Yankees Century is a coffee table book that was written in 2002. Yankees Century has a lot of great pictures and a complete listing of all the Yankee seasons until 2002. The 1900s have been called the Yankee’s century. They did win 27 of the 100 World Series in the century, that is 27%. Yankees Century treats the Yankees chronologically in the 1900s, which is easy to follow. Yankees Century will appeal to fans of the Yankees, should appeal to baseball fans, and may appeal more broadly. Would you put this book on your coffee table?
Yankees Century In Order
Yankees Century is easy to follow and progresses chronologically from 1900 to 2002. It is interesting to read about the history of the Yankees before they won their first World Series in 1923 because that era gets little attention. Yankees Century has discussions; The discussions are particularly helpful. One might not think that a coffee table-type book has a discussion, but this one does, and the discussion is helpful. It is a good read, though only fans of the New York Yankees will think that.
There are also a lot of great pictures and illustrations through the years, which is more typical of a coffee table-type book. What is nice is the pictures of all the great players over the years. It is also nice to see pictures of the more recent great Yankee teams. Amazingly, the New York Yankees have been able to stockpile such talent for most of the twentieth century, and powerful forces are operating against their dominance now. Three, to be exact.
Why Do The Yankees Not Dominate Anymore?
There are three main reasons why the last century was the Yankees’ century, and this one will not be. First, in 1965, Major League Baseball instituted a draft. From that time on, it was no longer possible for the richest teams, like the Yankees, to stockpile talent.
The draft has always been in reverse order of record, with the team with the first pick having the worst record. This tends to even out talent. Coincidentally, the end of the Yankees’ great dynasties was 1964. International players are not subject to the draft, but all teams are given the same amount of money to spend on international players.
Second, the is now free agency in baseball. Free agency has been in place since 1972 when the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in favor of Curt Flod of the St. Louis Cardinals, who was no longer under contract there but could sign a contract with any team. This is what free agency means.
Before free agency, players like Mickey Mantle were in contact with a team, like the Yankees, for life. The Yankees have indeed signed their share of big-time free agents, spending lavishly. However, the Yankees can no longer stockpile talent and have lost big-ticket free agents, too, like Juan Soto, to the New York Mets.
Third, teams now share revenue, and there is a competitive balance tax such that if a team goes over it, they are taxed at an increasing rate the more they exceed an amount. Major League Baseball instituted the competitive balance tax in 1997. There are three thresholds, and they have increased each year. The Yankee’s new ownership, after George Steinbrenner, has expressed a reluctance to exceed the threshold and have to pay tax. The net effect of this rule is that the Yankees have not been able to afford all the players they want.
Conclusion
The net effect of these three major changes, one of which involved the United States Supreme Court, has been to even out competition such that it has become more difficult for any team, like the Yankees, to dominate a century. For this reason, it is important to memorialize the achievements of the New York Yankees in the 1900s. Yankees Century does this beautifully and will make a great addition to your coffee table.
