The Bronx Daily

In Town for the Summit

I still do not think I can post about last night's game. How we could not get more than one run off of Kyle Davies is beyond me. If anyone can answer that, please leave a comment.

I traveled to Tampa yesterday and will be here for a week. I am going to see some of the minor leaguers at Steinbrenner Field and am hoping to catch some of the buzz about the summit. It will be interesting to see if a Cashman deal is done. My prediction is that he will get a contract extension and I feel as though he deserves one. I know there are those who feel the Yankees should go it a different direction, but I feel as though Brian is the right guy for the job and has earned this contract.

Stay tuned as I will see what I can find out here in Tampa!

Steinbrenner Unhappy with Teams Play

Hank Steinbrenner told the Associated Press that he was unhappy with the Yankees slow start. He was understanding about the injuries the team has sustained but you can tell he does not like the make up of the team the Yankees are presently fielding and it is only a matter of time before changes in personnel are made.

Steinbrenner said, "I'm very disappointed with the way the season has gone, period."

Referring to the amount of injuries he said, "The injuries have been a killer, too, there's no question about that. It happens to one team every year, sometimes more than one team. And it just appears to be our year. It's something you've got to deal with in every sport."

Steinbrenner also said that the injury to rookie starter Phil Hughes will not change the team's plans for Joba Chamberlain and they will, at least for now, go into their farm system to replace Hughes.

"There's no question, you just can't stick him in there right away," Steinbrenner said. "He's got to be brought along properly. You have to stick with [the plan]."

It is only a matter of time until Steinbrenner loses his patience if the Yankees continue to struggle like they have. Joe Girardi is safe, but you have to wonder how long the leash is on Brian Cashman and how willing the team will be to bring back some of the veterans at the end of this season. Bobby Abreu and Jason Giambi will probably not be back to name a few.

Steinbrenner Stands Down

After exploding to the media, Hank Steinbrenner recanted a bit after declaring that he wanted Joba Chamberlain to move to the starting rotation immediately.

"It's all of our intention to try to get him back into the rotation by the end of the year," Hank said to the Daily News. "I've addressed it many times, as did Joe and Cashman. I'm just saying it would be nice to have him there right now. He's going to be great anywhere we have him but, my preference is as a starter and that's everybody else's preference, too.

"You see what a premium starting pitching is. The bullpen is important, but starting pitching is 70 percent of it. Your bullpen can't do you any good if you're down by five runs quickly every night. It's logical."

As I said earlier, the Bronx is getting ready to burn, AGAIN!

The Next Generation: The Saga Continues

"Billy, I want Reggie batting fourth!" That was the quote from George Steinbrenner talking to on again off again manager Billy Martin about where to bat Reggie Jackson in the line up in 1977. 31 years later, a new Steinbrenner, yet the same demands.

Hank Steinbrenner told The New York Times on Sunday that the club should move Joba Chamberlain into the rotation as soon as possible. "I want him as a starter and so does everyone else, including him, and that is what we are working toward and we need him there now. There is no question about it, you don't have a guy with a 100-mile-per-hour fastball and keep him as a setup guy. You just don't do that. You have to be an idiot to do that."

He also said, "The mistake was already made last year switching him to the bullpen out of panic or whatever. I had no say in it last year and I wouldn't have allowed it. That was done last year, so now we have to catch up. It has to be done on a schedule so we don't rush him."

Instead of the manager arguing with the owner about it like in the Jackson scenario, GM Brian Cashman decided to take on the new "Boss". "Joba's staying in the bullpen right now," Cashman said. "That's where we're at. [Putting him in the rotation is] not something that's going to happen here early on, and [Hank] knows that. We've talked about it. I don't know what set him off."

Looks like the Bronx may be burning again. This is going to be fun!