Any Yankee fan that knocks the AROD deal needs to revoke have their Yankee fan card revoked. Once again, George Steinbrenner was able to beat the Red Sox to the punch. When Boston tried to obtain AROD earlier in the winter, the entire baseball world saw how NOT to negotiate a trade. Numerous leaks, meaningless deadlines, and idiotic statements from ownership helped to torpedo a deal that the Red Sox had in the bag. In comparison, a deal that involved the best player in baseball going to the biggest market in the country was kept under wraps until days before the trade was finalized. Any astute Yankee fan realizes that our franchise enjoys an advantage that most teams do not have. The New York Yankees are money making machine that George Steinbrenner bought for 10 million dollars in 1973 and which he turned into a billion dollar franchise just 30 years later. Since Steinbrenner took over the team they were major players in the free agent market. The Yankee championship teams were built by major free agent signings such as Reggie Jackson and Catfish Hunter.