The New York Yankees

No meta-commentary here, just a little rant about the New York Yankees, who in the wake of signing Tex have now spent around 345 billion dollars in the last 2 weeks on 3 players.

And I know, they were just replacing money that was coming off the books, but who gives a shit really.

They'll find a way to blow it again this year.

Nevermind, I just heard Evan Roberts say that signing Tex improves their "clubhouse presence."

No you red-headed idiot, signing Mark Texiera improves their HR, SLG and OBP. He also claims that this move now makes the Yankees "The Team to Beat" in the AL. I've always hated this expression when it is thrown around professional sports. In the last few years we have seen huge amounts of parity in baseball. There have been different WS winners every year for what seems like a decade now (BoSox excluded). And there have been countless feel-good stories about teams who have made the playoffs who don't have high payrolls.
(Bill Plaschke's note: "Said feel-good teams have all done this with hard work, bunting, and eating dinner together every night. Also sharing cabs after the game. And showering together alot.")
I'll use the 2008 Rays as an example because they are fresh in everyone's mind to make my point;which is EVERY team is the team to beat in baseball. The Yankees payroll has consistently been the highest in baseball every year, and they STILL find new and exciting ways to fuck up. I'm sure they will find a way this year. Their lineup, while stacked and nausea-inducing, is really not that much different than what they've been running out there for close to ten years now. So for Mr. Roberts to say emphatically, "NOW THE YANKEES ARE THE TEAM TO BEAT," reeks of nonsense.