Steinbrenner passed away this morning.

[jmbeck]

Say what you want, but that man poured everything into that team.

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=5375561

 

[jmbeck]

Say what you want, but that man poured everything into that team.

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=5375561

 

[curbmyenthusiasm]

Very sad.

His health really declined rapidly.

 

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

Now dead...

http://www.nydailynews.co...ssive_heart_reports.html

 

[El Diablo Blanco]

these come in threes. One to go

 

[jmbeck]

nfm

 

[Paperdawg]

[No message]

 

[jacksdawgs]

but by far the best owner in sports history, without question.

 

[shaschboy]

along with Mickey Mantle. That would be what you call a pull hook off the tee box- Dead Yank!

 

[DawgatAuburn]

[No message]

 

[bulliegolfer]

never cared for him, but sorry for his family.

 

[KurtRambis4]

He demanded the best out of his players, and put the best into the team. Without a doubt, the best MLB franchise ever. Nobody even comes close. People complain about him spending money, but he did it to be the best. If he didn't spend the money, he would have been doing himself and the fans a disservice. Anyone who thinks their owners/management wouldn't do the same if they could is kidding themselves. RIP. </p>

 

[VinceVega70]

Steinbrenner was best at spending money. I'll hand it to him, he put his money where his mouth was. He was no genius. He simply went out and outspent everyone. If you had a better team, he went out and took your best players in free agency. That's the Steinbrenner legacy.<div>
</div><div>Comparing the Yankees to most franchises is like comparing the University of Florida or Ohio State to the C-USA. When you have tons more money and tons more exposure, you will get the best players and the best players will usually win for you. That is the Yankees' legacy, at least during the Steinbrenner era.</div><div>
</div><div>I'm much more impressed when a Tampa Bay becomes a consistent winner. A team with comparable resources to most others. I think that's when you can claim greatness. When you win on a level playing field. The Yanks never had to do that.</div>

 

[hatfieldms]

.....they didnt have the largest payroll dont you? Did he spend a ton of money? Yes. But he also had a lot of core guys from within the organization help win these titles. In the 90s you had Jeter, Posada, Pettitte, Bernie, Mo. Hell, even last year you had Robertson, Joba, Gardner, Melky, and Phil Hughes all play big roles in their season. Nobody ever denied that he spent a lot of money, but I would rather have an owner that wants to win so bad that he will do so, than one who owns a team, and does not want to put the money into it to win. The Yankees proved throughout the past decade that you cannot just spend money and automatically win. You have to have the right mix of players to do it

 

[DawgatAuburn]

In his heart, he believes that tonight should be the AL vs the roster of the Cardinals with perhaps a few ex-Cardinals allowed on the team. You believe the Yankees' money is not as big a factor as the players, although better than $125 million of last year's payroll was made up of players they bought, not developed.

It would put Gene and Yancy to shame.

 

[KurtRambis4]

a bad thing that he spent his money? I would be pissed if I knew my owner didn't do EVERYTHING is his power to win. Including spending everything. He did whatever it took to win. How is that a bad thing? I didn't suggest that it was ingenious.

 

[o_Hot Rock]

but by far the best owner in sports history, without question.

Nope, not even close. Baseball has the have's and the have not's and you can contribute that to him as much as anyone. On the flip side, Wellington Mara who was the owner of the New York Giants could have went the same route and took all the money and wins but insisted for the good of the NFL that everyone have a level playing field. To me, Steinbrenner is a terrible owner and Mara is the model of ownership. Yes, the Yankees win but it was always with a stacked deck. It always feels like cheating to me.

 

[GloryDawg]

It must be karma. He was lucky in life and to die the very year the estate tax is 0. Dang the man was charmed.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

[No message]

 

[KurtRambis4]

*

 

[VinceVega70]

All I'm saying is that he had, by far, the largest payroll. I think the majority of team owners could have won if they had the money to buy an all-star team every year.<div>
</div><div>I applaud Steinbrenner for his spirit and his willingness to put the money there, but that doesn't make him great. It just means he was rich and indulgent of the Yankees organization.</div>

 

[KurtRambis4]

you think he got all that money. It wasn't given to him. The guy was a brilliant businessman.

