Now that the Yankees have officially been eliminated from the playoffs, it's time for the organization to move on and start figuring out ways to get themselves back in the postseason in 2009. For Hank Steinbrenner, this means it's time to start making excuses for the 2008 season.Hank has occasionally written columns for The Sporting News this year, and in his latest effort, he blames the Yankees problems on their geographic location.
"The biggest problem is the divisional setup in Major League Baseball," Steinbrenner wrote. "I didn't like it in the 1970s, and I hate it now. Baseball went to a multi-division setup to create more races, rivalries and excitement. But it isn't fair.See what he did there? Not only did he make an excuse for the Yankees missing the playoffs, but he also gave himself an excuse for when people start asking questions about Joe Torre leading the Dodgers to the playoffs while the Yankees missed the postseason after deciding they didn't want him anymore. In his next column, Hank will write about how the Yankees didn't make the playoffs because they have to wake up earlier than teams on the west coast, so they're more tired at the end of the season.
"You see it this season, with plenty of people in the media pointing out that Joe Torre and the Dodgers are going to the playoffs while we're not. This is by no means a knock on Torre -- let me make that clear -- but look at the division they're in. If L.A. were in the AL East, it wouldn't be in the playoff discussion. The AL East is never weak."
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
9-24-2008 @ 11:54AM
Brian said...
I love the fact that the Yankees aren't in the playoffs this year.. I think it's great for baseball because it gives a chance for a different team to step up and show thier stuff....Yankee fans cry all you want but your season is done and Hank Steinbrenner get a life dude...Just because your precious Yankees didn't get into the playoffs doesn't mean they need to change the way the playoff system works.....Your just like your dad - an asshole and a sore loser....Nuff said.
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9-24-2008 @ 12:26PM
Goldie said...
ARE YOU F***ING KIDDING ME ??????
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9-24-2008 @ 12:45PM
Ddub said...
And here I thought it was injuries, uninspired, underperforming superstars and substandard pitching that killed the Yankees this year. All the money in the world can't buy class, Hank.
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9-24-2008 @ 12:52PM
Huguenot said...
The Yankees are whining... how about the Blue Jays... consistently better than the NL West and never a sniff of the playoffs
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9-24-2008 @ 1:04PM
kAGAN said...
The Yankees, as we speak, hold the 4th best record in the American League (4 teams enter the playoffs), and they hold the 7th best record in the Major Leagues (8 teams enter playoffs). They had 60% of their starting rotation wiped out early in the year, never to return. They lost team leader, and Rbi man Posada for the whole year, as well as Matsui (Another RBI machine) for a good part of the year. Only the 2 oldest guys in their rotation (Petitte and Mussina) held on. They did the rest with a patchwork of inexperienced kids and has-beens picked up after being dropped by their teams. Players like Ponson that NO ONE wanted, came on board to help. With all that, Girardi still managed to bring the Yankees to the "river". No, he couldn't make them drink, but it was still a damn good performance. If this team could end up 15 or more games over .500 with all those injuries, in this competitive of a division, what could they do with a full arsenal. I think you all need to put away your bugles. I know all you yankee-haters want to revel in this, but you're pre-mature. ALL this team did, given the circumstances, was hang in till the very end, and even managed to put a scare in Sox till the last week. Probably, most importantly, you didn't see any in-fighting on this team, like you saw on the Red Sox. No-one pointed fingers, or quit playing. That's the truest testament to their professionalism. Go ahead and kick dirt on them, but just remember, come April, everyone will be 0-0 again, and the Yankees won't forget.
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9-25-2008 @ 4:29PM
TONY FUSTER said...
I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU BUT ONE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD ADD, AND THAT IS THAT IN THIS RUN OF 14 YEARS OR SO OF MAKING THE PLAYOFFS WITH THE SAME NUCLEUS OF PLAYERS THE REST OF THE LEAGUE HAS (1) COPIED OUR STYLE, (STRENGTH THRU FREE AGENCY), (2) THEY'VE GOTTEN YOUNGER WHILE THIS NUCLEUS HAS AGED, THI HAS TO TAKE A TOLL SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY. WE'LL BE BACK IN THE FUTURE BANK ON IT. TONY U.S. NAVY RETIRED
9-24-2008 @ 1:04PM
Sportz Assassin said...
Let's ask the 1993 San Francisco Giants about divisional play, Hank Jr.
They were 103-59 ... the second best record in baseball that year. Too bad they finished behind the best record, the 104-58 Atlanta Braves.
That season, the American League division winners (ChiSox, Blue Jays) won 94 and 95 games, respectively. The Jays would go on to win the World Series over the Philadelphia Phillies ... who won 97 games.
So, because of the divisional format, the 103-win Giants watched a 97, 95 and 94 win team have a chance at winning a World Series instead of them.
Because of that, the wildcard spot was berthed and teams like the Yankees could make 13 straight playoff apperances even though they couldn't win the division all the time.
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9-24-2008 @ 1:05PM
Sportz Assassin said...
By the way, did Hank Jr. complain when his Yankees won the AL East with an 87-74 record ... yet the 90-72 Cleveland Indians missed out on a wildcard berth????
