A Rocket Lands in New York...again

I'll keep this quick and to the point. The Yankees signed Roger Clemens to what is basically a six-month contract for some crazy amount of money (reported to be 28 MILLION dollars). Let me bottom line it for you folks - there is no salary cap in baseball, the Yankees make the most money in baseball, and that money is obscene. They also make the most for teams in the cities that they travel to, drawing upwards of roughly seven million people total. Add it all up, and they can spend their money how ever they want. Criticize how ever you wish, but George Steinbrenner is not afraid to go get whatever it takes to win.

It still means nothing. Will Clemens win every time out? Are the Yankees now the favorite to win the 2007 title? Reminder - they're still one game under .500, and five and a half games behind the Red Sox, who had this to say:

BOSTON -- In response to numerous media inquiries, the Boston Red Sox today issued the following statement:

"We met with Randy Hendricks earlier this week and, at Randy's request, made an offer to Roger Clemens. We offered a substantial salary and suggested, for health purposes, that Clemens return on approximately the same timetable as last year. Today we learned from Randy that Clemens has signed elsewhere."

All of this being said, the big money purchases have generally been poor at best for the Yankees, in terms of titles since 2000 (when I still think we made a deal with the devil). Yes they've been in the playoffs every year and made World Series appearances in 2001 and 2003 (and oh so close in 2004) but despite the advantages that a fat payroll can offer, it still doesn't buy a title. Even when it does give you the possible advantage, do the Yankees then break it up the next year (Florida Marlins...come on DOWN!)?

So Clemens is back. Yankee haters (Russo, that's you) bitch away! But the Yankees use the system and remember, with every move they pay a huge luxury tax that goes into the pockets of every owner. It's up to them to then spend that money how ever they wish. The Yankees aren't doing anything illegal. It's like when the 49ers and Cowboys did this same thing at one time in the NFL. They weren't doing anything illegal, so there was nothing that could be done about it.

Oh will talk radio be alive on Monday!