The New York Yankees won the World Series on Wednesday and reclaimed their status as the greatest sports franchise in the world.
Even the staunchest of Yankee-haters can’t deny it – no other team has a history of dominance over its sport the way New York does.
Since the advent of the World Series in 1903, the Yankees have won the Fall Classic 27 times (or 25 percent of the time). The next closest team is the St. Louis Cardinals, who have won 10 World Series.
Although the greatest team in all of sports has a multitude of reasons to be adored and admired, many – if not most – people have nothing but disdain for its success.’
The immortal Linda Ronstadt once sang, ‘Everybody loves a winner,’ which seems to be true unless the Yankees are the subject in question.
But what makes so many people despise the Yankees?
It could be because some fans suffer from payroll envy. The Yankees have the highest payroll in Major League Baseball at $206.8 million – $67.8 million more than the next highest team, the New York Mets.
The Yankees have also signed players to the four largest contracts in the history of baseball: Alex Rodriguez ($275 million), Derek Jeter ($189 million), Mark Teixeira ($180 million) and CC Sabathia ($161 million).
Disapproving fans must realize is that New York’s 2009 payroll is about what it was when the team failed to make the playoffs in 2008.
Perhaps some baseball purists are upset because certain past and present members of the Yankees have been accused of taking performance-enhancing drugs.
First of all, A-Rod was caught taking a supplement that was not illegal when he failed his PED test. He has never broken MLB’s steroid policy, unlike embattled slugger Manny Ramirez.
Second, no baseball era is pure.
Segregation kept Babe Ruth from having to hit against Satchel Paige or any of the other great Negro League pitchers.’
Dock Ellis claimed to have thrown the only no-hitter of his career under the influence of LSD.’
Plus, many pitchers such as Joe Niekro used to illegally doctor baseballs to get more movement on their pitches.
Maybe jealous fans are fed up with reading and hearing about what they perceive to be a team of superstar prima donnas.
The Yankees are a team of humble, blue-collar multi-millionaires who just love to play baseball. But more importantly, they’re great people.’
The Journal News in Westchester, N.Y., reported that hours after the Yankees clinched the Series on Wednesday, manager Joe Girardi ran across a busy New York parkway to help a stranded motorist who had crashed her car into a wall.
Throw in Kate Hudson turning A-Rod’s career around and A.J. Burnett’s pie-in-the-face celebrations, and 2009 was a season to remember for Yankee baseball.
So can’t we all agree to put away our petty differences and enjoy the birth of a new Yankee dynasty together?’
After all, they’ll probably end up signing your favorite player next time they file for free agency.
