Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner yesterday said the club’s recent move to become sellers at the July trade deadline followed a period of personal resistance on his part. “It’s kind of been my DNA to not trade anybody at the trade deadline. If anything, normally we’re buyers,” Steinbrenner said at the ongoing MLB owners’ meetings in Houston. “So I had to overcome a little bit of DNA issues I think in that regard.” But Steinbrenner said he is pleased with the Yankees’ accelerated push toward a more youth-driven roster. He also is encouraged by fan and sponsor response and an average home attendance of 40,724 per game -- including three sellouts -- since the trade deadline. He added the Yankees will not entirely abandon the pursuit of star veteran players, particularly given that they aid core business elements such as ticket sales and TV ratings. “I’m not naive. This is New York City. Our fans want marquee players, too, and I wanted marquee players because they’re good veterans and they’re good mentors, in many cases, so that’s always going to be there.”
A-ROD TO BE WELCOMED BACK: Steinbrenner added that Alex Rodriguez will be welcomed back into the organization even if he elects to play elsewhere next season. Rodriguez currently has a contract with the Yankees to serve as a special advisor to Steinbrenner and an instructor in ’17. “It’s very flexible,” Steinbrenner said of Rodriguez’s role next year. “And it was intended to be a very flexible situation. We talked to him about it as an option. And I just wanted to let him know about his option. When we talked about ’17, it was just that was when the [player] contract was up. It was just logical to get everything done quickly. ... I don’t know who’s going to approach him in the offseason, if anybody. And I don’t know what he’s going to say. I just don’t.” Marlins President David Samson said his organization has not engaged with Rodriguez despite fervent rumors to the contrary over the past week. “There’s been nothing of it,” Samson said. “I think it’s simply a function of where he’s from. He’s from Miami. If he were from Seattle or somewhere else, that’s where the talk would be centered.”
