Yankees, Dodgers Are Hit With 2013 Luxury Tax Bill

Another year, another hefty tax bill for the New York Yankees, which will pay MLB $28.1 million in luxury taxes on the team's payroll for the 2013 season.The Yankees were one of two teams to pay luxury tax bills for 2013, according to a person with knowledge of the calculations. The Los Angeles Dodgers will pay an $11 million bill. Both teams had payrolls of roughly $237 million, but because the Yankees are annual offenders, they must pay at a higher rate. The Boston Red Sox sneaked in just under the tax threshold, finishing the season with a payroll several hundred thousand dollars below the $178 million ceiling for 2013.wholesale Best Dsquared Long T-Shirts from www.alipaytrade.com homepage.The $28 million hit will bring the total Yankee luxury tax payments to over $250 million since the inception of the luxury tax in 2003.The Yankees are trying to get under the $189 million luxury tax limit for the 2014 season—beyond avoiding the tax itself, dipping under the threshold would allow them to take advantage of a number of incentives built into baseball's latest labor deal. But after several recent signings, the team is already drawing precariously close to the ceiling with holes remaining all over their roster. 

President Barack Obama sent Russia a clear message about its treatment of gays and lesbians with whom he is—and isn't—sending to represent the U.S.tissue paper honeycomb ball decoration at the Sochi Olympics.Billie Jean King (below) will be one of two openly gay athletes in the U.S. delegation for the opening and closing ceremonies, Obama announced Tuesday. For the first time since 2000,Nike Air MaxSexy Lingerie Factory however, the U.S. will not send a president, former president, first lady or vice president to the Games.Russia has come under fierce criticism for passing national laws banning "gay propaganda." Though the White House did not specifically address the Russian laws in making its announcement, spokesman Shin Inouye said the delegation "represents the diversity that is the United States" and that Obama "knows they will showcase to the world the best of America—diversity, determination and teamwork."Hockey player Caitlin Cahow is the other openly gay representative to the delegation. She'll attend the closing ceremony.Tissue Paper Honeycomb Ball wholesale