Hal Steinbrenner discusses Aaron Boone’s red line, Yankees’ potential sell-off

Hal Steinbrenner, the owner of the New York Yankees, has revealed why he continued to support Aaron Boone and what could be the red line for his manager. Losing another playoff series to the Houston Astros, mishandling the bullpen, or giving Aaron Hicks the bat in a vital circumstance is not the problem for the owner.

Hal Steinbrenner said it on the record during his first podcast, “The Show” with Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

Why does Hal Steinbrenner love Aaron Boone?

Hal Steinbrenner emphasized the significance of the players’ respect for the manager, considering it one of the most crucial factors. He noted that the players had a strong desire to play for him and were motivated to win on his behalf. Hal Steinbrenner clarified that if he ever observed a decline in this respect, he would consider making a change. He further mentioned having discussed this matter with Aaron, dispelling any notion that players were unwilling to play for him. Hal Steinbrenner affirmed that the players wanted to compete for him, win for him, and held him in high regard. He believed that Aaron was an effective leader and a proficient communicator with the players.

The owner remarked that they could analyze a hundred decisions made by any manager during a game and likely find numerous ones they wouldn’t agree with. However, Hal Steinbrenner acknowledged that the manager, similar to GM Brian Cashman, did a good job overall.

Hal Steinbrenner praised Boone for listening to the bench coach and being “somewhat balanced,” as well as using data and “some common sense.”

Fans are quick to criticize Boone’s every move, but injuries have put the Yankees in fourth place in the AL East, 7.5 games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays. They believe they can make a run at the Rays if their players continue to improve their health, such as when center fielder Harrison Bader returned to the lineup recently and had an immediate impact.

But left-handed Yankees starting Carlos Rodon hasn’t thrown a pitch yet because of back problems. He won’t be back in the rotation for a few weeks. Giancarlo Stanton, an outfielder/DH, and Josh Donaldson, a third baseman, both have hamstring injuries and are getting closer to rehab stints in the minor leagues. However, no exact timetable has been set for either player.

After being ejected from Tuesday night’s game for having excessive amounts of sticky substances on his throwing hand, Domingo German was suspended for 10 games.

Hal Steinbrenner remains in touch with players

The owner of the Yankees, Hal Steinbrenner, is a fascinating character. A far cry from his boisterous father, George. However, as he clarified on “The Show” podcast with Post reporters Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman, the younger Steinbrenner has not gone missing.

It’s true that since the season began, Hal Steinbrenner has been extremely diligent. Better yet, he has a new superior. He’s always listening to what his team has to say. The Yankees owner informed the hosts that he had monthly “closed-door meetings” with top pitcher Gerrit Cole and MVP candidate Aaron Judge.

Hal Steinbrenner explained that he considered it a beneficial exercise to bring together the leaders of the position players and pitchers, along with General Manager Brian Cashman and himself. The purpose was to listen to their concerns, thoughts, and suggestions on various matters, as well as to identify areas where improvements could be made. The intention was to have an open and collaborative discussion among all involved parties, including Aaron.

Not much was revealed beyond the fact that it was “new” and exactly what it sounds like. In what amounts to a brainstorming session, Hal Steinbrenner and Cashman are joined by Judge and Cole.

The speaker mentioned that a key agreement reached during the meeting was that whatever was discussed in that particular setting would remain confidential. This understanding ensured that everyone in the room felt comfortable expressing their thoughts openly. The speaker expressed the desire to maintain a regular and healthy dialogue of this nature, ideally on a monthly basis.

Maybe Hal Steinbrenner is more like his father than we give him credit for. His father was instrumental, especially behind the scenes and in the locker room. He had many meetings with Joe Torre, and we all remember how much he admired and despised Billy Martin.

Consistent meetings between the owner, GM, and manager are fine, but what about the players? When you consider how rarely Hal Steinbrenner addresses the general public, you can appreciate the significance of this.

Cole and Judge are two reliable people in the group that hold themselves to high standards when it comes to meetings. The monthly, behind-closed-doors meetings with the owner are beneficial in any light.

Hal Steinbrenner rejects rumors over selling Yankees

The New York Yankees will remain in the hands of the Steinbrenner family. According to Hal Steinbrenner, he had no intention of selling the franchise.

He clarified that there were no discussions or plans regarding selling the team. They emphasized that the ownership of the team was a multi-generational effort, citing the involvement of their nephews and niece in various capacities within the organization. Hal Steinbrenner highlighted the family’s strong investment and commitment to the team, indicating that they had no intention of stepping away in the foreseeable future, concluding with a lighthearted remark that they were not going to be easily removed from their position.

In our exclusive, Hal gives quick, forceful answer here to my question if he may sell team. In full Show he addresses Cash, Boone, Ohtani, Judge, and reveals what Yankees did for Volpe when he made the team. ⁦@Joelsherman1⁩ and I assess Yanks (OK) and Mets (less than OK) pic.twitter.com/7BBObB0KNk

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) May 17, 2023

This is not the first time there have been talks of selling the team, nor is Hal Steinbrenner the first person to dismiss them. He made it abundantly apparent that he would not be selling in 2012.

Steinbrenner dismissed a New York Daily News story as pure fiction, which suggested that he was contemplating selling the team. He asserted that the Yankees were not up for sale and expressed confidence that the team would remain in his family for an extended period.

The Steinbrenner family has controlled the franchise since 1973 when they purchased it for $8.8 million from a consortium that included the late George M. Steinbrenner.

Since then, the team has gone to the Fall Classic 11 times and won seven World Series titles. The team hasn’t won a championship since 2009, which was a year before George M. Steinbrenner died, which is pretty long by its own high standards.

In 2012, Hal Steinbrenner acknowledged the significant responsibility that came with owning the Yankees, acknowledging that it was a great responsibility. He further commented that his father, referring to George Steinbrenner, was a formidable figure to follow, emphasizing the challenge of living up to his father’s legacy.

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