Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner yesterday appeared on ESPN Radio 98.7 N.Y. to discuss the club's deadline moves and said, "Nobody in this organization has quit anything." However, he acknowledged, "We did something different this year than our normal way of operations." Steinbrenner said, "I believe overall the majority of our fans like what we did, are happy with what we did, but the results have to pan out, right? The prospects have to pan out. It remains to be seen, but I have no regrets whatsoever.” He added fans "are excited that we are rebuilding the system” ("The Michael Kay Show," ESPN Radio 98.7 N.Y., 8/2).
STILL IN THE HUNT: Blue Jays President & CEO Mark Shapiro yesterday said that ownership "is fully invested in seeing the club extend its competitive window." SPORTSNET.ca notes the club "added notable salary prior to Monday’s non-waiver trade deadline." Included in that is $5M the club owes to new CF Melvin Upton Jr. "in the remainder of his contract" (the Padres will pay the other $17M); roughly $4.5M for P Francisco Liriano this season "plus $13,666,667 next year;" and $2.6M still owed to P Scott Feldman. The club also "ate the remainder" of P Jesse Chavez’ $4M and P Franklin Morales’ $2M contract (SPORTSNET.ca, 8/2).
WAITING GAME: In Boston, Nick Cafardo wrote after they fired Exec VP & GM Terry Ryan last month, he does not "get how Twins owners don't know who the best GM candidates are, needing to hire a firm to help them make their hire." Cafardo: "If you own a franchise worth close to a billion dollars, shouldn't you know the best people to hire?" (BOSTON GLOBE, 7/31).
