George Steinbrenner and the Ghost of Yankees Past: Part IV - A New Trilogy?

This post was written on December 24, 2017. A lot had changed in my personal life by this time, and a lot had changed in my Yankees fandom as well. This was a true piece of me written in this piece, and I hope it shows in my work, and my fandom. 

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When we last spoke on last Christmas eve we were ready to close the book on a trilogy that was George Steinbrenner and the Ghost of Yankees Past. Why? Well everything these days usually is broken down into a trilogy until Star Wars and George Lucas flipped the script and just created new trilogy after new trilogy. Now while I am no George Lucas by any means I do feel the need to keep this going because I feel like The Boss would have a lot to say to us on this fateful Christmas Eve day so without further ado I present you with George Steinbrenner and the Ghost of Yankees Past: Part IV A New Trilogy? Maybe...

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring... not even a mouse. Well, that's not entirely true. Daniel Burch, one of the owners of the Yankees blog The Greedy Pinstripes, was stirring like he always is. Daniel never sleeps, he never rests and he is always looking for new ideas and new content to bring to his writers. When we last spoke with Daniel he was a bit stressed out, and admittedly it was a self-driven stress, so the first stop on George's trip would once again be in his house. George went to the same house he had stopped at the last three Christmas Eve's and to his surprise there was no Daniel Burch. There was nobody. George was confused until he got into the mind of Mr. Burch and found out the truth.


Not many people know this but Daniel went through a separation last year, maybe that had a lot to do with the stress he was putting on himself and had a lot to do with him disappearing from the blog for six months or so without explanation. George didn't know, many of Daniel's friends didn't know and that was all by design. Daniel is a quiet guy who doesn't like to burden others with his issues or his problems. Daniel likes to keep things inside a lot and this was just another incident and just another day for him. Daniel's life suffered, the blog suffered and his children suffered but the 2017 calendar year and the 2017 MLB season, thanks to the New York Yankees, put him right back in the saddle again.


As George flies into Daniel's new house with his new girlfriend, Kari... the very lovely Kari, he sees Daniel where he always is on Christmas Eve, on his computer either tracking Santa on NORAD or typing up posts for his blog. Daniel has grown used to the frequent visits from George and isn't even startled when the Ghost of Yankees Past appears and asks him what is new. "Obviously you know what is new or you wouldn't be standing here. How did you find me?" Daniel says. George responds that he got inside his mind and that he was pleased to finally see Mr. Burch with a true happiness in his soul. Daniel responds in jest:


" Yes, George. I am happy. Finally happy. Finally not letting the stress of the blog, the Christmas season and the stress of never feeling good enough get me down. I am happy. I met Kari on December 26, 2016 and my life hasn't been the same since. We may not have always gone the most traditional route or necessarily the easy route as some would say but the ends justify the means, and that's all that matters. Also I loved watching the Yankees this season, one win away from the World Series! The best part of the season was doing it the Yankees way, Brian Cashman's way. The emergence of so much youth, the breakout season from Aaron Judge, the continued strong play from Didi Gregorius, the comeback from CC Sabathia, it really just was a great season. I was disappointed when the Yankees went down in Game 7 of the American League Championship season but I wasn't upset, I was truly proud. I bet you were proud too."

Without a word, and just a smile, George floats away into the mist satisfied with his answer as he made his trip to his next destination.


The House that Cashman built may be the name of Yankee Stadium III before it is all said and done but for now The Ghost of Yankees Past visited the real and actual house of Cashman on this Christmas Eve 2017. Cashman was, as usual, on the phone texting and trying to nail down a big right-handed starter from the Pittsburgh Pirates even as his family played in the next room anxiously awaiting Santa Clause. George swooped in and, like Mr. Burch, Cashman was not shocked when he saw the Boss on his now yearly swoop down into his office. Cashman put the phone down, because The Boss demands 100% of your attention, and gave The Boss a nod as he walked towards his refrigerator which housed many alcoholic drinks.


"I know what you're going to say George" Cashman said with a bit of a snarky tone " and I am not going to give in to the Pirates GM. I don't want to trade Jordan Montgomery and I shouldn't have to trade five years of team control from a guy who is more AL East tested and less home run and injury prone than the guy I am acquiring. I'm not giving up Gleyber Torres either, and I don't want to give up Clint Frazier if I don't have to. I know everyone is blowing up on Twitter and I know everyone, just a couple weeks after praising me and wanting to put me in the Hall of Fame for acquiring Giancarlo Stanton, are now ready to have my head on a stake once again. This is New York, I'm used to it. I'm not budging, no. Don't give me that look!" Cashman yelled and the Boss just continued to look down on the Yankees General Manager, not saying a word. The Boss knew that people have a tendency of having conversations with themselves in his presence and he usually tended to let them make their own beds in these situations. Was George intimidating? Maybe in his younger days, but no so much anymore. At least not to Cash who continued to defend himself.


