Steinbrenner: Win or Else!

[yankeessuck013]

George Steinbrenner says Joe Torre most likely won't return to the New York Yankees unless they overcome their deficit against the Cleveland Guardians and reach the AL championship series.

 

"His job is on the line," the owner was quoted in Sunday's editions of The Record. "I think we're paying him a lot of money. He's the highest-paid manager in baseball, so I don't think we'd take him back if we don't win this series."

 

Torre was hired before the 1996 season and led the Yankees to four World Series in his first five seasons but none since. New York last reached the World Series in 2003, wasted a 3-0 lead to Boston in the 2004 ALCS, then was eliminated by the Angels and Detroit in the first round the last two years.

 

Cleveland led this year's best-of-five, first-round series 2-0 heading into Game 3 Sunday night.

 

Torre is being paid $7 million this year, the final season of his contract.

 

Steinbrenner also criticized umpire Bruce Froemming for not stopping play when insects invaded the field during Game 2 in Cleveland on Friday. Rookie reliever Joba Chamberlain threw two wild pitches that allowed Cleveland to tie the game in the eighth, and the Guardians went on to win 2-1 in 11 innings.

 

Froemming called it "just a little irritation." Steinbrenner profanely dismissed Froemming's explanation.

 

"He won't umpire our games anymore," Steinbrenner said.

 

Team owners do not direct umpiring assignments, and the 68-year-old Froemming - the longest-tenured umpire in history - is retiring after this season.

 

The Yankees complained to baseball commissioner Bud Selig.

 

"(Selig) just said, 'That's in the umpires' hands.' ... It was terrible. It messed up the whole team, (Derek) Jeter, all of them," Steinbrenner told the paper.

 

Steinbrenner also predicted Alex Rodriguez will remain with the Yankees. A-Rod has the right to opt out of the final three years of his record $252 million, 10-year contract after the World Series and become a free agent.

 

"I think we'll re-sign him," Steinbrenner told the paper. "I think he's going to have a good run the rest of the (postseason). I think he realizes New York is the place to be, the place to play. A lot of this (postseason) is laying on his shoulders, you know, but I think he's up to it."

 

The 77-year-old Steinbrenner, who has appeared to be more frail in recent years, said he will make the decisions on Torre and Rodriguez.

 

"I have full control," Steinbrenner said.

 

Steinbrenner, who has limited his public comments of late, was expected at Yankee Stadium on Sunday night.

 

"I haven't reached him this morning," spokesman Howard Rubenstein said. "I'm going to see him at the game."

[Cocos Disciples]

I'll believe it when I see it. Didn't he say he'd be fired last year too?

[Soxfan1]

Na na na na...

[TheKilo]

There are Yankee fans who are claiming that Steinbrenner lighting this fire under them will propel them to a WS victory.

 

lulz

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

Clearly it was the bugs that lost the game for the Yankees. While Joba might not have been able to handle it.....Fausto Carmona had those same insects all over him and he stepped up to the plate. Don't make excuses and point the finger, play your best and whatever happens will happen.

 

Shut the hell up Steinbrenner you are embarassing yourself and your organization.

[Thumper]

Clearly it was the bugs that lost the game for the Yankees. While Joba might not have been able to handle it.....Fausto Carmona had those same insects all over him and he stepped up to the plate. Don't make excuses and point the finger, play your best and whatever happens will happen.

 

Shut the hell up Steinbrenner you are embarassing yourself and your organization.

 

I knew they'd complain. Excuses should be the Yankee's motto. It didn't see anyone on Cleveland's side making a deal out of it. Sure thy whipped out the bug spray, but everyone did. But the still played and didn't bitch.

 

Then again, if you won, you wouldn't bitch anyway.

[schillingouttheks]

It's funny how it seems that the only person that hasn't complained about the bugs was the person who was affected most by them...Joba Chamberlain.

[TheKilo]

Does Steinbrenner know Froemming is retiring at the end of the year?

[jacksonianmarch]

I just cannot wait to see what this team can do without the shackles of Torre wrapped all over it.

[Mr Crunchy]

deciding on a guy under 45 to lead your team into octoberisnt on joe

nor is the machine of put outs that arod is in october

hard to overcome these 0fers day in and day out

ask petite

[yankees228]

I just cannot wait to see what this team can do without the shackles of Torre wrapped all over it.

 

So are you rooting against the Yankees in this series?