The New York Yankees. The most expensive average team.

With the signings of Jacoby Ellsbury, Hiroki Kuroda, Brian McCann, and Carlos Beltran, the Yankees have definitely gotten better, but with the talent comes big paychecks. This year the Yankees are expected to pay out 230 Million dollars in player salaries. This sits $60 Million over the luxury tax threshold in which their owner George Steinbrenner has said multiple times he would like to get his team’s payroll under that number.

            For those that do not know, the luxury tax was created in order to give small market teams a chance to compete by putting money into their pockets in order to allow the owners to spend on the team. It changes year to year and has increased every year. Teams that spend over the luxury tax pay a 22.5% per dollar over the limit. When a team goes over multiple times, they pay more per dollar. Currently the Yankees stand at 40% per dollar. Now you know why Steinbrenner wants to get under this number.

            For this year, it might not be a problem. The Yankees can such it up and set a team with a payroll under the tax in the near future. The problem is, the Yankees have now locked themselves into over $100 Million of guaranteed money to players up until the year 2017, pending any trades and releases during that time. So why is Steinbrenner paying out all of this money?

            The Yankees have not won a World Series since 2009, and before that 2000. Looking closely at last year’s most important statistics (arbitrarily speaking), they finished 24/30 in Batting Average, 22/30 in Home Runs, 16/30 in Runs, and 26/30 in OPS. Not once do they rank in the top half. Their pitching was not much better. They finished 18^th in Earned Run Average (ERA), 14^th in Strike outs, 25^th in Opponent’s Batting Average, and 26^th in Walks allowed.

            The Yankees pay top dollar for what looks like mediocre talent. However, the Yankees have gone through some injuries, but I still feel homegrown, low salary players is better than buying the best free agents out on the market.