"We built this team from within and it was my decision not to bring back Joe Girardi. He was terrible with his usage of the bullpen and his tendency to lean towards veterans over the youngsters I have brought in and helped develop, even if his binder turned iPad told him not to. I wanted a YES man and I got a YES man, period. I want someone who is going to play Clint Frazier and Aaron Hicks over Jacoby Ellsbury because the stats and the eye test say that he should, not because the contract dictates it. I want Aaron Judge in right field and DH 81 games a season and I want Giancarlo Stanton playing there the other 81 games. I want the young guys competing for roster spots and I want the best 25 guys on the field while getting under the luxury tax threshold for the 2018 season. The Evil Empire will return and it will be on MY terms. You gave me the power and I'm using it, successfully I may add." Cashman pours a drink and waits on the usual response from George, but the Boss just stands there in a fit of bewilderment.

George finally speaks. "I can't say I can relate to the whole austerity nonsense, to be honest, but I like what you're doing with the team. It is what I should have done after the 2003 World Series failure and 2004 ALCS failure and I refused to. I wanted to win now and I should have trusted you. You have done well, Brian, and keep up the good work. Although I will say that Gerrit Cole did grow up a Yankees fan, you did draft him once and damn would he look good in pinstripes!!" Cashman closes the door abruptly as George backs out of it and gets back to work as the Ghost of Yankees Past continues on to his next stop on his trip.


The next stop on the George Steinbrenner express train was the house of newly named manager Aaron Boone. George had never visited the house of Boone, he was too busy watching the Yankees in the 2003 World Series after Boone hit a walk-off home run against the Boston Red Sox to send the team to the World Series to face off with the Florida Marlins and he was too disgusted to visit him after the Yankees lost to Josh Beckett and company in six games that season. By the time George stopped fuming Boone had torn up his knee playing a pickup basketball game, something that was not allowed due to his contract with New York, and just like that the Yankees were in the market for a third baseman and Boone was gone from the Bronx. Boone never got to really face the Boss and George never got to speak to the Yankees ALCS hero... until now.


George swoops into Aaron's house and Aaron, which a startle, grabs at his chest at the sight of the former Yankees owner. "What the..." Aaron says in astonishment at the sight of the Ghost of Yankees Past before finally calming down enough to stammer "...George?" The Boss nods in agreement and acknowledgement as Boone sits down and tries to catch his breath. In that voice that only Aaron Boone has the new Yankees manager utters "To what do I owe the please of this visit" but George never answers. Aaron knows what he wants, and George waits until he has one of those conversations with himself like people tend to do with Mr. Steinbrenner.


"Listen, George. I know what you're thinking" Boone says with a bit of hesitation " and I want you to know that I won't let you down. The Ghosts of Yankees Stadium finally began showing back up last season because the Ghosts thought the team were worthy of it. I get it" and George, shocked, nodded in agreement. George never thought of it that way but it was true, the Ghosts of Yankee Stadium had been MIA for years, especially since the retirement of Derek Jeter, but they did seem to make a bit of a reluctant return to the Bronx here in 2017. Boone continues "I won't let you down. I know I don't have the experience that others had, but neither did Joe Torre. Like Mr. Torre I am walking into the beginning of something special and possibly the beginning of another dynasty. Didi is Jetes, The Kraken is Jorgie, Gardner is Bernie, Monty is Pettitte, Giancarlo is O'Neill, etc. etc. etc. I am just the lucky ass that gets to manage this kind of talent. What I lack in experience I more than make up for in knowledge, understanding and a willingness to listen to my coaching staff and Mr. Cashman. Boss... I won't let you down."

George, seemingly satisfied with what he has heard from the new Yankees manager, gives Boone a thumbs down. The thumbs down catches Boone by surprise until he realizes and remembers that a thumbs down in the Yankees universe is a good thing. George, before flying off into the distance for his final stop, says to Boone with that smirk that only George Steinbrenner could have "Now I know how you charmed the pants off Cash and got the job." George winks and flies off into the moonlight for his final stop.


For the final stop on his trip the Ghost of Yankees past would visit the home of the one and only Derek Jeter. Jeter and Steinbrenner shared many years together with the Yankees, George as the Boss and Jeter as the Captain of the team, and for one night only they would reunite and rekindle their relationship they seemingly shared. Jeter, now one of the owners of the Miami Marlins and one of the men responsible for the acquisition by the Bronx Bombers of outfielder Giancarlo Stanton, was seen sitting by a fire playing with his daughter while his lovely wife, Hannah, slept while their family waited for Santa. George, with a smile, swooped down to Jeter and gave Jeter that look he gave him after every time the Yankees shortstop helped bring home a World Series Championship home to the club.


Jeter gave that million dollar smile and responded by saying "Oh hey Boss, what's up?" George, still smiling, responded in jest by saying "You weren't happy with being Mr. October or even Mr. November, you had to be Mr. December too huh?" They both shared a laugh, a handshake and a hug as the Boss swooped away into the sky for the final time this year. Santa was due any minute and the Boss's time was up, until next year anyway. As George flew away and the Ghost of Yankees Past made his way back to the pearly gates of heaven you could hear him saying "Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night. Except for Neal Huntington, to hell with that guy. He should be fired."

Merry Christmas everyone from everyone here at The Greedy Pinstripes. I hope you enjoyed the little piece of me that I shared with you tonight and I hope that the holiday season treats everyone as well as it has treated me. I hope Santa brings everyone what they want and I hope the new year brings you everything that you need, including a World Series Championship. Until next year, signing off....

