The New York Yankees are currently better than the New York Mets. (based on last season)

I would liek to start with the Affirmative case (my case): Looking towards the Value of Team Record and the Value of Statistics, I don't need to argue this point because since my opponent doesn't have a value or value criterion even though he intended this to happen, the round will be judged using mine because every debate round needs something to be judged by. his point 1) against my V says that the Yankees had a better record that the Yankees, which isn't possible because they are the same team. 2) he uses the Rays example, but most of the time the data stays close to the same. Also, my opponent doesn't give an alternative to using records and statistics. My opponent also doesn't respond to my justifications for the Value and Value criterion, which means he agrees with them. For all these reasons my Value and Value Criterion are to be used when judging this round. BURDEN: The Yankees had a better record, but you can use player statistics to try to disprove me, therefore the burden is not abusive and not impossible to argue. Also, I just proved that my Value and Value Criterion are to be used when judging this debate, as my opponent failed to produce his own or respond to my justifications. Contention 1: The Yankees beat the Mets by over 30 wins, so my opponent's arguement can be made for slight differences but not for such a large margin. Also, the Yankees have a harder division than the Met, so if anything, the Yankees have a harder schedule, therefore my contention 1 stands. Contention 2: To make it to the World Series a team needs to have a very high record, beating out its division rivals/ winning the wildcard. Without the necessary record, the team's chances to a World Series title ends. The Mets had a 0% chance of winning the World Series while the Yankees had a 12.5% chance, if the winners of games are chosen at random, which they aren't. By the Yankees winning, the Yankees prove that they are better than the other teams in the playoffs, but definatly better than those team who didn't make the playoffs by a long shot. This arguement does link with the Value of team record, as I have just shown. Therefore my contention 2 stands. Contention 3: The Yankees have recently picked up Curtis Granderson, eliminating my opponent's claim of the Yankees needing an outfielder. For clarification I would like to say, random players as depth doesn't help the team, so that part of the arguement is invalid. HOWEVER, how good the players are makes a huge difference, which is the part of this arguement that is resolutional and will stand. Also, my opponent states that the Mets have more starters. This cannot be true unless the Mets are cheating and sending out more players than allowed. Contention 4: When I said that my opponent wouldn't argue this, it was not because it was impossible to argue, it was because the Yankees have a rotation and bullpen that is very hard to live upto. I was merely letting my opponent take a crack at that argument before i could defend it. MOVING ON TO THE NEGATIVE CASE: Neg. Contention 1: My opponent provides the example with the center field position battle. This arguement is invalid because melky is not the starting Center fielder, Curtis Granderson is. Granderson is also a superstar like Beltran. He also says that at shortstop Reyes is better than Jeter. I would like to turn this argument because my opponent failed to show statistics because without statistics it is hard to show that a player is better than another and statistics show facts, while my opponent is showing opinions http://mlb.mlb.com... versus http://mlb.mlb.com... also, my opponent didn't state the other position matchups, so his matchups are incomplete, but i don't need ot go into that because as I have just proved, my opponent's contention has been turned. Since my opponent now doesn't have a case, I shoudl win this round. I would like to extend my 4 contentions, Burden, Value, Value Criterion, and Justifications for the Value Criterion onto the next round. Thank you