Here's the full Hank quote:
"I think, maybe, they celebrated too much last year," Steinbrenner said Monday. "Some of the players, too busy building mansions and doing other things and not concentrating on winning. I have no problem saying that."
I think Yammering Hank can forget an invite to St. Jeterburg's housewarming party!
Now, do I think the building of Jeter's new home was a distraction for him? Absolutely not -- it's not like he was at the property with a hardhat hammering nails or something.
However, I do think that the 2010 Yankees were a little complacent, especially evidenced by Joe Giradi lah-de-dahing the last few months into a Wild Card, when they should have won the division. You keep the pedal off the metal for too long, sometimes it's hard to get the engine going again.
And I do think Jeter should have asked for help from Kevin Long months before. Instead, he spent literally half the season in the hitting doldrums before finally approaching the hitting coach in mid-September. Was that complacency or pride? Maybe a little of both. But I have been predicting a big 2011 for Jeter, with the Angry Jeter taking over.
That wasn't all Hank said today -- he compared revenue sharing and luxury tax money to socialism and communism!
"We've got to do a little something about that, and I know Bud wants to correct it in some way," Steinbrenner said. "Obviously, we're very much allies with the Red Sox and the Mets, the Dodgers, the Cubs, whoever in that area."
"At some point, if you don't want to worry about teams in minor markets, don't put teams in minor markets, or don't leave teams in minor markets if they're truly minor," Steinbrenner said. "Socialism, communism, whatever you want to call it, is never the answer."
The funniest part of this wasn't him getting all Milton Friedman here. No, the thing that made me chortle was comparing the Yanks as being the same boat as the Mets! Heh.
What do you think? Tell us about it!
"Yammering Hank" and "St. Jetersburg". Very clever, Lisa!!
ReplyDeleteActually, Q, I can only take credit for the first one, Yammering Hank. Although I wish I had come up with St. Jetersburg!
ReplyDeleteYou've heard of "Peter and the Wolf"? How about "Jeter and the Boss Who Cried Wolf!"
ReplyDeleteLisa,
ReplyDeletebaseball is the biggest joke of a sport off the field without a salary cap which also makes it a joke on as well. Don't get me wrong, baseball is the best sport on the planet but by not having a cap I have been able to tell you each and every year in the last umpteen years who will be in the playoffs and who will not.
My idea IF the owners refuse to add a salary cap. Realignment! What would happen is you would still have the same amount of divisions but each division is now made up of teams depending on team payroll for the season. Which means American League would be the higher salaried teams since they pay extra for a DH anyhow. Teams that want to go out and spend money during the season have as much room to do so as the highest pay-rolled team in the division. If you are the top to begin with then you are stuck with what you have unless you can make an equal trade for the current year. BTW, each teams salary would be calculated from the previous year on an average each and every day of the season. I can tell you this, at least there will be some parity in the leagues and now teams might actually consider dumping salaries so that they can compete in a lower salaried division the next season.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Yankees $206
Red Sox $163
Cubs $146
Phillies $141
Mets $132
Detroit $122
White Sox $108
Angels $105
Seattle $98
Minnesota $97
Giants $97
Dodgers $94
Cardinals $93
Astros $92
Braves $84
Rockies $84
Milwaukee $81
Orioles $81
Royals $72
Rays $71
Toronto $62
Indians $61
Texas $56
Oakland $51
Pirates $34
Reds $72
Nationals $61
Arizona $60
Florida $55
San Diego $37
Pittsburgh $35
Yep, there will be some grumblings on the travel but face it, all teams travel within the division about the same so get over it. They all have charters and private planes so there will be no issues with getting a flight anyhow.
What will now happen with a realignment like this is that teams will now start trying to reduce salaries because they will want to get realigned themselves so as to play in an easier division. GM's across the country would now be earning there keep instead of having an unlimited source of funds to pay the biggest names out there. Now ALL the teams have a fair shot at making the playoffs and making more money to build their teams.
Next you ask when during the season does the team salary actually determine what division. Easy, an average from everyday from the season. So if a team trades a player with a big salary they are still liable for that player each and everyday that they have him. Yes, realignment could and probably would happen each and every year but who cares, the game has now make a mockery of the game by playing inter-league anyhow. Also, by doing it this way teams can't just go out in August and sign anyone they want because they have to stay within the confines of their respective divisions cap that is set at the beginning of the season which is defined by the top salaried team in each.
" I have been able to tell you each and every year in the last umpteen years who will be in the playoffs and who will not. "
ReplyDeleteReally? You called a 2010 Rangers-Giants and 2008 Rays-Phillies? Imakindaguessin no.
Now let me go all Nostradamus. Next year the Lions, Clippers, Canucks, and Cubs will not win a championship.