Baseball Toaster: Bronx Banter : Beneath the Surface

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Alex:
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The Ugly Truth About the New Yankee Stadium
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Alex:
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Roger Angell
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Bill James
Pat Jordan
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Jane Leavy
Michael Lewis
Tim Marchman
Marvin Miller
Rob Neyer: Part 1, Part 2
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Buck O'Neil
Joe Posnanski
Alan Schwarz
Joel Sherman
Tom Verducci

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Juicing the Game by Howard Bryant Part 1 Part 2
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How About That! by Stephen Borelli
The Crowd Sounds Happy by Nicholas Dawidoff
The Last Nine Innings by Charles Euchner
Clemente by David Maraniss
The Soul of Baseball by Joe Posnanaski
Glenn Stout and Richard A. Johnson:
Yankee Century: Part 1 Part 2
Red Sox Century: 1 2 3 4
The Dodgers: 120 Years of Dodgers Baseball

Players

Major Leauge Roster:

Infielders:
J. Giambi BR BP E MLB
R. Cano BR BP E MLB
D. Jeter BR BP E MLB
A. Rodriguez BR BP E MLB
W. Betemit BR BP E MLB mi
C. Ransom BR BP E MLB mi
J. Miranda BR BC mi

Outfielders:
B. Abreu BR BP E MLB
J. Damon BR BP E MLB
X. Nady BR BP E MLB
H. Matsui BR BP E MLB mi
B. Gardner BR E MLB mi
M. Cabrera BR BP E MLB mi

Catchers:
I. Rodriguez BR BP E MLB
J. Molina BR BP E MLB
C. Moeller BR BP E MLB mi
F. Cervelli BR BC mi

Starting Pitchers:
M. Mussina BR BP BC E
A. Pettitte (L) BR BP BC E
P. Hughes BR BP BC E mi
C. Pavano BR BP BC E mi
A. Aceves BR E mi

Relief Pitchers:
M. Rivera BR BP BC E
J. Chamberlain BR BP BC E
D. Marte (L) BR BP BC E
J. Veras BR BP BC E mi
E. Ramirez BR BP BC E mi
B. Bruney BR BP BC E mi
D. Giese BR BP BC E mi
C. Britton BR BP BC E mi
P. Coke (L) BR BC E mi
D. Rasner BR BP BC E mi
S. Ponson BR BP BC E mi
D. Robertson BR BC E mi
H. Sanchez BC mi

15-day DL:
C. Wang BR BP BC E
60-day DL:
J. Posada BR BP E MLB
J. Albaladejo BR BP BC E mi
A. Brackman BC

Coaches:
J. Girardi (Mgr) BR BP BC
R. Thomson (Bench) BC
Kevin Long (Hit) BR
D. Eiland (Pitch) BR BP BC
B. Meacham (3B) BR BP BC
T. Peña (1B) BR BP BC
M. Harkey (Pen) BR BP BC

40-man Roster:
AAA
S. Duncan BR BP E MLB mi
J. Christian BR BP E MLB mi
I. Kennedy BR BP BC E mi
C. Wright (L) BR BP BC E mi
J. Marquez BR BC mi

Designated for Assignment:
B. Traber (L) BR BP BC E mi

Select Minor Leaguers:

AAA Scranton Wilkes-Barre Yankees:
B. Castro BR mi DL
C. Basak BR BP BC E MLB mi
E. Duncan BC mi
N. Green BR mi
B. Broussard BR mi
M. Carson BC mi
C. Stewart BR BP E MLB mi
J. Brown BC mi DL
K. Igawa (L) BR BP BC E JB mi
M. Melancon BC mi
J.B. Cox BC mi
S. Strickland BR BC mi
S. Jackson BC mi
E. Milton BR BC mi DL
V. Zambrano BR BC mi DL

AA Trenton Thunder:
K. Russo BR mi
R. Peña BC mi DL
C. Malec BC mi
M. Vechionacci BC mi DL
A. Jackson BC mi
C. Curtis BC mi
E. Gonzalez BR mi
P.J. Pilittere BC mi
J. Jones BC mi
G. Kontos BC mi
J. Nuñez BC mi
B. Smith BC mi DL
A. Claggett BC mi
O. Perez BR BC mi
M. Gardner BC mi
K. Whelan BC mi
W. Arias (L) BC mi

A Tampa Yankees:
E. Nuñez BC mi
C.J. Henry BC mi DL
T. Battle BC mi
K. Anson BC mi
J. Gil BC mi
A. Horne BC mi DL
Z. McAllister BC mi
W. De La Rosa (L) BC mi
C. Garcia BC mi

Low-A Charleston RiverDogs:
J. Snyder BC mi
M. Cusick BC mi
B. Suttle BC mi
A. Romine BC mi
J. Montero BC mi
D. Betances BC mi
J. Heredia BC mi
J. Ortiz BC mi
C. Heyer BC mi

