Don't be fooled, the Yanks won't win it

Daniel Cohen's column regarding the New York Yankees in the February 17,\n2004 issue of the Indiana Daily Student was put to the press' before the\nreports surfaced that Greg Maddux will sign with the Yankees. Stay tuned\nto the Indiana Digital Student for more on Maddux and the Yankees.\nwww.idsnews.com/sports\nWhat's wrong with baseball?\nNot the Yankees. At least not entirely.\nIt's that the Texas Rangers will be paying Alex Rodriguez until the year 2016. This technically means they are paying a player on another team to beat them. \nThat is what's wrong with baseball. \nBut simmer down my fellow Yankee haters, relax, take a deep one and listen up.\nThe Bronx Dollars will not win the World Series. I promise. \nWith the acquisitions of Sheffield, Brown, Vazquez, A-Rod and others, the Yanks have the scariest roster since ... thinking ... exactly.\nOnly a few teams have an All-Star shortstop. The Yankees have two. \nThey have the most explosive talent-rich team I have ever seen on paper.\nBut for a team so rich in history, they're overlooking the structure of the past three World Series Champions. Talented? Of course they were, but the Marlins, Angels and Diamondbacks relied on chemistry, arms and the strategy of creeping up on teams. \nMoney will give them their best chance, but even the Yankees won their World Series when no Yankee finished among the top three for MVP voting. \nWhen all is said and done, the Red Sox addition of Curt Schilling and Keith Foulke will be more valuable then the addition of A-Rod. \nGive me a proven 20-game winner and a dominant closer, and you can have Rodriguez. \nI can just see it now. Maybe if some New Yorkers would straighten their hats, they could see it, too. The East Coast Empire will crack, crumble and then fall. \nIt all begins with an A-Rod April swoon adjusting to the real Second City and then a Giambi knee, a Brown shoulder and a few Steinbrenner faints later, the Red Sox will be cruising atop the now A.L 'B'East. \nOK, maybe not cruising. In fact, the Yankees may even win 120 and the Division, but even though Jeter and A-Rod on the left side is like owning Boardwalk and Park Place -- with hotels -- Schilling and Pedro in a four-game series is even more frightening. \nOh, so you just think I'm just digging deep for excuses and faulty reasoning to explain why the Yankees won't win it?\nIs it possible I am just bitter and pissed off the Yankees are so good? \nAll right, I can't do this anymore. \nThe gig is up, my cover has been blown. Unless my crack and crumble theory comes true, there is no reason why Steinbuyer should not win the crown. \nThe pin-stripers are stacked deep, but unlike Ray Skillman's automobiles, they don't come cheap.\nTheir projected 2004 payroll of over $200 million will be the largest payroll in sports history!\nThe luxury tax, paid by teams over the salary cap, can be renamed the Yankee cap since they are the only team to have paid it last year.\nTo generate some needed revenue, the Yankee P.A. announcer will have to address the Yankee's infield as Jeter, brought to you by Visa and Gatorade, Giambi sponsored by Arm and Hammer and Rodriguez of www.MLB.com.\nThe Yankee's infield of Giambi, irrelevant, Jeter and Rodriguez will be better then most people's fantasy infields. \nSo to make it fair, I propose this:\nThe Yankees play minus a second baseman. Who needs one, when you have arguably the best two infielders ever. \nTwo-time Gold Glove winner Rodriguez must play third base with the actual gold steel glove given to him. \nAlso, like in little league baseball, once the Yanks bat around, the inning is over.\nAll right, I think my bitterness has calmed and my jealousy has cooled -- even though the Yankees have as many All-Stars as the entire A.L Central Division. \nBut gosh darnn it Aaron Boone, what the hell were you thinking? Why can't you fish in the off-season?