George Steinbrenner and the Ghost of Yankees Past Part III

This post was written on December 24, 2016. A lot has changed since these posts started being written, but unfortunately a lot has stayed the same as well. 

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Every good trilogy needs a good ending. Well, I take that back. Back to the Future didn’t have a great ending and if you want to count the Karate Kid movies when they had a female Karate Kid as a trilogy then that didn’t have a good ending either. Hopefully this will have a great ending though as I conclude my trilogy to my series entitled “George Steinbrenner and the Ghost of Yankees Past.” Merry Christmas everyone and enjoy the story.




When we last checked in with Hal Steinbrenner he was left on Christmas morning with his head hanging in shame. The empire and the organization that his father had built was crumbling. The Yankees had missed the postseason again after an embarrassing show the season before that resulted in the team limping into the postseason only to get shutdown in the AL Wild Card Game and in years past heads would be preparing themselves to roll. Not this year, not this regime. Not the Hal regime. In the Hal regime money has become the main focus of the team and its owners and winning has taken a step back from it all. When it comes to Christmas time though the Yankees and their fans want a shiny new toy each and every year. Has Hal learned anything from the past two seasons and should Yankees fans around the world expect something big to wake up to tomorrow morning? Keep reading.




Set the scene once again. Hal Steinbrenner sitting in his huge office that we have all grown accustomed to seeing this time of year. Hal, sitting at his desk, is nodding off as he shuffles through miscellaneous paperwork and reads through various emails when an all too familiar face appears behind him, George Steinbrenner. George Steinbrenner, the Ghost of Yankees past. Hal looks over at his father with a look that suggests he halfway expected to see his father show up at any time and he barely even acknowledges that there is a ghost standing beside his desk that is about three times the size that it should be. Hal looks over at his father with a sarcastic grin and asks “What did I do this time?” Without saying a word the two are off on another adventure that should last through the night and into the wee hours of the morning. Hopefully this time Hal and George can beat Santa Claus home.

The first stop on the magic adventure is back to the Burch house and to the home of the owner of The Greedy Pinstripes, Daniel Burch. The duo didn’t have to go too far back in time for this one, earlier in the same week Daniel was sitting at his desk frustrated, stressed out and trying to hammer out an apology letter to his readers, subscribers, friends and family about his lack of a presence on the site lately. Daniel had grown frustrated with the whole ordeal and with life and even typing out something from his heart had become troublesome. This was weird for Daniel as he has been able to pump out content left and right for the better part of four or five seasons now. You know what though? That’s not because of anything the Yankees, and specifically Hal Steinbrenner, had done for once. As Hal watches Daniel struggle through the article there is a flash the two flash back to the 2016 season where a much happier, less frustrated, Daniel is sitting in the same spot still violently typing away at 70-some words a minute. Instead of that discouraged look on his face the blog owner has a smile. Why? The Yankees have recently traded away Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller for top prospects while Dillon Tate and others were being fitted for uniforms after Carlos Beltran had also been traded. Gary Sanchez was getting the bulk of the playing time behind the dish for the Yankees and the youth movement was in full effect. The Yankees were out of the playoff race by the time the calendar changed to September but Daniel knew brighter, and much better days, were to come.




George smiled at the sight and that scared Hal. Hal wondered in his head, but wouldn’t dare say it out loud, why his father was happy that the Yankees were going through a youth movement, trading away veteran pieces and about to miss the playoffs again. He didn’t dare ask and before he even could anyway his father had swept him away to the second house on their tour. The house of the Yankees GM Brian Cashman.




It’s the Hot Stove season and despite Cashman declaring that the Yankees “heavy lifting” was over after acquiring Aroldis Chapman and Matt Holliday the Yankees GM was still working the phones and fielding calls, even on Christmas Eve. It’s unclear what GM that Cashman was speaking to or what player or players could potentially be traded in the deal but the discussion ends abruptly when Cashman is overheard saying “no deal” before quickly hanging up the phone. Hal didn’t catch the entire discussion but he did specifically hear the names Luis Severino, Clint Frazier and Jorge Mateo uttered. George looks at his son and tries to fill him in with his eyes, as George has still yet to say a word on the evening, but before he can the flash reappears and the two go back in time once again to sometime in the mid-2000’s. Cashman and George are sitting in an office having a heated discussion over control. Cashman wants more power and wants at least the power of the other 29 general managers around Major League Baseball while George wants it done “his way.” Phrases like “he’s just a prospect” and “trade ‘em all!!” are uttered before Cashman storms out of the room angrily. Again, back in the same office as before, Cashman is back on the phone with another GM but the mood is much lighter this time. Cashman is seemingly in the positon of need and not in the positon of power in this deal and simply asks the unnamed GM to “name his price.” Cashman agrees and hangs up after a “thank you, and great doing business with you” and the deal is announced. The Yankees have acquired another superstar for prospects, the farm system is barren and Cashman is once again unhappy.