Shut up!
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9-24-2008 @ 2:09PM
kevin said...
FINE THE YANKEES ARE OUT OF THE PST SEASON . BUT WHAT I LIKE MOST ABOUT BASEBALL IS THAT ITS FAN BASED SPORT ,SO MEAN THE ONLY PEOPLE WATCHING NOW WILL BE THOSE FANS OF TEAMS THIER NOW , IT GREAT THAT WE NOW GET TO SEE HOW BORING BASEBALL REALLY IS WITHOUT THE SUPERSTARS , PLUS NO ONE PAYS TO SEE NOBODY'S OR FAT ASS POWER HUNGRY UMPIRES .ENJOY THE PLAYOFFS .
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9-24-2008 @ 2:42PM
DSP said...
The Yankee's are not the only team to not make the playoffs with a better record than a team in the playoffs...Should we take credit away from some of their championships because the divisional set up doesn't let the right teams in? If the Yankees want to complain about the set up now, maybe their championships were tainted.
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9-24-2008 @ 2:59PM
Martin said...
How about a new playoff format, based on the efficiency of each team. You take the number of wins and divide by the total payroll. The top eight teams make the playoffs as they represent the teams that did the best per dollar spent on payroll, and hence the most efficient teams.
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9-25-2008 @ 4:48PM
kagan said...
Please stop complaining about the Yankees payroll. It is the only reason the small market teams can even be competitive. The Yankees have put more money into the pot for these teams than they spend on their entire payroll. If the Yankees stop spending this money, it doesn't help the smaller market teams, it hurts them, as well as MLB. Also, you know-nothings really irk me. Look up the bottom line for MLB teams, not just their payroll. The Yanks are ALWAYS in the red, while teams like the Marlins, Royals, etc. make a nice profit. This happens because ownership pockets the $ instead of rewarding their fans with a team. Who are the real greedy bastards in this scenario? The owners who spend everything to build a better product, or the ones who pocket every $ they get and screw the fans?
9-24-2008 @ 3:45PM
phil said...
nothing but a big baby is steinbrenner. unlike his father he didn't earn the right to lead this franchise in the first place. either shut up and fix your problems or sell the team to someone else
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9-24-2008 @ 4:16PM
Reasonable Doubt said...
Okay, they get their wish. The Yankees can go play in the AL West and have cross-country road trips every week, and the East will take the Mariners.
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9-24-2008 @ 4:46PM
Kench28 said...
Typical Yankee reaction. They spend more money then everyone and when they dont cut the mustard start the blame game. Hank is a classless individual like his father. Only time will tell if he will be a criminal as well.
You didnt make the playoffs, grow up and show some class. Something Joe Torre has.
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9-24-2008 @ 5:02PM
JAMES MEDLIN said...
YANKEE FAN SINCE 1957. THE PROBLEMS ARE WE TRED ITO GO YOUNG TO FAST AND THE LEADERS DIDN'T STEP UP.
I SAW MORE LEADERSHIP FROM JASON G. THAN FROM JETER OR A-ROD. JETER SHOULD GET OVER THE FACT THAT HE IS NOT GOD LITTLE GIFT TO NEW YORK AND A-ROD IS NOT MR. COOL IN BASEBALL. BOTH OF THE TWO NEED STEP UP AND GET ONTO PLAYER WHEN THEY DRAG ASS (CANO, MILKEY AND BOBBY A.). JETER, BE THE CAPTAIN AND LEADER OR NOT. ALSO, KEEP MIKE MUSSINA AND TRY SOME OF THE YOUNG PITCHERS AND GO OUT AND GET 1 OR 2 STARTERS (REAL GOOD ONES).
GO AFTER MARK T. ALSO.
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9-25-2008 @ 12:43AM
DSP said...
The Yankee's are not the only team to not make the playoffs with a
better record than a team in the playoffs...Should we take credit
away from some of their championships because the divisional set up
doesn't let the right teams in? If the Yankees want to complain
about the set up now, maybe their championships were tainted.
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9-25-2008 @ 12:40PM
Tamakun said...
Lets get real Yankee fans. You didn't have the team to make the playoffs. That's why you are 1 of 22 teams that didn't make it. New stadium? How about a new team? A payroll of over $200M does not guarantee that you are going to the postseason. You could be in the same position with about $50M. So start all over again. Of the 25 regular players finishing the season with the team, you may have 10 worth keeping for next season. Start by sending Cashman packing and order the next GM to discard anyone who did not live to expectation, those who did not perform according to the salary they got. Take note Hank. See you next year.
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9-25-2008 @ 3:23PM
JAMES FIORELLO said...
HANK S. FIRE BRIAN CASHMAN IS NOT GOOD GENERAL MANAGER ONLY HE WANT MONEY THAT IT. TRY ANOTHER NEW GENERAL MANAGER NOW.
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9-25-2008 @ 3:34PM
Lou said...
Sportz Assassin,
I agree with most of what you said except one thing...Out of the 13 straight playoff appearances, I believe last year is the only year that they got in as the wild card team. The other years it was because they won the East.
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