Low-A Staten Island Yankees:
D. Adams mi
P. Venditte mi

Rookie Gulf Coast Yankees:
C. Joseph mi
C. Smith mi
K. Higashioka mi

Key:
BR = Baseball-Reference
BP = Baseball Prospectus
BC = Baseball Cube (past mL stats)
mi = MiLB.com (current mL stats)
E = ESPN (current splits, game logs)
MLB = MLB.com hit charts
JB = Japanese Baseball.com

The Recently Departed

2008 Yankees:
R. Sexson BR BP E MLB
M. Ensberg BR BP E MLB CLE mL
A. Gonzalez BR BP E MLB mi WAS
K. Farnsworth BR BP BC E DET
L. Hawkins BR BP BC E HOU
S. Patterson BR BC mi SD

Nady/Marte Trade:
J. Tabata BC mi
J. Karstens BR BP BC E mi
R. Ohlendorf BR BP BC E
D. McCutchen BC mi

2008 Campers/mLers:
C. Woodward BR BP BC E MLB PHI mL
J. Lane BR mi BOS mL
G. Porter BC mi WAS mL
J.D. Closser BR mi SD mL
S. Henn (L) BR BP BC E mi SD
H. Phillips (L) BR BC mi TB mL
S. White BR BC mi

2007 Yankees:
J. Torre (Mgr) BR BP BC LAD
D. Mientkiewicz BR BP BC E MLB PIT
A. Phillips BR BP BC E MLB mi CIN
J. Phelps BR BP BC E MLB STL
M. Cairo BR BP BC E MLB SEA
K. Thompson BR BP BC E MLB mi PIT
B. Sardinha BC mi SEA mL
W. Nieves BR BP BC E MLB WAS
R. Clemens BR BP BC E mi
T. Clippard BR BP BC E mi WAS
L. Vizcaino BR BP BC E COL $7.5m/2yrs
M. DeSalvo BR BP BC E mi ATL mL
M. Myers (L) BR BP BC E LAD mL
R. Villone (L) BR BP BC E mi STL
S. Proctor BR BP BC E LAD
J. Brower BR BP BC E mi CIN mL
C. Bean BR BP BC E mi ATL mL

2007 Campers and mLers:
E. Durazo BR BP BC E MLB mi
A. Cannizaro BR BP BC E MLB mi TB mL
A. Chavez BR BP BC E MLB mi LAD mL
K. Reese BR BP BC E MLB mi
R. Chavez BR BP BC E MLB mi PIT mL
O. Santos BC mi BAL mL
T. Pratt BR BP BC E MLB
T.J. Beam BR BP BC E mi PIT mL
B. Kozlowski (L) BR BP BC E mi Japan

Molina Trade:
J. Kennard BC mi

Abreu Trade
M. Smith (L) BR BP BC E mi PHI
C. Monasterios BC mi PHI
J. Sanchez mi PHI

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Beneath the Surface

2006-07-27 12:13

by Alex Belth

Neil deMause has a column in the Villiage Voice about politics, the city of New York and the New York Yankees.

City documents newly uncovered by the Voice reveal that the New York Yankees billed city tax- payers hundreds of thousands of dollars for the salaries of team execs and high-powered consultants to lobby the city and state, thanks to the team's sweetheart lease deal engineered by the Giuliani administration.

"You've created this weird circular situation where the city is, effectively, paying with taxpayer money to have itself lobbied for potentially more taxpayer money," says Common Cause's Megan Quattlebaum, one of several government watchdogs who were dumbfounded when the Voice told them last week about the deal. "Taxpayers would not be pleased at all to hear that the city is subsidizing someone to come back and hold their hand out to lobby for more."

And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Continue reading if you have the stomach for such things.

Comments

2006-07-27 12:37:46

1. bobtaco

"As a result, according to the city parks department, which oversees the teams' leases, from 2001 to 2005 the Yankees charged the city $15.97 million under the "planning cost" clause; the Mets, $20.2 million."

What's funny is that they itemize a lot of the Yankees' charges, but never go on to mention any of the Mets'. After saying in the beginning of the article that the Mets charged the city almost 25% more.

The title of the article is "Yankee Lobbyists on Taxpayers' Tab". Not to excuse the shadiness of the financial dealing here, but doesn't this seem like a double standard to anyone else?

2006-07-27 12:48:39

2. Knuckles

No kidding. Shady as the article is, it's also pretty slanted. I must have missed the disclosure at the end saying:

"The Village Voice owns 17% of the New York Metropolitans Baseball Club, NESPN, the Boston Red Sox & Bud Selig's used car lots, and is wholly owned by a subsidiary of the NY Times and Steve Phillips's 401(k)."

2006-07-27 12:56:06

3. Ravenscar

Because no matter what is going on with the Mets, the Yankees are absolutely, positively the flagship sports franchise of the city and therefore the nation.

This is what will bring the issue to head, not stories on Fred Wilpon, who 95% of America and half of New York City doesn't know or care about. EVERYONE knows Steinbrenner.

