With 70 games to play in the regular season, life is as it should be. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are in a dead heat atop the American League East standings. And a Steinbrenner is using the media to make sure his manager knows the score.
The Steinbrenner? Not George, or even Hank (where is Hank, anyway?). It's Hal. Maybe he does have a little, just a little, Boss in him after all.
"Joe knows what's expected of him. It's never changed," Steinbrenner said. "We expect to win every year. Joe knows who he's working for. Joe knows the organization as good as anyone. He knows what's expected of him and he expects that of himself. ...
"I believe we have a team that can win the championship,"
First place. Public reminders to the manager that if he doesn't win, he's gone. Ahhhhh ... on a July day, it doesn't get much better in Yankee-land.