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Anyone else embarassed by Hank?

I never liked Hank Steinbrenner.  He strikes me as that privileged kid turned loud obnoxious man who is used to getting everything his way.  Say what you will about George, he EARNED the right to say whatever he wanted and usually he had a valid point.  When George spoke, people listened and regardless of what they thought of him as a person, they at least respected him.  Hank hasn't done anything to earn the vast respect and fear that George's mere presence demanded, yet he talks like his opinion matters.  Curt Schilling acts the same way and I think we can all agree he is a douchebag of the highest order.

Now look at the idiot son.  He's said some pretty asinine things this year.  I thought this comments about Red Sox Nation were naive and stupid.  He actually thought that that term meant the nation of the U.S., when it means New England.  I just shrugged and ignored it, but now he's said something even dumber:

“My only message is simple. The National League needs to join the 21st century,” Steinbrenner said in Tampa, Fla. “They need to grow up and join the 21st century.

“Am I (mad) about it? Yes,” Steinbrenner added. “I’ve got my pitchers running the bases, and one of them gets hurt. He’s going to be out. I don’t like that, and it’s about time they address it. That was a rule from the 1800s.”

He's blaming the rules of the National League for Wang's injury?!  I'm as upset as any other Yankee fan about the injury, but come on!  This is a freak injury.  Things like this just happen.  Remember when Sammy Sosa went on the DL because he threw his back out sneezing?  Sometimes, freak injuries just happen.  They all suck, but we have to deal with it.  And someone has to say it, so it might as well be me.  Getting injured from running?  Not the greatest statement of the Yankees strength and conditioning regiment.  Yeah, Wang is a pitcher and is not accustomed to running bases, but I thought Joe Girardi was supposed to be a drill sergeant type of manager.  Didn't he remove all candy from the clubhouse for health reasons?  I would think someone who does that would make his players at least run some wind sprints every practice.  Bottom line is that this injury is tragic and never should have happened, but blaming the rule and telling another baseball league that the way they do things is wrong?  Not the smartest move Hank.  He sounds like an immature child playing the blame game.  His brain can't seem to comprehend that bad things can happen to him, so he needs to vent against something.  At least that's the way he comes off to me.  And Hank should know that the DH has only been around since 1972, and National League baseball has been played since the turn of LAST century.  Respect that.  I like how both leagues differ on this rule.  It creates another disparity that helps differentiate the leagues.  I personally grew up with the DH and being a Yankee fan, I've never seen it as strange, but I can certainly understand why National League fans and purists object to it.

Now if he wanted to gripe about how interleague play is an abomination, then I'd be with him 100%.  If you're going to blame someone or something for the injury, blame interleague play.  I think enough time has gone by to show what I've known since 1997: that interleague play is a freak show that has destroyed the integrity of the major leagues.  It only matters to TWO fan bases: the Mets and the White Sox.  But that's another topic for another time.

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It is stupid and dangerous to put the pitchers in the batters box

or on the bases.

Mr. Steinbrenner has a point.

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. Herm Albright (1876 - 1944)

by Cbeck3 on Jun 17, 2008 1:11 AM EDT reply actions  

Last I checked, pitchers are still baseball players are they not? Wang got hurt playing baseball. It happens. It sucks, but it happens.

There’s no need for an owner to cry about a baseball player getting hurt playing baseball. If Wang was hurt jogging back to the dugout would he complain about that? Should pitchers have a golf cart pick them up and shuttle them back?

by JasonB on Jun 17, 2008 10:27 AM EDT reply actions  

Let me ask you this

Suppose some team the Eagle played had a goofy rule against, substitutes. This lead to McNabb being hurt punting, or holding for a PAT. You’d be upset. But why, he’s a football player hurt playing football. Pitchers in this day and age do not hit or run bases in most of baseball. I’m sure you read it was just the second time Wang had to run bases since High School.

It was a dumb way to get a really key player hurt.

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. Herm Albright (1876 - 1944)

by Cbeck3 on Jun 17, 2008 3:43 PM EDT up reply actions  

You're missing the point

If he was hurt jogging back to the dugout, fielding a bunt, covering first base, etc, no, neither we nor Hank would complain about it, because those duties are all part of his everyday duties as a pitcher.

He got hurt doing something he hasn’t done in about 10 years – running the bases.