To think otherwise and then whine about the Mets is naive, in my opinion. Yes, the big business of the Mets also sucks HARD, point definitely made and accepted. Now that it's admitted, your point is what?

I apologize for my tone and being so pointed, but it DOES deflect from the larger issues, I think.

2006-07-27 12:59:21

4. Simone

What a slick scheme. The rich get richer. This is just the way it goes.

2006-07-27 13:22:44

5. Alvaro Espinoza

I glossed this pretty quick (maybe too quick) but the article appears to focus on shady billing issues, specifically, in 2004. Yet, by it's own admission:

"Most of the $4.1 million that the Yankees charged to the city in 2004, records show, went for legitimate stadium expenses..."

And unless I missed it, while the Voice sought comment (and was declined) from the Parks Dept, Mayor's Office, et al., they never sought comment from the Yankees.

Hey, if these allegaions are true, (1) the Yanks should reimburse the city and (2) those municipal employees in charge of overseeing these expenses should be held accountable but the article is without any semblance of counterpoint.

2006-07-27 13:24:39

6. Shaun P

I think this would be more likely to make me actually gnash my teeth and rend my garments than, say, seeing T-Ball Long back up in the majors with the Yanks. At least if I was a NYC resident.

Is there anyone here who doesn't think that $36 million could have been better spent on something worthwhile? What a crock of ____________.

2006-07-27 13:38:54

7. vockins

I think the current Yankee Stadium is a dump, but if this is the cost of new digs, screw it. I'm fine with the way it is.

And the new seating arrangement looks crappy anyway.

2006-07-27 13:49:15

8. Max

IMO, this is all on Giuliani's hands. Rudy wrote the lease that allows the baseball teams to get away with murder. Sadly, it's not uncommon for politicians like Rudy to get away with stuff like this as they're leaving office, though the current administration should be doing the proper audits to prevent such broad interpretations of permissible deductions.

2006-07-27 14:23:08

9. marc

I'm sorry if I don't share anyone's outrage. This deal was done shortly after 9/11, the economy stunk and the stock market was falling and the anthrax scare was in full bloom at the time. Wall Street firms well all in various planning to move some or all their operations from the financial district. It was a time when just getting into crowded places like baseball stadiums left some people wondering if it was worth the hassle and risk of going through screening to get in and then facing potential death by some terrorist attack that would provide terrorists instant worldwide publicity in a place like Yankee Stadium.

So I really don't see a big problem in trying to make deals with appropriate incentives to assure that marquee places like stadiums would get built so "the terrorists don't win", the a phrase used to tell people to go shopping and every other trivial way of maintaining normal life.

So I'm more disturbed by the booing of a-Rod than this story which was not really put in context.

2006-07-27 14:41:16

10. Chyll Will

8 Sadly again, an instance like this played out in the Heartland is enough to assure him the nomination in 2008 should he decide to run. I wouldn't expect anything of the sort from current administration unless Bill Thompson starts to spontaneously channel Shirley Chisolm.

New York politics is way to arcane to allow the public to do anything about it.

2006-07-27 15:35:24

11. Ron Burgundy

This is shady business indeed. But I seriously dislike how the Mutts have charged the city even more and are mentioned just ONCE in the whole article.

2006-07-27 15:38:48

12. joejoejoe

The Yankees play in an historic ballpark (refurbished in '75) in a dense urban landscape. The new Stadium will consume one of the few open park spaces, Macombs Dam, in the South Bronx.

The Mets play in Shea, built in '64, in the middle of an mixed commercial neighborhood with lots of low value property available for development. Flushing Meadows/Corona Park is a massive open space for residents of Queens.

The situations are not interchangable.

2006-07-28 07:12:13

13. jayd

Speaking for all my Fellow Americans Across the Fruited Plain (FAAFP), let me tell you I am shocked, SHOCKED, that such public sector arrangements are taking place using taxpayer dollars.

And to those of you who are not consultants or have little business experience: "Consulting: If you're not part of the solution, there's good money to be made in prolonging the problem."

2006-07-31 17:53:31

14. neil demause

Just ran across this thread (I was on vacation last week, with only dial-up access - the horror...), and wanted to respond to a couple of the questions raised:

For technical reasons, it was easier to file a Freedom of Information Law request for the Yankees' documents, so we did that first; as noted in the article, a request for the Mets' documents is pending. So while it's possible the Mets did the same thing with their lobbying costs, we don't yet know - hence the Yankees-only headline.

And I did call the Yanks (and Mets) for comment on the story, along with various city agencies - neither returned my calls on the subject. I'd actually meant for the article to indicate that, but it must have gotten lost in either the editing process or the crappy cellphone connection I was using to give last-minute updates to my editor.

Anyway, I'll be doing followups, either in the dead-tree edition of the Voice or on its Power Plays blog, so rest assured this story isn't over. If it turns out Fred Wilpon was charging taxpayers for Mr. Met's laundry bill, I'll do my best to give it a banner headline.