Steinbrenner: "We have to play tough teams and

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/03/sports/b...&partner=GOOGLE

 

George Steinbrenner is still nervous. The Yankees had a shabby victory in Detroit on Sunday, and Steinbrenner, their principal owner, does not like the coming schedule. Interleague play is here, with the Yankees visiting the Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago Cubs. That makes Steinbrenner edgy.

 

The Yankees are 4-1 since losing on Memorial Day, when Steinbrenner criticized the team. He is not sure his words had an impact, but they might have, and for that Steinbrenner is happy. But the Yankees still need to play well, he said, because the odds are against them.

 

"All they needed was just a little jolt," Steinbrenner said yesterday in a telephone interview. "Whether they got a jolt or not, I don't know. But they dug down deep yesterday after playing miserably in the first part of the game. We don't blow 7-1 leads, but I think we settled down. I just hope we play well against the National League clubs. I don't think the schedule is fair."

 

Steinbrenner pointed out last week that the Boston Red Sox, his team's main rival, play road games in Pittsburgh and Milwaukee this week, while the Yankees play two better teams. Yesterday, he was sharply critical of Major League Baseball for the scheduling.

 

"Katy Feeney makes the schedule, and she has never been a favorite of mine or a favorite of the Yankees," Steinbrenner said. "We play Cincinnati, which is a fine, fine ball club; they're going to be in the middle of it. Then we play the Cubs.

 

"Now who is the other guy playing? They're playing against Milwaukee. Now what's right about that? They're playing Pittsburgh and Milwaukee while we're playing Cincinnati and the Cubs. I think they got the best of that deal.

 

"Bud Selig told me personally that he was overseeing the schedule, and that he'll see to it that it's fine. I used to be for it, but I'm not for it anymore. It's too easy for discrepancies."

 

Feeney, a Major League Baseball vice president, said the interleague schedules were made a year and a half ago. She said that with the five-team American League East playing the six-team N.L. Central, and with the Yankees playing two series with the Mets, it was impossible for each A.L. East team to play each N.L. Central team. The Yankees will play the Pirates and the Brewers in 2005, she said.

 

"I can assure you, I do not, and the other schedule contractors certainly do not, purposefully think, 'How can we make life more difficult for the Yankees?' " Feeney said.

 

Other George news:

 

He probably won't fire Zimmer, yet.

 

It was his idea to let Conteras start and he pitched great (against the Tigers though)

 

And he'll probably resign David Wells in 2004. Jurassic Yankees baby!

[Guest cartman]

First off, NO suprise here.

 

Secondly, FUCK YOU GEORGE!

 

[Guest Grand Slam]

And remember, I'm saying this as a Reds fan...

 

[sarcasm]Yes, I am sure the sub .500 Cincinnati Reds just strike fear into the Yankees.[/sarcasm]

 

Good God, the Reds have been swept this year by both Florida and Pittsburgh, not to mention the losing half of their games against Milwaukee. I hope the Reds and Cubs just murder the Yanks (not to mention that means Rocket would lose his 300th again) and the Sox sweep both Pittsburgh and Milwaukee.

 

Why? I don't like interleague play. This will make Steinbrenner mad, and what The Boss wants, The Boss gets.

[Guest alkeiper]

Steinbrenner's whining a little, but he's expressing a valid point that many other clubs/sportswriters have expressed as well. Baseball should go back to the balanced schedule, IMO. If you're competing for the same playoff spots, you should play the same teams. Next year interleague play will give us Yankees/Giants, Yankees/Dodgers and A's/Cardinals. After that, interleague play should be put to rest.

 

The Boss forgot to point out that one of the other "quirks" of interleague play is that the Yankees get to play the Mets 6 times.

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

Won't Interleague in 2004 being us the teams in their divisions playing the teams in the same area? (NL West v. AL West and so on)

 

We did AL East/NL West, AL Central/NL East, AL West/NL Central already last year.

 

This year it's AL West/NL East, AL Central/NL West, AL East/NL Central

[Guest two_tuff_toddy]

It doesn't matter who the Yankees play anyways. It's not like the Reds and Cubs are 2 of the best teams in the league. The Yankees will still win the divivsion,or at least make the playoffs, like they always do and will probably end up in the World Series.

Steinbrenner needs to quit bitching so much IMO.

[Guest DrTom]

I'd like to see interleague play done away with. It's not right that division races can be decided by which team played against the crappier clubs in the other league. IMO, MLB should put interleague play out to pasture and retain the unbalanced schedule for the greater focus on divisional races.

