Yanks’ restraint bothering their rivals

Via ESPN’s Buster Olney:

There is a certain amount of eye-rolling that goes on in the ballparks of rival teams — and in the offices of agents, for that matter — whenever the Yankees or Red Sox indicate that they can’t afford a particular player or general advancement in payroll.

The other day, I wrote here that the Red Sox had only about $5 million left to spend, according to a source. And, at the same time that Boston is going through its version of cost containment, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has reiterated that the Yankees’ budget line, believed to be just under $200 million, is a hard cap. “Let’s face it; they could step in and get anybody they wanted,” said a general manager. “It’s like a billionaire saying he couldn’t afford a new vacation home in Hawaii.” Granted. But for their own reasons, the Red Sox and Yankees appear to have lines they won’t cross for now (Check back before the trade deadline, because presumably the purse strings will be loosened for those two teams).

The manner in which the Yankees have operated this winter must truly annoy many of their Major League brethren. Currently, the prevailing perception of the organization is that of a spendthrift, though Hal Steinbrenner, a self described “budget person,” is slowly trying to lesson that characterization, as the Yankees cut their opening day payroll in 2009, and appear poised to issue another cut, albeit a modest one, in 2010. And, despite the Yankees’ payroll trimming and regardless of what is done to address left field, with the additions of Javier Vazquez, Nick Johnson, and Curtis Granderson, the Yankees could actually start the regular season with a better team, on paper, than they had this past season (in a year where a World Series trophy was raised).

Last winter, the Yankees were hated for their spending, as they signed high-priced free agent after high-priced free agent. It was a loud display of what the ball club was thought to be. This winter, they Yankees are hated for not spending as they have chosen, instead, to exercise a savvy yet relatively inexpensive strategy in order to better their organization. This is beyond the confines of what people normally expect from the team and, for that reason, they’re terrified and angered by it. Hell, if the Yankees somehow managed to sign Matt Holliday (which is very unlikely), many in baseball would probably be relieved knowing that the Yankees were still the Yankees.

Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images