Just read this piece over at River Ave. Blues. Don't get me wrong they do a great job, and I read their Blog daily but this is something I just really don't understand.
Hank’s not too happy with the Yankee play lately. Well, join the club, Hank. The only difference between Hank and the rest of Yankee fans the world over is that we’re not in a position to get our stupid rants in the paper. Unfortunately for Hank, he’s not the sole decision-maker atop the Yankees management hierarchy. “This is going to get turned around. If it’s not turned around this year, then it will be turned around next year, by force if we have to,” he said. What does that even mean?
Well, the last sentence is completely wrong. Contracts are guaranteed money--not guaranteed starting positions. Just because a player has a contract with a team does not mean he can't ride the bench if he isn't performing.Update: At the urgings of a commenter, here is Hank’s entire quote: “There’s no question we need to turn it around and we have the talent to turn it around. We’ve got the team in place, and now they just have to go out and do it. This is going to get turned around. If it’s not turned around this year, then it will be turned around next year, by force if we have to.” Even when we consider the whole thing, he still sounds rather blustery and ridiculous. His point — that the Yanks are playing poorly — can be seen for miles, and I doubt the players are going to feel motivated just because Hank sort of threatened them. Their contracts are, after all, guaranteed.
Also, Hank has every right in the world to say whatever he feels like he needs to say. So far, I haven't seen anything he has ever said turn into a detriment to this team. In fact, it seems like when he speaks out, the Yankees turn up their intensity and play like he and everyone else knows they are capable of playing. Like Greg at Sliding Into Home points out "I think this is the third Hank outburst right before a Mike Mussina start, and each time Mussina pitched well, so let's hope he can make it 3-for-3 tonight".
Hank is not the one you should be hating on. These players are lethargic millionaires, and he has every right to try and do something to fire them up. If it works, it works. If it doesn't it doesn't. But don't crucify the man for trying to get all he can from his players.
I mean come on, as an employer when you pay nine employees a combined total of $210 million dollars and they are lazy and sloppy and not performing up to their abilities, I would hope that your right to open your mouth and say whatever it is you want to say is guaranteed. If it isn't-- forget baseball-- this country is in trouble.
