I used OPS+ for offense and Helton was much better (Helton:119/122/163/160/147 vs. Teixeira:102/131/144/126/150). Fielding stats are a little tougher but according to UZR/150 (available on Fangraphs.com) Helton’s been a better defender lately than Teixeira so it would stand to reason that he was better when they were both the same age. Also Baseball Prospectus’ stats have Helton as better fielder. Since both of them agree that Helton is/was a better defender, I doubt that you can say Teixeira is a superior fielder. Throw in the fact that Helton was more durable (played in 97% of his team’s games vs. Teixeira’s 93%) Helton was the superior player. Maybe not far superior but clearly the better player. And since the Rockies owe Helton $56.9m for the next three seasons (adding in his 2012 buyout), not sure that contract worked out too well for the Rockies. Now maybe Teixeira will age better, but then again, maybe he won’t.

So in a few years with Teixeira turns into Todd Helton (signed at the same age but a much better player)

They were about the same with the bat, but Teixeira is a much better defender. So total value, Teixeira a good bit better.

However, signing free-agents to huge contracts is ultimately a losing proposition since you are paying players for what they have done, not what they are going to do. Now it’s possible that it doesn’t really matter for the Yankees since they have an unlimited supply of money but eventually they are going to be stuck with an aging or ineffective Teixeira, Burnett and Sabathia. They can’t go out and get another 1B until Teixeira contract runs out, same thing with the pitchers. So in a few years with Teixeira turns into Todd Helton (signed at the same age but a much better player) they are still going to have to keep him because he’s untradeable and even the Yankees wouldn’t cut a $20m+ player.

Yes, as a fan (or ex-fan) of the Colorado Rockies I am very happy that the Yankees can outspend everyone, its very exciting and makes me really look forward to the upcoming season.

And they do have defenders even among the small-market teams. “They just got a luxury-tax bill of $26.9 million, didn’t they?” another AL official asked rhetorically. “They always pay, don’t they? The other teams cash their checks, don’t they?”

“The Yankees are great for baseball, just like the Red Sox and the Cubs are great for baseball, because they generate interest and they generate money for all of us. Today, somebody is going to pick up a paper overseas and there will be something in there on the Yankees’ signing of Teixeira. Do you think that would happen if there was some trade between small-market teams? People pay attention to the Yankees, and that’s good for our sport.”

And even if their payroll is higher than last year; if it is close to last years with all the moves they are making, it is still a brilliant piece of general managing

The Yankees shed $88m in payroll this offseason. With Sabathia ($23m), Texeira ($22.5m) and Burnett ($16.4 million), New York added $62 million. This leaves them still $26 million under last year’s expenditure. Essentially, they could add Manny Ramirez or an Andy Pettite-Adam Dunn combo and break even.

Did you read the link someone posted in the last Teixeira thread? Youre not taking into account other expenditures, arbitration raises, Nick Swisher, ARod & Cano alone will have their salaries go up by a combined 8 mil. They’ll still have around the same payroll as last year, if they are done spending now. Which they’re probably not.

And I am REALLY tired of people weaving recession comments into this shit. Yeah its really irresponsible for billionaires to continue what they always do. And is it in no way irresponsible for the people who can’t really afford to buy Sabathia jerseys and pay a hundred bucks for tickets to the new stadium to do so, no, its all the billionaires fault.