When I started watching the Yankees in 1990, they were a last place team with no light at the end of the tunnel. They had suffered a losing season in 1989, but most people attributed that to Dave Winfield missing the entire year and not having anyone other than Don Mattingly to carry the load in driving in runs. In 1990, Mattingly injured his back in what would prove to be a career-shortening occurrence, Rickey Henderson had been traded to the Oakland Athletics in the middle of 1989, and Dave Winfield was traded to the California Angels at mid-season after a feud with owner George Steinbrenner got out of control. The Yankees would suffer through losing campaigns for four consecutive season: 1989-1992, lacking offense and stable pitching.

In the 1992 draft, the Yankees drafted the man who would be “the savior” and the centerpiece of the great Yankee teams from 1996 through the present in Derek Jeter. During the span from 1990-1992 drafts, the Yankees would draft players such as Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, and Andy Pettitte. These players would go on to enjoy great success in their careers. In the case of Derek Jeter, he would eclipse the 3,000 hit mark during the middle part of this season, while Mariano Rivera would become the Saves King in 2011 as well. Bernie Williams won a batting title one year in the early 2000s, while Jorge Posada became the latest in a long line of great Yankee catchers that date back to Bill Dickey, Yogi Berra, and the often underappreciated Thurman Munson. Andy Pettitte was the team’s rock in the starting rotation from 2005-2010, with a brief stay in Houston in the middle part of last decade. The New York market is the single biggest market in America, but despite this, the Yankees went through a relatively quick rebuilding process that galvanized the franchise and propelled it to a string of successful seasons not seen even in New York since the team posted a Major League record 39 consecutive winning seasons from 1926-1964. A rebuild is highly important if you want to sew the seeds for a sustained period of success over a long period of time. Just ask the Yankees.

That being said, it is also important to fill in needs through trades and free agency as well. The Yankees did just that from the very early stages of their redevelopment in the 1990s onward. In 1992, the Yankees acquired Kansas City Royals slugger Danny Tartabull, who would for about two or three years provide the team some much needed pop since Don Mattingly’s back woes had essentially sapped him of his power. In 1993, the Yankees went on a major spending spree, purchasing the contracts of Wade Boggs, Paul O’Neill (who experienced a renaissance after coming over to the Yankees from Cincinnati), Jimmy Key, and Jim Abbott. The end result would be that they finished second in the American League Eastern Division with an 88-74 record, their first winning season since 1988. In 1996, the team acquired former Detroit Tigers slugger Cecil Fielder. Around 1996 or 1997, the Boss opened up his wallet and signed David Wells, only to trade him after the 1998 season to the Toronto Blue Jays for Roger Clemens. In the 2000s, the major pick ups were Alex Rodriguez, Mark Texeira, Mike Mussina, and C.C. Sabbathia. Most recently, the Yankees signed Curtis Granderson as a free agent prior to the 2010 season.

Despite the rebuilding in the early 1990s and the free agent splurges of the past decade and a half, the Yankees still manage to find time to cultivate talented players. Ian Kennedy of the Arizona Diamondbacks was a product of the Yankees farm system; he was ill-suited for playing in New York and was thus traded away. Alfonso Soriano was another product of the Yankees farm systems before he was traded to the Texas Rangers for Alex Rodriguez. Phil Hughes, whom I believe still has an opportunity to blossom into a great pitcher, is a solid starter despite the fact that he spent much of this season on the disabled list. And finally, the best second baseman in the game, Robinson Cano, was developed in the Yankees farm system while also making it to the big leagues with the team. The Yankees recently called up rookie catcher Jesus Montero, who is expected to be a major star with his bat. They have the best baseball scouting and development complexes in Latin America of any team in baseball, and that is how they continue to acquire much of their young talent since they precluded from having the top draft picks as a result of stellar finishes since 1993.

In conclusion, I think you have to have both a rebuild as well as the ability to go out and sign free agents to fill holes as you need. This model that the Yankees followed has led them to unparalleled success in winning championships over the years. The Cubs have the resources to do much the same if they follow this model.

http://bluejaysnest.mlblogs.com/

—Mark Gauthier
http://cubden.mlblogs.com/

Ron

http://strictlycubsbaseball.mlblogs.com/

—Mark Gauthier
http://cubden.mlblogs.com/