When they won in 1996, they had the tenth highest payroll.
No, the idea that the Yankees just buy titles is a myth. Do you know how many of the current Yankees are homegrown? (A majority.) That’s doing it the old-fashioned way.
If small-market teams can never compete, how do you explain Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Tampa beings in the playoffs? How do you explain Arizona in 2011? They’re at a disadvantage, true, but they can compete if they decide to. Unfortunately, too many teams would rather lose, whine, and collect welfare from the large-market clubs.
A hard salary cap would merely inhibit creative clubs from competing. It would bring down player salaries without having much effect on the competition.
Typical Horse Crap from a Yankee throne sniffer.
They had the highest payroll in 1996 by 10% over the next highest team. They also had a median per player salary almost 30% higher than the next highest payroll.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/mlb/salaries/1996/all/team/all/
Try some facts. They sell better.
The fact is that New York ALWAYS buys it’s championships. And all major league teams are MOSTLY home grown. It is in the ability to supplement your roster with the likes of A-Rod and the ability to resign your home grown talent through outspending your competition.
The idea that the majority of the league should have to plan on competing once every decade through herculean effort of the front office while New York simply writes checks is bologna.
The fact that almost every other team is unable to financially afford to spend half what the Yankees spend every year is more than a disadvantage. It is outright stupidity for the league to allow it. It destroys competition and reduces the popularity of the game.