George Steinbrenner

Geore Steinbrenner changed sports. His two good qualities as a owner was he demand of excellence and his treatment of sports as a business. While Steinbrenner did a lot of good for baseball, he did more wrong.

He was not the most successful Yankee owner. The Topping/Webster Era (20 years) in the between 1945 and 1964 was the most successful, bringing home 15 American League Championships and 10 World Series Championships Ruppert Ownership , second to that was the Ruppert Era (30 years) resulted in 14 American League Championships and 10 World Series Championships. The George Steinbrenner era only resulted in 10 American League Championships and 7 World Series Championships in 37 years

Modern sportswriters are praising George Steinbrenner today. Those writers like the athletes that benefitted from Steinbrenner’s ownership of the Yankees rose in salary structure from his management. But his management also impacted on the fans. As Steinbrenner forever changed sports with higher and higher salaries, media also paid their best sportswriters and sportscasters to cover those athletes. Baseball has no salary cap because of George Steinbrenner’s influence. Steinbrenner would prefer to spend what he could afford.

The passing of George Steinbrenner is an end of a Yankee Era, however Steinbrenner while the most infamous owner is not in the top 100 Yankee people. He pales behind Hall of Famers, and two more successful owner groups who actually enhanced baseball.

The New Joe Torre Book Part 1

Like many Yankee fans, I want to read to Joe Torre's new book, "The Yankee Years". Unfortunately it will not be in the stores until Tuesday, February 3. And of course on that day severe winter storm is heading to NJ and NY.

I read Torre's last book, "Joe Torre's Ground Rules for Winners", it will be interesting to see how this labeled tell-all rates with his philosophy.

I didn't read his first, "Chasing the Dream". His first book didn't do well. #2 was on the NY Times best seller list for several weeks, I predict # 3 will be as well. It's not even out and people are talking.

I personally don't believe in airing dirty laundry in public, that is what the clothes was was made for, so you only have clean clothes viewed in public. So people don't work well and play together nicely, well that part of life. I firmly believe everyone gets their just desserts in the end, and it is not my role to mete out justice because I work with a jerk, even if that justice comes as a book.

If I ever wrote a tell all about my family, first most would not believe it; for all intent and purposes I appear mostly normal. To it a few it might explain the way I am. But then I don't feel a need to explain myself to others. Apparently Joe Torre did.

Torre was heavily criticized by the Yankee and overall sports media for his management style.

Personally I had no problem with it. He never let on his thoughts. That is an excellent management, it forces others to hate you because they can't read you.

He was most of the time composed and cool in the dugout and respectful of the press in interviews. His criticism of the team's performance was minimally aired in public. That really is an example of good management. It is how you build up the respect of your employees, the Yankees, and your bosses, the Steinbrenners.

Long before Torre book # 2, I have always tried to practice that style. Criticism of employees should be private. It's how they learn to grow and mature. Debasing a human being in public is not necessary and uncalled for; it teaches the person nothing and makes you look like a Jackass.

So like many Yankee and baseball fans I am curious about the new book. Why did Joe Cool feel a need to write it? Was it final flip of the bird to Steinbrenner family? Has he been holding it all inside for years and this is his way of venting?

I don't have those answers.

I am also curious why he partnered again with Tom Verducci. Verducci a long time NY Baseball Writer and not a big George Steinbrenner fan would not have been my choice. I am wondering how much of the book is Tom and how much is Joe. I will read it and try and figure it all out.

If anything this may not have been the smartest political move Joe Torre has ever made, the book isn't even out and people are annoyed. From a financial point, it is excellent, as I stated earlier the book will surely spend a long time on the best seller list. I guess the did it because the cost of living is LA is so expensive.

Stains on the New Yankee Stadium

On Sunday, the ESPN program , "Outside the Lines" did a piece on the tax assessment scam the NYC Government of Major Bloomberg did for the New York Yankees. Seems concrete hardness is not the only problem with the New Yankee Stadium.