It would be like asking an outfielder who last pitched in high school to come in and pitch an inning. If he hurt his arm doing so, or if he took a line drive off some part of his body (a “freak” injury), I’d be a lot more pissed off than if he hurt himself crashing into a wall.

The NL isn’t going to change to a DH anytime soon. In the interim, if a pitcher reaches base during these interleague games, the team should be able to pinch run for him with a player who would be eligible to return to the game at another point. Or maybe before the game the manager designates the guy who will pinch run for the pitcher.

Sounds crazy, like beer league softball, but so is losing your ace for 10 weeks.

"Well, that kind of puts a damper on even a Yankees win."
-- Phil Rizzuto after hearing about the Pope's death

by matthaggs on Jun 17, 2008 4:28 PM EDT up reply actions  

The pinch-runner idea is exactly what I have been proposing to the situation. And the pinch-runner shouldn’t take the pitcher out of the game either – it should just be to run the base paths.

I was pretty jolted by Hank saying anything because he sounds like a winy AL VP who thinks he can manage the entire league by opening his mouth. If a bunch of AL guys got together and shared that sentiment then sure, I’ll back off. But for the time being it just looks like he’s crying the blues. I’d also perk up if an NL coach said, “You know what? I’ve hated the rule too and don’t like risking my pitches either.” THEN we’d be getting somewhere. But for the time being, when you are a guest in someone else’s house you are expected to abide by their rules. Therefore, Yankees pitchers will continue to run the bases until (if) anything ever comes of it.

FrankD from Pensburgh.com

by FrankD on Jun 17, 2008 4:48 PM EDT up reply actions  

Re: Hank

Frankly, I agree with Hank on this issue, but he’s still a jackass. I tend to roll my eyes and hang my head in shame every time I read a quote from him.

by anaconda on Jun 17, 2008 4:59 PM EDT reply actions  

I'm with you, nitlion

Lashing out the rules of the National League because one of your players got injured just smacks of sour grapes and an overwrought sense of entitlement. My guess is George would have blamed Wang. The old man didn’t make excuses and didn’t accept them either. Hanky just wants somebody to listen to him, but so far we haven’t heard a whole lot worth listening to.

by porky on Jun 17, 2008 7:36 PM EDT reply actions  

Traditional

Traditional baseball requires EVERY player to have an at-bat and run the bases. Think back to little league games even – the pitchers batted. The American league chooses to have DH in place of the pitchers at-bat and that is their choice, the National League chose to remain traditional and have their pitchers bat. That is what it is – nothing to be done about that. I agree that Wang’s injury was a freak occurance and that it is senseless to blame the National League. Pitchers are involved in spring training and workouts and practices all of which an injury could occur. Wang was playing the game and an unfortunate injury happened. Hank sounds like an idiot.

by kentuckygirl0724 on Jun 18, 2008 10:20 AM EDT reply actions  

The DH rule is a joke

Freak accident I’m sure, and it sucks, but everyone needs to run at some point. They did it 100 years ago, so why can’t they do it now?

"We might as well just win this game." -Adam Jones

by exitfare on Jun 18, 2008 6:22 PM EDT reply actions  

The game has evolved quite a bit the last 100 years

Hell, there were no batting helmets and fans weren’t allowed to keep foul balls back then.

Keep in mind that the NL is the only pro league that still has the pitcher hit for himself. Even college baseball has the DH.

by anaconda on Jun 18, 2008 6:48 PM EDT up reply actions  

I will never be embarrassed by Hank

All he does is pop off to the media which takes pressure off his team and puts it upon himself. As long as Hank just runs his mouth and doesn’t do anything rash like trading four prospects for Sabathia, then he is harmless.

What he does better than his Dad is he listens to his baseball people. George usually didn’t.

by thejobarules on Jun 19, 2008 12:42 AM EDT reply actions  

Many AAA minor league teams

do allow their pitchers to hit, mainly the teams which are National League affiliated. If you check the minor league stats for NL triple AAA (and some AA teams) teams, you will see many pitchers with a dozen or more AB’s.
This mostly occurs when two NL affiliated teams are playing each other as they want to simulate the atmosphere of the parent club.

by thejobarules on Jun 19, 2008 12:59 AM EDT reply actions  

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