George still doesn’t speak as they flash back into the present, Cashman still sitting in his office looking at his computer. He’s likely reading The Greedy Pinstripes blog for ideas but neither George nor Hal can see his screen, just his concentrating face. This time George says, again with his eyes, that maybe this was not the best way to handle that situation. George knows that he handled the situation poorly and by the time he had tried to rectify it he was too late in his life for the scars to heal and the feelings to be mended. George’s biggest regret, presumably, was leaving the world with people still disgusted by the mention of his name. George wanted to be loved by all and wanted nothing more to win, and sometimes the two don’t go hand-in-hand. George knows that now and by the look on Brian Cashman’s face he may know that now as well. Cashman wanted to keep two of his top five prospects plus Luis Severino and he did despite the fact that this deal would make the team an immediate contender for a postseason spot in 2016. It’s Cashman’s world now though and the tyrant is long gone. Austerity, youth and the future now control the lay of the land in the Bronx.




Hal is still confused as to what his father is trying to show him but before he could even think of asking the two are swept away to the third and final stop on their journey for the evening. As the two fly into the house of Ken Hans the world as they know it begins to erupt. One minute they are in Ken’s house, the next they are in patrick (always with a little “p”) Walsh’s house, then Ken Reed’s house, then Daryl “he who have no last name’s” house, then Jeff Levin’s house, then Kip Raymo’s house and the so on and so forth. The duo spent just a few minutes in each house getting just a glimpse what they were doing in each before being shifted away with another bright flash. Some were happy with the direction of the team, some were still angry with the direction of the team or they felt like what the team had done was inadequate and one in particular just wanted to see one last World Series title before the good lord took him home. Screams of “This is a $3.4 billion franchise” and “Yay we got Chapman” and “Dammit I’m too old for this” ring out as the flashes increase in speed and brightness until everything goes white….






George finally speaks.






“Son, do you know why I brought you to these specific places and showed you these specific lives and stories?” Before Hal could answer George, in a way only George knows how, continued to speak as if the question was rhetorical. “I took you to Daniel Burch’s house because the young man is frustrated now but he is happy overall in what you’ve done. You’ve committed to a youth movement, even on the fly, after years of begging from him and I think he has a voice that many Yankees fans can relate to. Despite not seeing a youth movement in my entire time as the Yankees owner I have to say that losing for a season or two will be a flash of someone’s memory if and when the team creates another dynasty. Well done on that front.”






George continues.

“I was never the best human being but my heart was always in the right place and I think, well more so I hope, people knew that and accepted that in my final days. When I demanded things of my managers, my general managers, my employees, my players, my family and friends it was always out of a good place in my heart. Good plan, bad execution is what I always used to say and unfortunately it was a motto that I could live by. I treated people like crap, son. People didn’t adore me like I thought they did, not until after I calmed down and after I was gone. They were scared of me. They hated me. You have a long way to go to win over the fans, the toughest fans in the world to win over, but you’ve done well with Cashman I think. I can tell.”









And George concludes.






"Hal, I couldn't be more proud of you. I take that back, I could be more proud of you. You've done a lot of good things for this team, the fans and the organization in your short time calling the shots but there are also a lot of things you still haven't quite grasped yet. Ticket prices are too high. You've run the families out of the stadium and most of the Bleacher Creatures including Bald Vinny Milano. You can't print tickets at home anymore and it's no longer fun or feasible to take the family out to the ballpark a couple times a week just to watch the Yankees play no matter who the opponent was. No matter what we're still the New York Yankees, dammit. We are a $3.4 billion franchise, no scratch that. We are a $3.4 billion EMPIRE. Start acting like it Hal!!!!"




As soon as George finishes his sentence he's gone. Another flash. Hal is back in his office and it's one minute before midnight. As the clock strikes 12 it is officially Christmas Day 2016. Hal decides to finish off a glass of wine and head to bed but not before he sends out a text message to Brian Cashman, his GM. It reads "Merry Christmas Brian, best wishes from your friend Hal. Also, and no this is not the egg nog talking, we need to talk on Monday. It's time to start acting like the Yankees again. Hope you're well. - Hal."




The scene fades out from Hal as he enters his bed for a slumber and fades into a close up on George Steinbrenner and the Ghost of Yankees past....






"I'm George Steinbrenner after all, you didn't think this was going to be ALL good... did you?"






Merry Christmas everyone! And if you don't celebrate happy holidays or happy Saturday for you as well! Hope everyone has a great day, stay safe out there. Much love.


Daniel Burch

George Steinbrenner and the Ghost of Yankees Past: Part IV A New Trilogy?

When we last spoke on last Christmas eve we were ready to close the book on a trilogy that was George Steinbrenner and the Ghost of Yankees Past. Why? Well everything these days usually is broken down into a trilogy until Star Wars and George Lucas flipped the script and just created new trilogy after new trilogy. Now while I am no George Lucas by any means I do feel the need to keep this going because I feel like The Boss would have a lot to say to us on this fateful Christmas Eve day so without further ado I present you with George Steinbrenner and the Ghost of Yankees Past: Part IV A New Trilogy? Maybe...

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Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring... not even a mouse. Well, that's not entirely true. Daniel Burch, one of the owners of the Yankees blog The Greedy Pinstripes, was stirring like he always is. Daniel never sleeps, he never rests and he is always looking for new ideas and new content to bring to his writers. When we last spoke with Daniel he was a bit stressed out, and admittedly it was a self-driven stress, so the first stop on George's trip would once again be in his house. George went to the same house he had stopped at the last three Christmas Eve's and to his surprise there was no Daniel Burch. There was nobody. George was confused until he got into the mind of Mr. Burch and found out the truth. 