For those who missed it, the land the new stadium is built on was reassessed at 60 times it's worth. This was done to enable the New York Yankees Organization to qualify for US Government bonds to build the new digs. Yes George Steinbrenner and family are footing the cost, but on one of the greatest financing scams perpetuated on the Americans since Peter Minuet bought Manhattan for $24.00 in beads from the American Indians.
The issue of concrete hardness, much like the issue of financing of the new Stadium will not halt construction. However both elements loom bad for Major Bloomberg when he has sought to circumvent the law.

For those that care or those that don't, NYC Major Bloomberg is seeking a 3rd term. Three consecutive terms are not allowed by the NYC Constitution. Bloomberg, because he thinks he is the only one who can save NYC in our depressed economy feels the city needs him. As such he has won approval of the NYC Council to run for a 3rd term. The council has no legal authority to canhge the law, lawsuits are now being filed to overturn the vote. But apparently Bloomberg believes he can make law any way he wants; God forbid the citizens actually vote on the subject. The voted to ban 3 terms, they shoudl have the say in overturning it.
I find all the negative things unfolding around the new stadium scary. The scariest of which occurred today.

This morning I got a phone call from Joe in the Yankee Ticket Office. He explained the call was courtesy call, to inform me I would receive my invoice in Early January for the seats in the new Stadium. He asked me if I had any questions. I had plenty:

• NET ?: "Where are my seats"
• NYY Joe's Reply: "They will be assigned in a few weeks, we are too busy and overloaded to let each seat holder know their individual seat location personally. This will be your only call till you are invoiced."
• NET ?: "What if I don't like them"
• NYY Joe's Reply: "Reject them and you will be reassigned to a pool with other ticket holder who rejected their first assignment, then you will be given another assignment in order of seniority."

The concrete didn't bother me, that NYC construction.

The money game by Bloomberg's administration and the Yankees to inflate the land value to get US Gov't financing didn't bother me, because that's also NYC Construction.

The attitude of the Yankees, of not having time to call ticket holders to tell them their set options, that bothered me. It brothers it's not about the fans; if it were, I'd be getting a phone call before being invoiced asking me if I accepted my seat assignment.

At the ground breaking for the new Stadium, George Steinbrenner, said he was doing it for the fans. He lied, he's doing it for his self; and it got me to thinking. With all the lying and cheating around the new stadium , I hope it does not make it cursed. The honorable tradition of the NY Yankees, the mystique may prefer to stay at the old site. Why would the ghosts of historic Yankees want to inhabit the new place when it is shrouded in some much dishonor?

Old Yankee Stadium may be called the House that Ruth built, but it was more than Babe Ruth. Their was Gehrig, Mantle, DiMaggio, Berra and scores of honorable Yankees. For an team that prides itself in it's tradition and honor, it's management has a few lessons to learn from the ghosts. Yankee Management has not been honorable, at least not with fans.

It's time for Yankee Management to become honorable, because all the payroll in the world won't keep the fans in their seats if they play poorly and lose games. And besides Management should practice what it preaches. If they want the players to honor tradition, then Management must also honor tradition.

The All Star Game Carrot Dangling

The NY Yankees are in the midst of a dilemma, give up All-Star Game tickets to the season tickets holder with plans A, B and C or make MLB and FOX television network happy by comping the baseball sponsors and the Hollywood crowd that works on FOX Shows. The Yankees are caving to FOX and MLB.

To date only Plan A holders have been allowed to purchase the allotted tickets. Tickets for the holders of B and C plans are on hold. In response I have entered the All-Star Game ticket lottery. Lonn Trost is putting the screws to the fans again.

Trost is all about the buck. The Yankees, already the most expensive ticket in regular season sports, is losing seats in the new digs. In response, Trost has created luxury seating costing between $500-2500 per seat per game for the privilege of being part of the chosen few behind home plate.

Now Lonnie is about to rip out the fan's hearts, deny most access to the All-Star Game. Shame on you Lonn and shame on the Yankees for chasing the buck and not the fan base.

George Steinbrenner may have told the fans at ground breaking he was doing this for the fans, but clearly the heirs to the house that George is building don't give a damn.

Baseball is a business, and this proves the new Yankee management would rather make a buck. Old King George would have told Fox and MLB to wait, and not kept the All-Star carrot dangling in front of the fans.

This makes me wonder what direction the new Yankee management will take as they steer this team through this century. It's not look so far; one can always hope.