against.

I've thrown some thoughts out there but I still have plenty to say on this topic because it seems this topic goes on forever. It could go into salary caps, revenue sharing, aren't all teams "buying" championships, and the real reason for all this hatred towards the Yanks.

This team from day one was built to bring home a championship and they did. Now, the offseason will bring some changes to the pinstripes. Will they bring Matsui and his bad knees back? I doubt it. What about Damon? Maybe. They went with 3 starters for the playoffs. Can they do that again and succeed? I personally think they won't. Who are they going to sign to help AJ and Sabathia. Tons of questions to answer but we all know the Yanks won't have any problems finding money to sign them.

Dirty Lee

I have never understood how Cliff Lee does it. This lefty is not intimidating but seems to find his way through tough and almost impossible lineups without breaking a sweat.

Game 1 of the World Series was dominated by Cliff Lee. Throwing a complete game to lead his Phillies over the Bronx Bombers. Lee had 10Ks, 7 from the Yanks' 3-4-5 hitters.

Lee throws nothing more than a low 90's fastball and the Yanks couldn't find a run until the bottom of the ninth, which was unearned. If the Yanks are going to take the series they have to find a way to solve Lee because if everything goes as planned, Lee might be pitching game 4 and a decisive game 7 if it goes that far.

Anyone think A-Rod and Big Tex were a little nervous hitting on the big stage? Jeter, his usual self, had 3 hits and seemed comfortable playing in front of the world. I have a feeling if A-Rod and Big Tex don't find a way to contribute tomorrow in game 2, they are going to struggle for the rest of the World Series. Once the pressure is on and their names are all over the sports pages they will squeeze that bat a little tighter which will make things worse.

Why the hell is Swisher still starting? I know the Yanks don't have a talented backup but who ever they put in RF would contribute no worse than Swisher. Guy is hitting .144 with 12 freaking strikeouts. Bench his ass now. Bring Hinske in and see what he can do.

Lidge is Back

Not sure if the playoffs and games that truly meant something is what Lidge needed but it seems the 2009 playoffs have given Phillies closer Brad Lidge a new life. After an amazing 2008 season where Lidge converted every save opportunity he was given he completely fell apart in 2009. Blown save after blown save, inflated ERA, and just simply an awful year.

So far, he has delivered in the 9th inning converting 3 saves. The one thing that peaks my interest is his walks. He is still walking batters at a rate that is not going to benefit him in the future or the Phillies if he continues to follow this path. In 2.1IP, he has 3 BBs. Free passes will eventually come back to haunt you.

Just weird seeing a pitcher fall from grace so quickly and then jump back up to the promised land in a blink of an eye. I still fear for Lidge because he just doesn't seem like he is all there. I do hope he falls just so I can see Joe Torre battle it out with the Yanks in the World Series. If the Yanks make it that far.