So the Yankee payroll is so high now its a joke but what about the payroll two years from now?
This site has payroll, buyout, and option money for each team that it pretty accurate.
As long as I'm reading this right, in 2006, without counting any buyouts or options (player, team, or mutual) they have $137M devoted to 9 players. That covers their 1B/DH, SS, 3B, C, 1 OF, 3 SP, and closer. As we all konw it takes 25 players to complete the roster. If all options are excercised, they have $164M devoted to 13 players. That covers 3 relievers and Bernie.
In 2007, excluding options, they have 78M devoted to 4 players (Jeter, Arod, Giambi and Jazquez). Counting options, it goes up to $130 by including Mussina, Rivera, Posada, and Sheff (8 players).
How long do you think their total payroll will be around/over $200M?
Giambi also gets $21 in 08 with a $22 option in 2009 with a $5 buyout.
Jeter gets $22, $20, and $21 in 08, 09, and 10
ARod gets $24 in 08, 09, and 10 with a buyout in 11. There's all sorts of incentives that can push his salary to over $32M. The Rangers are paying $6, $7, $8, $7, $6 of his from 06-10*so you can subtract that from their totals for those years.
The Yankees have decimated their farm system and therefore will be vitims to free agency. It takes at least a year or two for a draft pick to develop into a bonafide prospect and another year or two before they can even make it on a roster. How long do think they Yanks have until their bloated contracts to aging veterans start to hurt the franchise?
In the meantime, teams like the Brewers, Marlins, Expos, A's, Twins, Dodgers, DBacks, and many others all have between $0-$20 lined up for players from 06 and beyond.