Excerpts Of Barry M. Bloom's Interview With Hal Steinbrenner on MLB.Com:• The Stadium Will Still Be Affordable:
To waylay any misconception, Steinbrenner said that going to the new ballpark will be affordable for the typical fan. He expects approximately 35 percent of the 53,000 seats to be priced at $25 or less, 50 percent at $45 or less and 80 percent at $100 or less."I see in the papers all the time about the 180 Legends Seats that are so expensive," he said. "But they don't talk about the fact that half of the seats in the stadium are $45 or less; that the entire top level is $20-$25 seats, and the bleacher seats are $12. We wanted to make sure that the average family can afford to go there and that's the way it's going to be.
• Cashman's Contract Will Not Be Renewed Until At Least After This Season:
The future of general manager Brian Cashman, who is in the final year of his contract, won't be determined until the annual postseason organization meetings at the Tampa complex, Steinbrenner said.
"I was with Brian at the Draft and we haven't discussed that yet," he said. "We both know that now is not the time. I can't speak for Hank -- maybe he's had some discussions with him about that, but I certainly have not. We're just trying to get everyone healthy and win the pennant, win the World Series and that's kind of what we are focusing in on right now and Brian understands that.
"Brian's been a good general manager, and again, it's something that we are going to analyze when the time is right, which will be at the end of the year. Now is just not the time."
• The Boss Is Still Involved:
• The Yankees Are Not For Sale:His nearly 78-year-old father, the chairman of board, is still very much involved in the operations of the ballclub.
"He comes in just about every day, probably four days a week. Sometimes he comes in later than others, but he's in here all the time," Steinbrenner said. "We'll try to get him up there for the All-Star Game. Certainly, he's slowed down, that's no surprise, but I guess he's earned it. It's just his age. It's been an interesting year or two. He's really started to do what he has said for many years that he was going to do, which has been leaving it to the family."
As far as the future is concerned, Steinbrenner said that the Yankees are not for sale and that he and his brother are in it for "the long haul.""That's why I am up [in New York] just about every week," he said.
There's no question, though, that with the closing of the old stadium and the opening of the new one, the Yankees are beginning to look at a different dynamic. Though the costs will be high, the potential to generate more money from a host of areas in the new stadium could make the club more financially viable.
Despite the team's success in recent years -- 13 consecutive trips to the playoffs, four World Series titles and six American League pennants since 1996 -- huge revenue sharing payments have resulted in the team failing to turn a profit, Steinbrenner said. Much of this occurred because his dad insisted upon pouring revenue back into the team.
• C.C. Still A Possibility:
Cleveland's C.C. Sabathia has been floated as a possible trade target."I can't comment on that. He's a player on another team," Steinbrenner said. "In any deal, it depends on what young players, depends on what any team wants regarding what they are trading. We are going to look at every single deal and strongly consider it. It's just a matter of whether we do it or not. But I'm not against some deal now just because I was against Santana. It had nothing to do with him or his ability."
