This article appeared in the New York Post Hank Steinbrenner tweaks Derek Jeter over mansion of Yankees captain and I must admit that I’m stunned. Not because Steinbrenner is yapping yet again – this time blaming Jeter for their playoff loss to the Rangers – that’s a given due to his lineage. No, the issue I have is that he’s clearly gone off the deep end. In his mind, Steinbrenner thinks that these constant jibes at Jeter which began during his contract negotiations (remember Cashman daring Jeter to test the free agency market?) somehow will motivate him to do better this season. Yes, his numbers were down of late but let’s note that he is 74 hits shy of becoming the FIRST Yankee to reach the 3,000 career hit plateau. This is the same franchise which Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, and Reggie Jackson played for. I think this lack of respect for a 5-time champion is not a good sign on the cusp of the 2011 season. Jeter is the ultimate professional and despite admitting to a certain confusion over the public nature of his contract negotations, refuses to say a bad word about the organization.
This, however, is not the only reason why I think Steinbrenner is delusion. In saying that Jeter was distracted from the playoffs because he was building his mansion in Tampa Bay, Steinbrenner has clearly forgotten just how bad his team’s pitching was all season. Management didn’t get Cliff Lee (pay attention Hank – he said the reason he chose Philly was because they had the best shot at a title!) and now what’s left is a newly svelte Sabathia playing out his final contract year, A.J. Burnett who Cashman was so concerned about that he visited him in Arkansas to establish his mental state, and a fat(ter) Joba Chamberlain. Fantastic! Plus, Steinbrenner is responsible for giving A-Rod, in what is one of the worst contracts of all-time (right after his similar deal with the Rangers), $300 million until 2017!! Hank, you set the market impossibly high! If A-Rod is worth that money (debatable), of course Jeter who means more to the Yankees organization has to get a humongous contract. So, maybe Steinbrenner is running his own distraction campaign so that we don’t focus on his off-season shortcomings (were you distracted while running your mouth?) but my guess is that this season will not run smoothly to say the least.
Where's the love Hank? Photo courtesy of Steve Nesius - AP