[Guest alkeiper]

The unbalanced schedule is good in theory, but it has three problems.....

 

1. Teams like the Texas Rangers look worse then they really are because they play 20 or so games against the A's, Mariners, and Angels.

 

2. Wild card races are determined by teams with drastically different schedules.

 

3. As a Phillies fan, looking at the Marlins on my screen 18 times in a season is a hell I should not be forced upon.

[Guest DrTom]

1. Teams like the Texas Rangers look worse then they really are because they play 20 or so games against the A's, Mariners, and Angels.

Well, their pitching sucks, so that alone makes them pretty bad. The disadvantage for them is that those other three teams can hit the ball with the best of 'em. But then again, so can Texas, so they can always try and bash their way to a win. I'd rather see the division race decided in the division, though, as opposed to who had the better record against Tampa Bay and Detroit.

 

2. Wild card races are determined by teams with drastically different schedules.

Yes, but both of those teams still had to emerge from their respective division crucibles. I can't claim to be a fan of the wild card, anyway (I don't mind it, but I don't like it, either), so selling me on the virtues of a schedule by trumpeting the wild card isn't going to sway me.

 

3. As a Phillies fan, looking at the Marlins on my screen 18 times in a season is a hell I should not be forced upon.

You think I want the Devil Rays 18 times? I guess they're more interesting to watch now, since there's always a chance Piniella will storm the diamond and throw a base into the outfield in disgust. But, while they're improving with a real manager at the helm, they're still pretty dismal.

 

It's not that I mind the balanced schedule. I just prefer to see division races decided within the divisions.

[Bored 0]

He's complaining about the Cubs and Reds? Oh boo-the fuck-hoo. The A's get the Giants for 6 (while the Mariners get the Padres for 6) and also get the Phillies, Braves, and Expos (Mariners get the Mets and not the Braves). But I ain't complaining I say bring it on! The A's usually dominate in interleague play anyways.

[Guest BANKYWOOD]

The Yankees will easily win the Pennant and the Red Sox with choke...again. Georgie knows how to rally the troops. Personally I hate the Yankees, but like the Lakers, they just know what it TAKES to in championships.

[Guest geniusMoment]

I'm just happy Steinbrenner called the reds a fine ballclub and that we will be in the middle of it. Of course he did trade Jay Buhner for Ken Phelps, but that deal might still work out.

[Guest CanadianChris]

Why is it that there are all these complaints about the unbalanced schedule in baseball, but not in football? It's magnified even more in football, where each game means so much more. You draw a weak division as your inter-conference opponent, and you can pretty much cruise to a wild card spot in your conference.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

I'd like to see interleague play done away with. It's not right that division races can be decided by which team played against the crappier clubs in the other league. IMO, MLB should put interleague play out to pasture and retain the unbalanced schedule for the greater focus on divisional races.

I just think they need to have everyone in a division play the same teams in the opposing division.

 

CC. If I'm not mistaken the NFL used to have the same schedule for every team in the conference. That has changed. The team with the worst record got the cupcake schedule, but I don't think that's the case anymore.

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

One thing I liked about baseball for so many years was the fact the two World Series teams never faced each other in the regular season. Damn you interleague.

 

On a different note, I'm going to the Reds game Wednesday. The pitching matchup is Mussina (sp?) and somone who isn't. It ain't going to be pretty...

[Guest geniusMoment]

Its Mussina vs. Wilson and Wilson has kept the reds in almost every game this year so don't be so sure.

[Guest MarvinisaLunatic]

Hey, I don't hear Peter Angelos complaining because the Orioles have to play Houston, St. Louis, Chicago NL, Philadelphia, Atlanta and ..er.. Milwaukee. That right there is probably the toughest interleague schedule for any AL team. Thats 4 teams with 30 wins (Atlanta - 37, Philadelphia 31 and Chicago/Houston - 30) , St. Louis with 28 and Milwaukee has 22. They play the top 3 in the NL Central and 2 of the top 3 in the NL East...you tell me thats not hard..

 

Boston gets to play Pittsburgh (24) and Florida (26) instead of Atlanta and Chicago NL.

 

New York gets to play Cincinnati (27) and the Mets (26) twice instead of Atlanta, Philadelphia and Milwaukee.

