Yankees Daily

After reading the headline, I was getting to rip A-Rod a new one but he has a point. The Yankees should take every chance they have. I got mad at him last night but he was trying to turn the tide so it’s understandable. Disgraceful players like Johnny Damon don’t help matters when he can’t catch a ball that falls right in his glove. The season is done anyway and I’m starting to think of things I should do with my time when it comes to the internet. Maybe I’ll stay off the net altogether. What a mistake the signing of Johnny Damon, Jason Giambi, Hideki Matsui, Alex Rodriguez and Ivan Rodriguez were. Since they were signed, the Yankees have won nothing. Zip. Nada. Highest payroll in baseball. 208 million. George Steinbrenner is a disgrace. I never liked him. Owners should never be general managers and that’s what he tried to do but it back fired. Thank god for his sons Hank and Hal.

The Yankees Brass meets

Hank Steinbrenner told the A.P. that the Yankees’ hierarchy met in Tampa and discussed future moves of the Yankees’ imminent future among them being Barry Bonds, adding starting pitcher Jarrod Washburn after touching base with the Mariners, maybe adding Jose Molina’s brother, Bengie Molina from the Giants or the Nationals’ Paul Lo Duca.

In addition to Hank Steinbrenner, his brother, co-chairman Hal Steinbrenner, president Randy Levine, general manager Brian Cashman, special adviser Gene Michael and senior vice president of baseball operations Mark Newman were among those at the meetings.

“There’s a couple things that could be promising,” Steinbrenner told the AP.

• Yankees hierarchy discusses Bonds - Bryan Hoch – Yankees Official

The Steinbrenner Brothers

Veridical is a big word I looked up. I had no clue what it meant until I looked up truthful in the thesaurus. The Steinbrenners, in my view, say things to the media pretending they are upset after the Yankees lose but I think it’s an act. I think that both Steinbrenners, Hank and Hal are trying to appease and pacify the Yankee fan for not being in first place when say things like, “But we’ve had a lot of injuries across the board. Some of them, like [Brian] Bruney’s, are just crazy injuries. It’s tough. We’ve got to get healthy.” Brian Bruney? Come on. The Steinbrenners want to build from within their farm system and are at opposite ends of the spectrum when compared to their father. I see right through  it but you know what? I’m ok with it. I love following prospects and I think most fans do as well. I feel that Joe Girardi is very secure as manager because the Steinbrenner brothers realize that it won’t be Girardi’s fault if they don’t make the playoffs. The thing the Steinbrenner brothers have to watch out for is “only” playing their farm because you need a good mix of veteran players and younger players. When it comes to veteran players, you need character players, not a selfish prima donna that only thinks of himself.

• Steinbrenner assesses state of Yanks - Bryan Hoch – Yankees Official

Yankee Management

I have to give Hank and Hal Steinbrenner credit for not being like their father. These guys could be huffing and puffing by making a lot of noise as to why their Yankees are losing but they are not. They seemed resigned to the fact that the Yankees are in a rebuilding mode and are not feeling the pressure of being in 3rd place behind George’s senior’s home town Tampa Rays. They’re not making panic moves like their father George would be doing right now and are keeping their farm players. The media hammers the Yankees daily about the Yankees not hitting and why is this guy in the game and why is this lineup the way it is and blah blah. They have a plan and are sticking to it. There was a time when I felt discouraged being a Yankee fan because George senior keep trading away all the young players and some Yankee fans never wanted to place blame on George. I did. Sure, George is old and he might even have alzheimer’s but he is not the guy I’m talking about. I’m talking about the George Steinbrenner who ran the Yankees in the 80′s and then was suspended for trying to spy on Dave Winfield. That Steinbrenner? He’s a disgrace. He came back in the late 90′s and ruined a Yankee team that Gene Michael built by barking out orders and pressured every one to making some sort of move to get the Yankees to win a title. He ruined Gene Michael’s team from the 90′s by bringing in washed up veterans. If George Senior was never suspended, there wouldn’t of been any championships from the 90′s and that is fact, jack.

The Yankees are losing and what do they do now? They bring up farm players. I find this amazing in Yankee Universe. This would of never happened in George senior’s world. Look at the players on the team this year that would of never saw the light of day in a Yankee’s uniform that are given a chance now.. Alberto Gonzalez, Justin Christian, Melky Cabrera, Joba Chamberlain, Ian Kennedy, Dan Giese, Phil Hughes, Jose Veras, Edwar Ramirez, Darrell the DAZLER Rasner, Shelley Duncan and even Robinson Cano. I’m sure there are some players I am missing but you get the point and so do the current Yankee management. If you don’t like the youth movement, you’re going to have to get used to it. If you want to read something really good about Hank Steinbrenner and his affinity for farm players, read this…Oedipus Bronx It was an in depth interview done with Hank in early March that was published in the NY Times. March 2nd to be exact. It’s a great read on what the Yankees have planned and what you as a fan will be getting from this current Yankee management in the future.

If you can’t read that, try going here and press the first link.. http://www.yankeesdaily.com/?cat=27

Hal Steinbrenner and his brother Hank will not be selling the Yankees according to Hal.

“That’s the plan,” Hal Steinbrenner said. “There are no plans to sell, though I know there’s been speculation. This has been in our family a long time – longer than we’ve been in Tampa, even. That’s not going to change.”

I’m glad that they are not going to sell the team because this brings stability and I like the way the handled the offseason by not trading away their young talent.

• Hal Steinbrenner denies sale rumors – MARK FEINSAND – NY Daily News

Ed Price has interviewed Hal Steinbrenner and here are some of the questions he asks him..

• With you and Hank involved, how are decisions made now?
• Do you have to hash things out with Hank?
• Is it as clear-cut as Hank handles baseball decisions and you concentrate on the financial end?
• After staying pretty much out of the baseball end of the family business, working in the hotel business, how did you come to get back into it?
• What kept you mostly out of the baseball business for such a long time?
• So is life a lot different for you than a year ago?
• Everyone wants to know: How is George?
• With you and Hank so involved, how much power does Cashman have now, after two years of increased authority?
• So it’s the same process? Cashman makes recommendations to ownership, and then those are acted on?

• Look who’s talking, too: The Yankees’ other brother – Ed Price – Star-Ledger

Hal Steinbrenner is the quiet brother between him and Hank. You won’t find him in the papers much and he doesn’t give many interviews. He leaves that to his boisterous brother Hank Steinbrenner and he doesn’t give his cell phone number to any one in the press. Hal believes that his brother Hank is perfect for New York because he can give the press a lot of headlines to print. When Hal walks down the street, he doesn’t want people to know who he is. Two reasons why it took Hal so long to be involved with the Yankees on a day to day basis was that he wanted to be a father to his kids and it’s rough working for his father, George. Hal says that all major decisions made for the Yankees are done equally between him and his brother Hank and if they don’t agree on something?

“I think we’ve just decided we won’t do it,” Hal said. “If it’s raising more debt, if it’s making a capital expenditure, if it’s raising ticket prices, if it’s having a $100-million contract on the baseball side, I think the family agrees that we both need to be on board. And it worked really well in the offseason.”

• Hal Steinbrenner: Quiet, but a man with a plan – KAT O’BRIEN – Newsday
• UNLIKE TORRE, GIRARDI FEELING THE BEAT IN CLUBHOUSE – GEORGE A. KING III – NY Post
• Getting to know the Steinbrenners – Bryan Hoch – Bombers Beat
• Yankees’ ‘Baby Boss’ Grows Into Role – JOE HENDERSON – Tampa Bay Online