WHY THE YANKEES NEED TO STEP UP

I’m having trouble trying to understand the reasoning behind why we haven’t heard from the Yankees organization or Major League Baseball for that matter, on how Christian Lopez does a good deed, yet has to pay taxes on his luxury box seats he was given .Where are they? I feel like they put this kid in this mess and they need to help get him out. Right? or am I wrong? Further more, where’s Jeter on this issue? How come we’re hearing from companies like Miller High Life and Modell's saying they will help this kid pay his tax bills. I find it to be slightly disappointing.

Miller High Life came out with this statement:

"Miller High Life believes you should be rewarded for doing the right thing, not penalized," Miller High Life manager Brendan Noonan said. "We want to recognize Christian Lopez, and in turn everyone like him, for doing the common sense thing and help him continue to live the High Life."

Meanwhile Modell's said that five percent of all of its Yankees merchandise sales from July 13-19 will be donated to Lopez. How nice is that?

Brandon Steiner the head of Steiner Sports, each guaranteed Lopez at least $25,000.

Topps Card company is producing a trading card later this year featuring Lopez.

There is one catch though according to the Wall Street Journal who points out:

" Tax experts point out that this latest onslaught of gift giving might not necessarily qualify as tax free, either. Whether the IRS keeps its paws off Lopez’s prizes depends on whether the sponsoring companies – Modell’s Sporting Goods, Steiner Sports and Miller High Life – are deemed to have no business reasons for being so generous."

It’s funny, baseball hyped Jeter’s 3000^th like it was a memorable event, they even broke Jeter’s balls when he didn’t show up to the All-Star Game for not being able to "honor" him if he didn't come. The Yankees had commercial after commercial on YES leading up to the hype. Then Jeter has the game of his life, going 5 for 5 and collects his 3000^th hit, and Christian Lopez catches the ball and is on a high.

Lopez is then treated like a king, on every talk show and the Yankees and Jeter shower him with gifts. Then…they scatter. Lopez is left holding his dick in his hand and a tax bill in the other. It’s the scam of the century.

As a life long Yankee fan, 2 things have disappointed me:

• The way they treated Bernie Williams after the 2006 season
  
• The way they handled this mess with Christian Lopez.

So, guess what? Starting now, I will give Miller High Life, Steiner, Topps and Modell's free advertising on Bleeding Yankee Blue for doing a good deed. They are trying to help Christian Lopez because the people responsible for screwing him won't.

Read WHY I KNOW WHAT I’D DO WITH THE JETER BALL…I THINK. I explain my reasoning for wanting to return the baseball to Derek Jeter and I’m sure in the back of Lopez’s mind, he was probably thinking the same thing; keeping baseball's history entact. In that piece I talk about how every once in a while there’s something that tarnishes the game, but with a strong fan base, eventually the fans come back…. The Yankees tarnished the game for me after this incident. I’m not leaving, no, but I am extremely disappointed. Lopez did the right thing, the thing the Yankees wanted, and they should have reciprocated. Yes, they gave gifts, but the Yankees are an empire. Read the papers, see the trouble this poor kid ended up with being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Why they haven't come out to help out Lopez yet is strange to me. Return good behavior with good behavior guys... that's not a baseball thing… it’s a life thing.

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