A Graphical Look at the Yankees Sequestration

By now, you’ve probably read all about the Yankees strategy to reach a Competitive Balance Tax payroll below the $189M threshold. Instead of looking forward, let’s take a look to the past. Using transaction and contract data published by Baseball-Reference and Baseball Prospectus, we can review the Yankees’ spending trends since the end of the 2000 season….From 2000-2009, the team allocated 74% new salary to players from the other 29 clubs. Removing 2007 from that 10 year span, the club added 93% of new commitments from outside the organization. This offseason, 13% of salary added going forward is completely designated to one player: Kevin Youkilis. 2011’s percentage is actually less, but skewed by retaining of Sabathia for $122M. Since 2010, the front office has added 19% of salary commitments on external players.