Hal Steinbrenner wants to put an end to the New York Yankees' free-spending ways, and restore a balance between youth and experience on the roster moving forward.
"I shouldn't have to have a $200-million payroll to win a world championship," Steinbrenner told reporters Wednesday. "It's been proven over and over again. The last couple years, the money that has come off (the books), we've had to put it back in to fill voids because we haven't had the young players to do it with."
New York has handed out some of the most expensive contracts in baseball over the past decade, and traded away many top prospects in order to bolster its roster for multiple playoff runs.
NOTABLE CONTRACTS
| PLAYER | CONTRACT | FREE AGENT |
|---|---|---|
| Alex Rodriguez | 10-year/$275M | 2018 |
| CC Sabathia | 8-year/$186M | 2018 |
| Mark Teixeira | 8-year/$180M | 2017 |
| Masahiro Tanaka | 7-year/$155.5M | 2021 |
| Jacoby Ellsbury | 7-year/$153M | 2022 |
| Brian McCann | 5-year/$85M | 2019 |
The Yankees greatly benefited from the promotions of right-hander Luis Severino and first baseman Greg Bird in 2015, perhaps setting a precedent in the club's thinking regarding young players moving forward.
"I've also said we need a good balance," Steinbrenner said. "This is New York; we need marquee players. We know that. But we also need the veterans, and we need the kids. We need the veterans to be mentors. ... Young kids need mentors, especially when you're playing in a big market like New York. You need guys who've been in the limelight and championship games."
The Kansas City Royals captured World Series glory with a payroll of around $125 million in 2015, while the Yankees spent nearly $220 million.