By the way, when did dynasties become so intolerable all of a sudden? The Yankees win four World Series titles in five years and just like that, everyone says the system needs an overhaul. As much as I hate the Yankees, I don't necessarily think their recent success signifies anything wrong with the system. This past season, the Yankees positively sucked it up during the regular season. They were ripe for the taking in the AL East by anyone who could post a measly 90 wins. New York's ultimate success was due less to their great cash reserves and more to the fact that teams that easily could have ousted them--the Red Sox included--crashed and burned by their own fault.

The success of teams, it has been shown, comes in cycles. What did the Yankees accomplish in the '80s? Absolutely nothing. Meanwhile, since 1990, teams as diverse as the Phillies, the Indians, and the Padres have all made World Series appearances, while the Reds, Blue Jays, and Marlins have all claimed championships.

The professional sports leagues could do a lot worse than if they returned to the days when you could expect great things from certain teams each year. Having suffered through this past weekend's NFL conference championship games, I can say with great confidence that, for my money, I'd much rather pay to see the likes of the old Niners-Cowboys rivalry than the crap that FOX threw at us last Sunday.

So make some improvements to baseball, just don't impose a salary cap. For even in the absence of any substantive solutions, you should never underestimate the power of owners' greed as a restraint on limitless spending. As rich as the Yankees are, George Steinbrenner will forever be more inclined to pocket some profits before he spends everything he has on player payroll. Don't believe me? Why, then, did Georgie Porgie not go after Manny this winter? If New York wanted him, he was theirs for the taking. And it's not as if the Yankees couldn't afford both him and Mike Mussina.

The reality is that the Yankees will spend only up to the point where they think they need to, and not necessarily until the well is completely dry. No businessman worth his salt, least of all Steinbrenner, owns a team with the hope of simply breaking even.

Also, to Steinbrenner's credit, he has earnestly refrained from setting the standard when it comes to salaries. If anything, he put himself and his team at risk last season when he refused to sign Derek Jeter to an extension that would have made him the highest-paid player in the game.

Unlike some of my colleagues, I am more inclined to judge parity by looking at teams' positions in the standings, not their pocketbooks. The fact of the matter is, the Oakland Athletics were one game away from eliminating the Yankees from the playoffs and rendering this whole discussion moot. That is an achievement that should be lauded as proof that good scouting and player development will always win out over blind spending. It should not be dismissed as simply an anomaly.

Sure, the collective bargaining agreement is set to expire soon. Yes, change is needed. And revenue sharing is one avenue that should definitely be explored. But please God, do not let baseball impose a salary cap on itself.

Because that really would ruin the game.