The Boss shoots off his big mouth

[Gosfgiants]

I bet by now most of you have seen this:

http://espn.go.com/mlb/news/2002/1229/1483798.html

Am I having flashbacks to the 1980's? I haven't heard Steinbrenner sound like this in awhile.

[Max Power]

Shame on the Associated Press.

They take parts of an interview: http://www.nydailynews.com/front/sto...8p-44350c.html

and use the snippets to come up with a story that's not really there.

[Max Power]

What Stein said on Torre:

Joe is the greatest friend I've ever had as a manager. It's a great relationship. I don't want to destroy that, but I will tell you this: I want his whole staff to understand that they have got to do better this year. I will not see him drop back into the way he was before. Right now he's a sure-fire Hall of Famer. Before he came to the Yankees he didn't even have a job. Three different times as manager he didn't deliver, and was fired. Look how far he's come. He's come that way because of an organization, and he's got to remember that. I'm glad that Joe is an icon. He's a hell of a guy, a tremendous manager and tremendous figure for New York. I just want his coaches to understand that just being a friend of Joe Torre's is not enough. They've got to produce for him. Joe Torre and his staff have heard the bugle.

What he said about Jeter:

I want to see Jetes truly focused. He wasn't totally focused last year. He had the highest number of errors he's had in some time. He wasn't himself. As far as trying and being a warrior, I wouldn't put anyone ahead of him. But how much better would he be if he didn't have all his other activities? I tell him this all the time. I say, 'Jetes, you can't be everything to everybody. You've got to focus on what's important.' The charitable things he does are important. A certain amount (of his outside pursuits) are good for him and for the team, but there comes a point when it isn't, and I think we're getting close to that point. He makes enough money that he doesn't need a lot of the commercials. I'm not going to stick my nose into his family's business. They are very fine people, (but) if his dad doesn't see that, he should see it. When I read in the paper that he's out until 3 a.m. in New York City going to a birthday party, I won't lie. That doesn't sit well with me. That was in violation of Joe's curfew. That's the focus I'm talking about. Jeter's still a young man. He'll be a very good candidate for the captaincy. But he's got to show me and the other players that that's not the right way. He's got to make sure his undivided, unfettered attention is given to baseball. I just wish he'd eliminate some of the less important things and he'd be right back to where he was in the past.

Doesn't an owner have a right to question a player who ignores curfew and a coach that's not pulling his weight? Is that "ripping"? Or, more so, is it just asking someone to do what's right and expected?

[Ytown Tribe fan]

George is right about both of his employees, and he sure has the right to speak his mind.

Do you suppose either Torre or Jeter would rather be elsewhere? No way. Both are headed for the HoF courtesy of George's bankroll and Cashman's skill.

But I still don't like George.

[Skip]

Ditto to Y'Town. From beginning to end ... though I like (understand? appreciate?) George now more than 20 years ago and though I do think he is starting back down the road to (80's) perdition.

[satchel]

Both Y-Town and Skip have hit the nail on the head. Many people were amazed at the seemingly kinder, gentler George shedding tears over the 1998 trophy. But it also seemed like it might have been a temporary kindness which overcame him when his team was winning right and left. The Yankees may have entered a phase where a declining and expensive core means no amount of free agent money can plug the leaks. That's bound to bring out some of the bad old Steinbrenner. He prefers reloading to rebuilding, but the former is not always possible.

[Max Power]

Look at the Yankee payrolls since 1985:
1985: $15.40M (1st in majors)
1986: $17.25M (1st in majors)
1987: $18.57M (1st in majors)
1988: $21.52M (1st in majors)
1989: $18.48M (4th in majors)
1990: $20.59M (7th in majors)
1991: $31.94M (7th in majors)
1992: $34.90M (8th in majors)
1993: $46.59M (3rd in majors)
1994: $47.51M (1st in majors)
1995: $58.17M (1st in majors)
1996: $61.51M (1st in majors)
1997: $73.39M (1st in majors)
1998: $73.96M (2nd in majors)
1999: $91.99M (1st in majors)
2000: $113.37M (1st in majors)
2001: $109.79M (1st in majors)*
2002: $125.93M (1st in majors)*
* Opening Day payrolls, all others are Sept. 1 totals
Source: Doug Pappas' Business of Baseball pages

This year, it's projected to be $158 mill - - and, he may have to pay something like another $50 mill in taxes/whatever.

I know, for a fact, that Stein could field a decent team for $120 mill this year and keep the extra $80 mill or so in his pocket. Most other owners would pocket the $80 mill, no? That's alotta loose change. Shoot, that's an entire payroll for some teams. But, no, George wants to have the best players possible - and, as a fan, wouldn't you want that from the owner of your team?

If the trade-off on that is having to listen to him rag on a player or coach or two - when there's a reason to rag - sign me up.

[Max Power]

I want to see Jetes truly focused. He wasn't totally focused last year.

Stein may be on to somethng here - - coming into this season, Jeter had an OPS of .862. In 2002, it was .794.

That's 82 points above average down to something like 40 points above average - - with no clear injury to tie it to...........interesting.

[gyb13]

Originally posted by Max Power
Stein may be on to somethng here - - coming into this season, Jeter had an OPS of .862. In 2002, it was .794.

i dunno...instead of comparing jeter's 2002 ops to his pre-2002 career ops, i'd give you this:

1999 .989
2000 .896
2001 .858
2002 .794

[sweaver]

That's a scary trend, especially for a guy who doesn't exactly merit a Gold Glove.

[Max Power]

Originally posted by gyb13
i dunno...instead of comparing jeter's 2002 ops to his pre-2002 career ops, i'd give you this:

1999 .989
2000 .896
2001 .858
2002 .794

What were all four of those marks v. the Lge Avg?

[Skip]

You think it is dramatically different? Max. Straws. Grasping.

[Max Power]

Originally posted by Skip
You think it is dramatically different? Max. Straws. Grasping.

I wasn't sure, so, I asked. Since you poked, I looked. It's bad for him: +203, +106, +96, +39

Say 1999 was a career year, and the plus ~100 in 2000 and 2001 were the norm - - so, last year, he dropped 60. Still a bad decline in a one year span.

[gyb13]

Originally posted by Max Power
so, last year, he dropped 60. Still a bad decline in a one year span.

... which could mean Steinbrenner has a point about distractions affecting Jeter

[Max Power]

Agreed G. Maybe he can't keep up with the Fast and the Furious?