Not many people know this but Daniel went through a separation last year, maybe that had a lot to do with the stress he was putting on himself and had a lot to do with him disappearing from the blog for six months or so without explanation. George didn't know, many of Daniel's friends didn't know and that was all by design. Daniel is a quiet guy who doesn't like to burden others with his issues or his problems. Daniel likes to keep things inside a lot and this was just another incident and just another day for him. Daniel's life suffered, the blog suffered and his children suffered but the 2017 calendar year and the 2017 MLB season, thanks to the New York Yankees, put him right back in the saddle again.

As George flies into Daniel's new house with his new girlfriend, Kari... the very lovely Kari, he sees Daniel where he always is on Christmas Eve, on his computer either tracking Santa on NORAD or typing up posts for his blog. Daniel has grown used to the frequent visits from George and isn't even startled when the Ghost of Yankees Past appears and asks him what is new. "Obviously you know what is new or you wouldn't be standing here. How did you find me?" Daniel says. George responds that he got inside his mind and that he was pleased to finally see Mr. Burch with a true happiness in his soul. Daniel responds in jest:

" Yes, George. I am happy. Finally happy. Finally not letting the stress of the blog, the Christmas season and the stress of never feeling good enough get me down. I am happy. I met Kari on December 26, 2016 and my life hasn't been the same since. We may not have always gone the most traditional route or necessarily the easy route as some would say but the ends justify the means, and that's all that matters. Also I loved watching the Yankees this season, one win away from the World Series! The best part of the season was doing it the Yankees way, Brian Cashman's way. The emergence of so much youth, the breakout season from Aaron Judge, the continued strong play from Didi Gregorius, the comeback from CC Sabathia, it really just was a great season. I was disappointed when the Yankees went down in Game 7 of the American League Championship season but I wasn't upset, I was truly proud. I bet you were proud too." 

Without a word, and just a smile, George floats away into the mist satisfied with his answer as he made his trip to his next destination. 

The House that Cashman built may be the name of Yankee Stadium III before it is all said and done but for now The Ghost of Yankees Past visited the real and actual house of Cashman on this Christmas Eve 2017. Cashman was, as usual, on the phone texting and trying to nail down a big right-handed starter from the Pittsburgh Pirates even as his family played in the next room anxiously awaiting Santa Clause. George swooped in and, like Mr. Burch, Cashman was not shocked when he saw the Boss on his now yearly swoop down into his office. Cashman put the phone down, because The Boss demands 100% of your attention, and gave The Boss a nod as he walked towards his refrigerator which housed many alcoholic drinks. 

"I know what you're going to say George" Cashman said with a bit of a snarky tone " and I am not going to give in to the Pirates GM. I don't want to trade Jordan Montgomery and I shouldn't have to trade five years of team control from a guy who is more AL East tested and less home run and injury prone than the guy I am acquiring. I'm not giving up Gleyber Torres either, and I don't want to give up Clint Frazier if I don't have to. I know everyone is blowing up on Twitter and I know everyone, just a couple weeks after praising me and wanting to put me in the Hall of Fame for acquiring Giancarlo Stanton, are now ready to have my head on a stake once again. This is New York, I'm used to it. I'm not budging, no. Don't give me that look!" Cashman yelled and the Boss just continued to look down on the Yankees General Manager, not saying a word. The Boss knew that people have a tendency of having conversations with themselves in his presence and he usually tended to let them make their own beds in these situations. Was George intimidating? Maybe in his younger days, but no so much anymore. At least not to Cash who continued to defend himself. 

"We built this team from within and it was my decision not to bring back Joe Girardi. He was terrible with his usage of the bullpen and his tendency to lean towards veterans over the youngsters I have brought in and helped develop, even if his binder turned iPad told him not to. I wanted a YES man and I got a YES man, period. I want someone who is going to play Clint Frazier and Aaron Hicks over Jacoby Ellsbury because the stats and the eye test say that he should, not because the contract dictates it. I want Aaron Judge in right field and DH 81 games a season and I want Giancarlo Stanton playing there the other 81 games. I want the young guys competing for roster spots and I want the best 25 guys on the field while getting under the luxury tax threshold for the 2018 season. The Evil Empire will return and it will be on MY terms. You gave me the power and I'm using it, successfully I may add." Cashman pours a drink and waits on the usual response from George, but the Boss just stands there in a fit of bewilderment.

George finally speaks. "I can't say I can relate to the whole austerity nonsense, to be honest, but I like what you're doing with the team. It is what I should have done after the 2003 World Series failure and 2004 ALCS failure and I refused to. I wanted to win now and I should have trusted you. You have done well, Brian, and keep up the good work. Although I will say that Gerrit Cole did grow up a Yankees fan, you did draft him once and damn would he look good in pinstripes!!" Cashman closes the door abruptly as George backs out of it and gets back to work as the Ghost of Yankees Past continues on to his next stop on his trip. 