 

Toronto gets Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Montreal (33) twice instead of Houston, Atlanta and Philadelphia. They probably have the next hardest schedule, but only because they have Montreal twice.

 

Actually, I think Peter Angelos should whine and complain about it. The O's are going to totally get shelled in June. They might be able to beat the Brew-Crew 2 out of 3..

 

DAMN IT! DAMN INTERLEAGUE PLAY! DAMN IT TO HELL!

[Bored 0]

Hey, I don't hear Peter Angelos complaining because the Orioles have to play Houston, St. Louis, Chicago NL, Philadelphia, Atlanta and ..er.. Milwaukee. That right there is probably the toughest interleague schedule for any AL team. Thats 4 teams with 30 wins (Atlanta - 37, Philadelphia 31 and Chicago/Houston - 30) , St. Louis with 28 and Milwaukee has 22. They play the top 3 in the NL Central and 2 of the top 3 in the NL East...you tell me thats not hard..

Um nope the A's have the toughest schedule of anyone: San Francisco, Atlanta, Montreal, Philadelphia, Florida.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

Hey, I don't hear Peter Angelos complaining because the Orioles have to play Houston, St. Louis, Chicago NL, Philadelphia, Atlanta and ..er.. Milwaukee. That right there is probably the toughest interleague schedule for any AL team. Thats 4 teams with 30 wins (Atlanta - 37, Philadelphia 31 and Chicago/Houston - 30) , St. Louis with 28 and Milwaukee has 22. They play the top 3 in the NL Central and 2 of the top 3 in the NL East...you tell me thats not hard..

 

Boston gets to play Pittsburgh (24) and Florida (26) instead of Atlanta and Chicago NL.

 

New York gets to play Cincinnati (27) and the Mets (26) twice instead of Atlanta, Philadelphia and Milwaukee.

 

Toronto gets Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Montreal (33) twice instead of Houston, Atlanta and Philadelphia. They probably have the next hardest schedule, but only because they have Montreal twice.

 

Actually, I think Peter Angelos should whine and complain about it. The O's are going to totally get shelled in June. They might be able to beat the Brew-Crew 2 out of 3..

 

DAMN IT! DAMN INTERLEAGUE PLAY! DAMN IT TO HELL!

Marvin and the rest of you O's fans don't take this personal. It would only been a matter of time before Baltimore collapsed. They where hovering around .500 in early July the last two years, and went in the tank.

[Guest hardyz1]

Errr....Go Cubs!

[Guest MarvinisaLunatic]

Well hey, the Os are beating Houston 5-4 right now...If the Os can do well vs all of these quality NL teams in playoff contention..

 

And if the O's win tonight (knock on wood), with the Yankees having lost..3 1/2 out of first place..

 

*Gets all giddy and stuff*

[Guest Choken One]

If the reds sweep Yankees...Steinbrenner loses his mind and kills Jeter...

[JasonX 0]

If the reds sweep Yankees...Steinbrenner loses his mind and kills Jeter...

Or takes a knife and disfigures Jason Giambi while screaming "Take that you whore!" for failing to help lead the team to victory...

[Guest Vern Gagne]

Giambi deserves a good kniving the way he's hit.

[Guest MarvinisaLunatic]

I think everyone outside of NY wants a good Steinbrenner temper tantrum / firing thing.

It hasn't happened in a good long time. When he does it (I'd be willing to guarantee it happening sometime this season the way things are right now) then it would pretty much be an end to their season. Of course, you still have the Red Sox annual cave in, so it would look like Toronto could possibly celebrate the 10th anniversary of the first World Series win with a trip to the playoffs.

[Guest alkeiper]

Giambi deserves a good kniving the way he's hit.

 

Its worth noting that Tino's not hitting much better with the Cardinals.

[Guest Grand Slam]

The irony of it all is that while The Boss is hovering over the Panic / Firing button, the Yanks are in first place in the AL East.

 

I think his standards might be a wee bit high...

[Guest Smues]

Mariners get the Mets and not the Braves.

Wrong. Mariners play The braves June 13-15 at Safeco Field. Got my tickets to all three the day they went on sale. About DAMN time the braves came up here. Thank god for interleague.

[Guest Grand Slam]

And Smues gives the only valid reason I have ever heard for interleague play.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

Giambi deserves a good kniving the way he's hit.

 

Its worth noting that Tino's not hitting much better with the Cardinals.

Oh Martinez, is washed up. I tend to believe that Giambi is having problems with his eyes.