I think the Yankee organization is trying to bring back the big guns of the Steinbrenner Era. I grew up in that era when the Bronx was burning, Billy was fired and Reggie hit home runs in style. But those days grow dim, and the Yankees organization today is nothing like those days of Steinbrenner. But I caught a glimpse- this week with the acquisition of Juan Soto. Not so much that the Yankees went out there and got him but more about "we aren't done yet" mentality. It seems that George is present (or at least his ghost is) in this off season and so it appears that Hal remains all in on getting the pitcher that can carry our rotation to greatness in 2024.
Newsday even has a piece that simply says, "Hal is more like his father than we thought." And goes on to say that his father would approve of both adding more offense from the left side which is what Soto brings and going after the young Japanese hurler Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
"MLB insider Andy Martino of SNY noted earlier this week that sources "familiar with owner Hal Steinbrenner's thinking" said Steinbrenner is willing to raise the club's payroll to over $300M amid the franchise's interest in Soto and in signing Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto," stated MLB.com.
And even Brian Cashman sounds like the warrior Steinbrenner built, moving away from blaming to going out gaming.
"George Steinbrenner always felt the best players in the world should play here for the Yankees," Cashman explained, according to Chichester. "The Steinbrenner DNA has always been willing to go all-in," reported MLB.com.
These words solidify that this is not your typical off-season we've seen in recent years. This is also indicating that the "evil empire" is back and is going to be relentless in pursuit of a championship next season.
"The Yankees, meanwhile, have a strong desire to land Yamamoto and a willingness to show Evil Empire levels of financial aggressiveness," Martino said. "The Mets had hoped that the Yanks’ acquisition of Juan Soto would take them out of the Yamamoto sweepstakes, but Hal Steinbrenner remains all-in on spending even after completing the Soto trade, per sources." writes FanNation.
I will be honest, I was a bit skeptical in the Yankees when they first picked up Alex Verdugo from Boston. I had that 'here we go again' feeling and I was not having it. Then, I was still concerned, and still am, about the Yankees ruining the young career of Juan Soto because that's what they do in recent years. How would they play him? Are they going to give him days off for a hangnail? You know the drill. But something clicked when I heard Brian Cashman's words about how George would go after more. And I have bought into the fact that nostalgic Yankee mentality of going after the best is back.
Let's hope the new of Yamamoto signing comes early next week so the Yankees can get down to business at the strike of 2024. This is an early Christmas present for fans who can place some single season tickets in their stockings with confidence to usher in a new era in Yankee baseball with Boss George Ghost of Christmas Past in the clubhouse this off season.
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--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof
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