Fastball Fans

As anyone who follows baseball knows, the stated goal of the Yankees each and every season is to not only get into the playoffs, but most important – win the World Series.

Perhaps the mission statement may be unrealistic, or just silly; however, it’s reality of playing and being part of the Yankees.

It’s been seven years and counting, thus, it looks like George Steinbrenner has gotten restless.

Even though the “Boss� has lightened up over the past decade, and is surely not as brash in public as he used to be; nevertheless, when he speaks, it’s akin to Zeus raining down on the laypeople as to how it should be.

This is what he said Sunday morning, as he interviewed with the Bergen Record, out of Northern New Jersey.

“His job is on the line,” the owner was quoted in Sunday’s editions of The Record of New Jersey. “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.”

By now, Joe Torre will not tremble in fear, as it has been every year he’s had to face losing his job.

With the Yankees 8-4 victory on Sunday, the wrath of Steinbrenner has been averted at least for a day.

Torre quipped:

“You’re not surprised by whatever comes down the pike,” Torre said. “You don’t always get used to it, but you understand if you want to work here — and there’s a great deal of upside to working here — that there are certain things you have to deal with. We’ve had ultimatums during the season, early in the season. This obviously is down to a game we need to win, and you’d like to believe everybody’s trying to pull in the same direction.”

Well, at this point, I know the New York press and fans want the Yankees to get in the ALCS and face their arch-enemy, the Red Sox, in the Hundred Year Plus War.

However, from my point of view, Torre has done a magnificent job with the team almost every year, and especially this year, considering where the Yankees had to come back from in order to get the postseason.

Considering I root for the Baltimore Orioles, we have had a decade of losing; thus, we’d only dream of sniffing the playoffs 12 consecutive years, if not once.

Sorry, I think the “Boss�, as much as I respect him is off-base, whether you have $20, 60, 80, 130 million dollar payroll or a $185 million dollar payroll.

What do you all think?

Of course, naturally, we should hear more from the “Boss”.

Maybe he’ll channel Patton again and inspire his troops in battle…