If Pittsburgh can't support a competitive team, then either move the team or shut it down. Why should franchises in NY, LA and the other big markets be forced to reduce their quality to the lowest common denominator?
Even with a salary cap, parity is a sometime thing, and teams with more resources will always have the advantage in any system that allows free agency.
Im not sure overpaying = quality.
The yankees certainly have the highest payroll because they can, but i don't think it has anything to do with quality.
Sure it does. That's why the Yankees have won so may more pennants and world series than any other team, and why teams from big markets (e.g the Dodgers) tend to win more than other teams. Yes, yes, there are exceptions.
If Teixeira isn't a quality player, why were the Red Sox willing to give him 168 million?
Sure, the Yankees haven't won a championship since 1999, but they have been in it every year, even last year when they were decimated by injuries to their pitching staff and were forced to use guys like Sidney Ponson.
except that in the FA era, after the initial push, where only they got FA's for the first 3-4 years all of their championships have only come when they are comprised of mostly home grown players as a core.
Thats why cashman was (until this year) trying to build from within. their last dynasty was based on guys who came up yankees. Bernie, jeter, mo, paul oniel, posada, all those guys, thier core, were (well payed certainly) internal prospects they could control.
How have their mercenary teams since 2000 worked out?