Every offseason I hear the same thing from my friends “It’s not fair what the Yankees do, they get any player they want”. It almost makes me laugh because they haven’t won a thing since 2000. That is now almost a decade ago. Their Dynasty in the late 90’s can be attributed to a great farm system that turned out first class players and timely signings that all seemed to pan out. Not because they grossly overpay for overrated, over the hill superstars as they have since 2000. So why is it that fans across MLB blame the Yankees high spending on their own teams’ lack of winning?

The answer is simple, it’s because it’s easier to blame the Yankees than to just look in the mirror and look at your own organizations downfalls. The formula for winning championships hasn’t changed but you’d think it has. It is still to build a foundation through the farm system and sign a few pieces that fit in nicely and hope you can stay relatively healthy. People in Baltimore are the worst with this. Every year they try to blame their bottom of the division finish on the fact that the Red Sox and Yankees outspend them. The Tampa Rays proved that to be a bunch of bologna last year but it shouldn’t have taken this long to figure out. The reason the Orioles haven’t won a thing in forever isn’t because they haven’t gone out and gotten the overpriced Johnny Damons and Jason Giambi’s of the world each offseason. It really isn’t even because they have made their own stupid signings (Albert Belle, Miguel Tejada). It’s simply because their farm system has stunk for years and years. The same can be said for any team across baseball that has struggled.

When you look around baseball and see who is succeeding and who isn’t the common denominator is the farm system. Think about whom some of the more consistent winning teams around baseball are this millennium: Minnesota Twins, Oakland Athletics, Anaheim Angels, Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, and St Louis Cardinals. All of those teams have been consistent winners because they put more importance into drafting well and developing home grown talent. Granted some of those teams with a smaller payroll have to part ways eventually with their home grown superstars but usually not before they make a nice run into the playoffs.

There was no greater example of what I am talking about than this year’s World Series. The Tampa Rays lineup and pitching staff was almost completely homegrown talent. Some people then say well look at the Phillies payroll they must have bought a championship. That is so untrue granted they did sign a top notch closer in the offseason that was a major contributor but look at the heart of that team. It’s Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Pat Burrell, and Cole Hammels. All of those guys come from the Philadelphia farm system. All they had to do was add a few pieces i.e. Brad Lidge, and Joe Blanton.

So before the next time you or someone else you know bashes the Yankees for stealing your teams’ prized free agents, and taking away any chance your team has at winning, just remember that championships aren’t won through free agency. They never have been and they never will.