The next stop on the George Steinbrenner express train was the house of newly named manager Aaron Boone. George had never visited the house of Boone, he was too busy watching the Yankees in the 2003 World Series after Boone hit a walk-off home run against the Boston Red Sox to send the team to the World Series to face off with the Florida Marlins and he was too disgusted to visit him after the Yankees lost to Josh Beckett and company in six games that season. By the time George stopped fuming Boone had torn up his knee playing a pickup basketball game, something that was not allowed due to his contract with New York, and just like that the Yankees were in the market for a third baseman and Boone was gone from the Bronx. Boone never got to really face the Boss and George never got to speak to the Yankees ALCS hero... until now. 

George swoops into Aaron's house and Aaron, which a startle, grabs at his chest at the sight of the former Yankees owner. "What the..." Aaron says in astonishment at the sight of the Ghost of Yankees Past before finally calming down enough to stammer "...George?" The Boss nods in agreement and acknowledgement as Boone sits down and tries to catch his breath. In that voice that only Aaron Boone has the new Yankees manager utters "To what do I owe the please of this visit" but George never answers. Aaron knows what he wants, and George waits until he has one of those conversations with himself like people tend to do with Mr. Steinbrenner. 

"Listen, George. I know what you're thinking" Boone says with a bit of hesitation " and I want you to know that I won't let you down. The Ghosts of Yankees Stadium finally began showing back up last season because the Ghosts thought the team were worthy of it. I get it" and George, shocked, nodded in agreement. George never thought of it that way but it was true, the Ghosts of Yankee Stadium had been MIA for years, especially since the retirement of Derek Jeter, but they did seem to make a bit of a reluctant return to the Bronx here in 2017. Boone continues "I won't let you down. I know I don't have the experience that others had, but neither did Joe Torre. Like Mr. Torre I am walking into the beginning of something special and possibly the beginning of another dynasty. Didi is Jetes, The Kraken is Jorgie, Gardner is Bernie, Monty is Pettitte, Giancarlo is O'Neill, etc. etc. etc. I am just the lucky ass that gets to manage this kind of talent. What I lack in experience I more than make up for in knowledge, understanding and a willingness to listen to my coaching staff and Mr. Cashman. Boss... I won't let you down." 

George, seemingly satisfied with what he has heard from the new Yankees manager, gives Boone a thumbs down. The thumbs down catches Boone by surprise until he realizes and remembers that a thumbs down in the Yankees universe is a good thing. George, before flying off into the distance for his final stop, says to Boone with that smirk that only George Steinbrenner could have "Now I know how you charmed the pants off Cash and got the job." George winks and flies off into the moonlight for his final stop.

For the final stop on his trip the Ghost of Yankees past would visit the home of the one and only Derek Jeter. Jeter and Steinbrenner shared many years together with the Yankees, George as the Boss and Jeter as the Captain of the team, and for one night only they would reunite and rekindle their relationship they seemingly shared. Jeter, now one of the owners of the Miami Marlins and one of the men responsible for the acquisition by the Bronx Bombers of outfielder Giancarlo Stanton, was seen sitting by a fire playing with his daughter while his lovely wife, Hannah, slept while their family waited for Santa. George, with a smile, swooped down to Jeter and gave Jeter that look he gave him after every time the Yankees shortstop helped bring home a World Series Championship home to the club. 

Jeter gave that million dollar smile and responded by saying "Oh hey Boss, what's up?" George, still smiling, responded in jest by saying "You weren't happy with being Mr. October or even Mr. November, you had to be Mr. December too huh?" They both shared a laugh, a handshake and a hug as the Boss swooped away into the sky for the final time this year. Santa was due any minute and the Boss's time was up, until next year anyway. As George flew away and the Ghost of Yankees Past made his way back to the pearly gates of heaven you could hear him saying "Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night. Except for Neal Huntington, to hell with that guy. He should be fired." 

Merry Christmas everyone from everyone here at The Greedy Pinstripes. I hope you enjoyed the little piece of me that I shared with you tonight and I hope that the holiday season treats everyone as well as it has treated me. I hope Santa brings everyone what they want and I hope the new year brings you everything that you need, including a World Series Championship. Until next year, signing off....

George Steinbrenner and the Ghost of Yankees Past Part III

Every good trilogy needs a good ending. Well, I take that back. Back to the Future didn’t have a great ending and if you want to count the Karate Kid movies when they had a female Karate Kid as a trilogy then that didn’t have a good ending either. Hopefully this will have a great ending though as I conclude my trilogy to my series entitled “George Steinbrenner and the Ghost of Yankees Past.” Merry Christmas everyone and enjoy the story.




When we last checked in with Hal Steinbrenner he was left on Christmas morning with his head hanging in shame. The empire and the organization that his father had built was crumbling. The Yankees had missed the postseason again after an embarrassing show the season before that resulted in the team limping into the postseason only to get shutdown in the AL Wild Card Game and in years past heads would be preparing themselves to roll. Not this year, not this regime. Not the Hal regime. In the Hal regime money has become the main focus of the team and its owners and winning has taken a step back from it all. When it comes to Christmas time though the Yankees and their fans want a shiny new toy each and every year. Has Hal learned anything from the past two seasons and should Yankees fans around the world expect something big to wake up to tomorrow morning? Keep reading.