 

[Todd4State]

He demanded the best out of his players, and put the best into the team. Without a doubt, the best MLB franchise ever. Nobody even comes close. People complain about him spending money, but he did it to be the best. If he didn't spend the money, he would have been doing himself and the fans a disservice. Anyone who thinks their owners/management wouldn't do the same if they could is kidding themselves. RIP. </p>

The owners job is to put the best talent on the field that he can get. Many owners fail to realize that to put a good product on the field they have to spend money. There is nothing wrong with wanting to win and be the best. Steinbrenner always did that.

Look at the Kansas City Royals. They had owners from Wal-Mart. You can't tell me that they don't have enough money to put together a really good team, and they probably had even more than Steinbrenner. Why don't they? Because of the owners lack of commitment to winning.

And they did have a very good minor league system as well. Sometimes they strip mine it to get good players, but they've also produced their share of talent- Rivera, Pettitte, Hughes, Posada, Cano, Jeter, and Chamberlain all came up through their farm system.

One of the key guys that built their farm system back up in the 1990's was our very own Buck Showalter.

 

[VinceVega70]

A great businessman, yes.<div>A great baseball owner, no. He simply spent more money. If you or I had the wallet to spend on a ballclub that Stein had, we'd have rings, too.</div><div>
</div><div>Obviously, you love the Yankees. That's your right. I'd be thrilled with Steinbrenner if I were a Yankees fan, too. He bought them plenty of good teams that won most of the time.</div><div>I much prefer the NFL because the player's union has been held in check and the teams are on a level playing field. Baseball has been ruined by the fact that only a few teams have a realistic chance of winning the World Series. The teams that buy the best players. And the Yankees always have more dollars to spend than anyone else.</div><div>I think you can make an argument that Steinbrenner was a below-average owner, because despite having by far the most resources, his teams still managed to lose some years when they were the most talented teams.</div>

 

[missouridawg]

Not sure why you have such a boner for me... but keep it up. Some people may find it funny.

 

[KurtRambis4]

to disagree. I think the reason the Yankees had the money to spend was because of The Boss. He put everything he had into the Yankees (and a GREAT deal to charitable organizations, too). That to me makes him a great owner. The best ever in baseball, at least. As mentioned, there are other owners that could put as much into their teams, but they choose not to. It's as if some of the other owners are like the owner on "Major League." Also, you obviously do not know much about the current and past Yankee teams. While they have bought their share of free-agents (like any other MLB team), they also have an excellent farm system. I mean just look at their current roster and it is filled with players brought up in their system. If you disagree with that, then there isn't much else I can say.

 

[VinceVega70]

I'd feel just like you do.<div>I do realize they have a good farm system, but there are several others on that level. I do realize that several of their stars came through there (Jeter, Posada, etc.) but many, many more of their impact players were guns for hire. If you can't see that, then I don't know what to tell you. Steinbrenner bought winning teams. Plain and simple. </div><div>You seem to be arguing a tangent with me about the money. I AGREE with you that he spent a helluva lot of money and he deserves credit for that. But spending money doesn't mean he is great. I can't break it down for you anymore than that. If you equate greatness with willingness to spend money, then you're right. He's great.</div><div>
</div><div>Respectfully, you are a homer for the Yanks and you argue like one. Arguing with a fan is never easy. Facts don't always compute.</div>

 

[KurtRambis4]

guys that played last night came thru the farm system. Most teams' "impact players" are free agents or guys acquired thru trades. I never said that they didn't acquire players. I said that George was the best because he took the team and made them the best franchise eve, without a doubt. I'm not the only person saying he's the best. It's pretty much common knowledge in the baseball community. He got to be the best by spending money and putting everything into them.. Again, every owner could do the same if they wanted but they apparently choose not to. What "facts" am I not computing?