I have to disagree with the observations made in today's bottom. Yes, the Yankees will still have money to spend. However, with the luxury tax and revenue sharing bills that Steinbrenner will have to fork over, he'll at least "think twice before paying $12 million for a sixth starter (Sterling Hitchcock) or $22.25 million for a set-up reliever (Steve Karsay)."

Winners and Losers of the new agreement

We can debate in 4 years whether the middle market teams have done any better keeping players with higher salaries, rather than losing them to the higher paying teams (ala Jason Giambi). And maybe now that the Tigers have a brain in the front office, they'll be much closer to competing then. Who knows about the Royals and Brewers and Devil Rays.

So some of the questions for the offseason: (1) Where will the Expos be? (2) How will the free agent market go money-wise? (3) Will the players and owners improve the draft? (4) How much can Oakland and Minnesota improve now that they will have a little more revenue coming their way next year?

But as the NY Times astutely said today, Steinbrenner is all about winning and this won't keep him from the big fish. I don't think much has changed.

There is no guarantee that the teams that GET money out of the Yankees and the one or two other teams who might spend over the limits will use that money to pay for player salaries. The amounts that teams have been getting the last few years were basically pocketed by those teams. So my guess will be not much changes.

[ August 31, 2002: Message edited by: Joe in Philly ]

But at least, if they want to keep the fans, some of those teams might spend the Yankees' money. If they don't, it will be known by the fans of those teams that the owner really doesn't want to compete, so they'll at least cut their share of the owner's dough. Then he'll have to use the Yankees' money because he won't have any revenue of his own.

But yes, you are right. It will be interesting to see what happens in Minnesota, KC, Tampa, Miami, and Detroit in the next 4 years.