You've probably heard or read this rant before, but bear with me while we take a look at another one of those "financially enhanced" trades -- and then a glance at baseball's latest Hall of Fame election.
It goes without saying that the New York Yankees' trade for outfielder Giancarlo Stanton was more than just another "I'll show you!" statement after they had been dismissed as possible bidders in the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes. It was another one of those deals that reeks of the stench that results when a team buys its way out of a contract it couldn't afford in the first place.
And if this all sounds familiar, well it should. Remember when the Texas Rangers had to pay the Yankees to take Alex Rodriguez and his $252 million contract? That deal was negotiated by a group that knew it was halfway through the revolving door that seems to trap baseball owners on a regular basis. On the way out the door they cost the Rangers $10 million a year for two years -- or until A-Rod opted out and then the Yankees had nobody to blame but themselves for what happened later.