Set the scene once again. Hal Steinbrenner sitting in his huge office that we have all grown accustomed to seeing this time of year. Hal, sitting at his desk, is nodding off as he shuffles through miscellaneous paperwork and reads through various emails when an all too familiar face appears behind him, George Steinbrenner. George Steinbrenner, the Ghost of Yankees past. Hal looks over at his father with a look that suggests he halfway expected to see his father show up at any time and he barely even acknowledges that there is a ghost standing beside his desk that is about three times the size that it should be. Hal looks over at his father with a sarcastic grin and asks “What did I do this time?” Without saying a word the two are off on another adventure that should last through the night and into the wee hours of the morning. Hopefully this time Hal and George can beat Santa Claus home.

The first stop on the magic adventure is back to the Burch house and to the home of the owner of The Greedy Pinstripes, Daniel Burch. The duo didn’t have to go too far back in time for this one, earlier in the same week Daniel was sitting at his desk frustrated, stressed out and trying to hammer out an apology letter to his readers, subscribers, friends and family about his lack of a presence on the site lately. Daniel had grown frustrated with the whole ordeal and with life and even typing out something from his heart had become troublesome. This was weird for Daniel as he has been able to pump out content left and right for the better part of four or five seasons now. You know what though? That’s not because of anything the Yankees, and specifically Hal Steinbrenner, had done for once. As Hal watches Daniel struggle through the article there is a flash the two flash back to the 2016 season where a much happier, less frustrated, Daniel is sitting in the same spot still violently typing away at 70-some words a minute. Instead of that discouraged look on his face the blog owner has a smile. Why? The Yankees have recently traded away Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller for top prospects while Dillon Tate and others were being fitted for uniforms after Carlos Beltran had also been traded. Gary Sanchez was getting the bulk of the playing time behind the dish for the Yankees and the youth movement was in full effect. The Yankees were out of the playoff race by the time the calendar changed to September but Daniel knew brighter, and much better days, were to come.




George smiled at the sight and that scared Hal. Hal wondered in his head, but wouldn’t dare say it out loud, why his father was happy that the Yankees were going through a youth movement, trading away veteran pieces and about to miss the playoffs again. He didn’t dare ask and before he even could anyway his father had swept him away to the second house on their tour. The house of the Yankees GM Brian Cashman.




It’s the Hot Stove season and despite Cashman declaring that the Yankees “heavy lifting” was over after acquiring Aroldis Chapman and Matt Holliday the Yankees GM was still working the phones and fielding calls, even on Christmas Eve. It’s unclear what GM that Cashman was speaking to or what player or players could potentially be traded in the deal but the discussion ends abruptly when Cashman is overheard saying “no deal” before quickly hanging up the phone. Hal didn’t catch the entire discussion but he did specifically hear the names Luis Severino, Clint Frazier and Jorge Mateo uttered. George looks at his son and tries to fill him in with his eyes, as George has still yet to say a word on the evening, but before he can the flash reappears and the two go back in time once again to sometime in the mid-2000’s. Cashman and George are sitting in an office having a heated discussion over control. Cashman wants more power and wants at least the power of the other 29 general managers around Major League Baseball while George wants it done “his way.” Phrases like “he’s just a prospect” and “trade ‘em all!!” are uttered before Cashman storms out of the room angrily. Again, back in the same office as before, Cashman is back on the phone with another GM but the mood is much lighter this time. Cashman is seemingly in the positon of need and not in the positon of power in this deal and simply asks the unnamed GM to “name his price.” Cashman agrees and hangs up after a “thank you, and great doing business with you” and the deal is announced. The Yankees have acquired another superstar for prospects, the farm system is barren and Cashman is once again unhappy.

George still doesn’t speak as they flash back into the present, Cashman still sitting in his office looking at his computer. He’s likely reading The Greedy Pinstripes blog for ideas but neither George nor Hal can see his screen, just his concentrating face. This time George says, again with his eyes, that maybe this was not the best way to handle that situation. George knows that he handled the situation poorly and by the time he had tried to rectify it he was too late in his life for the scars to heal and the feelings to be mended. George’s biggest regret, presumably, was leaving the world with people still disgusted by the mention of his name. George wanted to be loved by all and wanted nothing more to win, and sometimes the two don’t go hand-in-hand. George knows that now and by the look on Brian Cashman’s face he may know that now as well. Cashman wanted to keep two of his top five prospects plus Luis Severino and he did despite the fact that this deal would make the team an immediate contender for a postseason spot in 2016. It’s Cashman’s world now though and the tyrant is long gone. Austerity, youth and the future now control the lay of the land in the Bronx.




Hal is still confused as to what his father is trying to show him but before he could even think of asking the two are swept away to the third and final stop on their journey for the evening. As the two fly into the house of Ken Hans the world as they know it begins to erupt. One minute they are in Ken’s house, the next they are in patrick (always with a little “p”) Walsh’s house, then Ken Reed’s house, then Daryl “he who have no last name’s” house, then Jeff Levin’s house, then Kip Raymo’s house and the so on and so forth. The duo spent just a few minutes in each house getting just a glimpse what they were doing in each before being shifted away with another bright flash. Some were happy with the direction of the team, some were still angry with the direction of the team or they felt like what the team had done was inadequate and one in particular just wanted to see one last World Series title before the good lord took him home. Screams of “This is a $3.4 billion franchise” and “Yay we got Chapman” and “Dammit I’m too old for this” ring out as the flashes increase in speed and brightness until everything goes white….






