Steinbrenner prints his own money

Roger Clemens announced his return to the Yankees as Andy Pettitte giggled like a girl who has just been ushered into her surprise sweet-sixteen party. Clemens, meanwhile, looked like Steve Carrel in "The Office" announcing something that he thinks should get everyone into a state of ecstatic bedlam except he has a creepy smile on his face and everyone is a little less than enthused. How can any fan be genuinely excited about a 45 year-old pitcher joining your basement dwelling team. Sure he is a needed shot of adrenaline, but who can honestly see him being the catalyst for a playoff run. The best the Yankees can hope for here is that he becomes a solid piece of a staff that will pitch productively across the board. He is definitely an exciting player to have on your side and he will bring an intensity to the pitching crew that seems to be absent form this year's club.

The biggest issue that stands out here is that his signing is sure to launch the merry-go-round of criticism about the Yankees’ spending habits and Steinbrenner’s tactics. We’ll hear the same sly jokes and then be reminded that their bank-busting payroll hasn’t done shit lately. Steinbrenner will be personally called out again as a spoiled brat walking through a toy store pointing at things that he wants and throwing a tantrum when he doesn’t get what he wants. In fact, I could just see him standing in Clemens’ agent’s office acting out Isla Fisher’s (the redhead) performance in “Wedding Crashers” when she was asking her dad if she could bring the boys back to their lake house.

Next we will begin to rehash the whole argument that the Yankee’s are what is wrong with baseball, there should be a salary cap, etc. This could all be true, but in the purely competitive sense of the sport, what is wrong with what he is doing as an owner? His spending, for the most part, has always been for the pursuit of a championship. His present motives might not be for a win in the pure baseball fanatic sense of the word, but rather to uphold his reputation, either way, all he wants to do is win, no matter the cost. What is so wrong about this if it’s done within the parameters of the leagues rules? Why shouldn’t an owner do whatever he can for the team to win? Sure it might be bad for baseball, and prove that a salary cap is needed, but while this is the case, why shouldn’t he spend like Pacman Jones at a strip club.

If he has the resources how can you fault him for working the system?