Amidst all of that champagne in the Twins locker room a few weeks ago, all I could think of was the celebration going on in New York, marking another year in which the Minnesota franchise has held off significant revenue sharing.
Sure, the Twins may be a great story of David winning admits a world of Goliaths, but in the end their limited success only hurts the chances of the other small-market teams like Cleveland or Milwaukee.
With a payroll that, until the recent long-term contract given to Joe Mauer, was as bare-bones as there is in baseball, the six division titles that the club has brought to the Twin Cities since 2002 have given the Yankees and other high rollers in baseball a perfect opportunity to point out that revenue sharing isn't necessary.
They are quick to note that it isn't a lack of payroll that has left Kansas City, a once prominent major league organization, with just one winning season since the 1994 strike. Instead, they say that if the Twins can do it, anyone can.
While the other major sports leagues, such as the NBA and NFL protect the little guy with salary caps and more concrete revenue-sharing tools, MLB just continues to roll on with the little-mentioned but oft-noticed philosophy that money can and should rule. To be honest, I cannot see the value in being a diehard Yankee fan.
At least a Red Sox fan can point toward the drought and say that their recent success is but the fruits of a long labor. At least the Philly fanatics can say that their franchise was the laughing stock of the NL East until the middle of the past decade.
I'll never forget that great ESPN commercial where the four-year-old (and I think this was shown around 2005 or 2006) Yankee fan cried, ""A man of my age and I ain't never seen a title"". Sure, it was great sarcastic humor, but it is unfortunately reminiscent of the attitude taken both by the majority of Yankee fans and the team's leadership. Justified or not, the Yankee organization operates under an assumption of entitlement when it comes to winning.
They take for granted their postseason appearances (hence the joyous handshake Joe Girardi used to celebrate their clinching victory in Toronto) and complain when those appearances end in ultimate defeat. Just look at the end of Joe Torre's managerial stint in New York and its pretty obvious that this is a franchise that is arrogant to its very core.
With that in mind and despite all my complaits, I have to say that I like baseball as is. The lack of parody in the game is what keeps me attuned. Being a devoted Cleveland Indians fan, I know in my mind that failure is usually the result of a summer of devotion, but each and every spring my heart is full of hope. Knowing that the odds are against my team and others like it, the fleeting moments of glory are that much more enjoyable.
The Cavs winning another division title last year was but a footnote to the larger question of when Lebron would bring a title to Cleveland (the answer we now know to be never). But when the Tribe pulled off a division title and got to within one game of the World Series in 2007, the division title celebration seemed to include all Clevelanders, not just the 40 or so players and coaches on the field.
So Yankee fans, you can have your yearly postseason appearances, your dependable division titles, and even your 27 World Series titles.
What you cant have is the pride of following a team that works through the hardships of disparity and the struggles of rebuilding just to get that one moment in the sun. That moment, that division title, even that come from behind win to pull the season record to 70-92: That is what makes baseball worth watching.
Have any good reasons to love the Yankees? Is there a good explanation to the Twins success? E-mail Max at: max.sternberg.yahoo.com.