George finally speaks.






“Son, do you know why I brought you to these specific places and showed you these specific lives and stories?” Before Hal could answer George, in a way only George knows how, continued to speak as if the question was rhetorical. “I took you to Daniel Burch’s house because the young man is frustrated now but he is happy overall in what you’ve done. You’ve committed to a youth movement, even on the fly, after years of begging from him and I think he has a voice that many Yankees fans can relate to. Despite not seeing a youth movement in my entire time as the Yankees owner I have to say that losing for a season or two will be a flash of someone’s memory if and when the team creates another dynasty. Well done on that front.”






George continues.

“I was never the best human being but my heart was always in the right place and I think, well more so I hope, people knew that and accepted that in my final days. When I demanded things of my managers, my general managers, my employees, my players, my family and friends it was always out of a good place in my heart. Good plan, bad execution is what I always used to say and unfortunately it was a motto that I could live by. I treated people like crap, son. People didn’t adore me like I thought they did, not until after I calmed down and after I was gone. They were scared of me. They hated me. You have a long way to go to win over the fans, the toughest fans in the world to win over, but you’ve done well with Cashman I think. I can tell.”







And George concludes.






"Hal, I couldn't be more proud of you. I take that back, I could be more proud of you. You've done a lot of good things for this team, the fans and the organization in your short time calling the shots but there are also a lot of things you still haven't quite grasped yet. Ticket prices are too high. You've run the families out of the stadium and most of the Bleacher Creatures including Bald Vinny Milano. You can't print tickets at home anymore and it's no longer fun or feasible to take the family out to the ballpark a couple times a week just to watch the Yankees play no matter who the opponent was. No matter what we're still the New York Yankees, dammit. We are a $3.4 billion franchise, no scratch that. We are a $3.4 billion EMPIRE. Start acting like it Hal!!!!"




As soon as George finishes his sentence he's gone. Another flash. Hal is back in his office and it's one minute before midnight. As the clock strikes 12 it is officially Christmas Day 2016. Hal decides to finish off a glass of wine and head to bed but not before he sends out a text message to Brian Cashman, his GM. It reads "Merry Christmas Brian, best wishes from your friend Hal. Also, and no this is not the egg nog talking, we need to talk on Monday. It's time to start acting like the Yankees again. Hope you're well. - Hal."




The scene fades out from Hal as he enters his bed for a slumber and fades into a close up on George Steinbrenner and the Ghost of Yankees past....






"I'm George Steinbrenner after all, you didn't think this was going to be ALL good... did you?"






Merry Christmas everyone! And if you don't celebrate happy holidays or happy Saturday for you as well! Hope everyone has a great day, stay safe out there. Much love.


Daniel Burch

George Steinbrenner and the Ghost of Yankees Past Part III

Every good trilogy needs a good ending. Well, I take that back. Back to the Future didn’t have a great ending and if you want to count the Karate Kid movies when they had a female Karate Kid as a trilogy then that didn’t have a good ending either. Hopefully this will have a great ending though as I conclude my trilogy to my series entitled “George Steinbrenner and the Ghost of Yankees Past.” Merry Christmas everyone and enjoy the story.

When we last checked in with Hal Steinbrenner he was left on Christmas morning with his head hanging in shame. The empire and the organization that his father had built was crumbling. The Yankees had missed the postseason again after an embarrassing show the season before that resulted in the team limping into the postseason only to get shutdown in the AL Wild Card Game and in years past heads would be preparing themselves to roll. Not this year, not this regime. Not the Hal regime. In the Hal regime money has become the main focus of the team and its owners and winning has taken a step back from it all. When it comes to Christmas time though the Yankees and their fans want a shiny new toy each and every year. Has Hal learned anything from the past two seasons and should Yankees fans around the world expect something big to wake up to tomorrow morning? Keep reading.

Set the scene once again. Hal Steinbrenner sitting in his huge office that we have all grown accustomed to seeing this time of year. Hal, sitting at his desk, is nodding off as he shuffles through miscellaneous paperwork and reads through various emails when an all too familiar face appears behind him, George Steinbrenner. George Steinbrenner, the Ghost of Yankees past. Hal looks over at his father with a look that suggests he halfway expected to see his father show up at any time and he barely even acknowledges that there is a ghost standing beside his desk that is about three times the size that it should be. Hal looks over at his father with a sarcastic grin and asks “What did I do this time?” Without saying a word the two are off on another adventure that should last through the night and into the wee hours of the morning. Hopefully this time Hal and George can beat Santa Claus home.

The first stop on the magic adventure is back to the Burch house and to the home of the owner of The Greedy Pinstripes, Daniel Burch. The duo didn’t have to go too far back in time for this one, earlier in the same week Daniel was sitting at his desk frustrated, stressed out and trying to hammer out an apology letter to his readers, subscribers, friends and family about his lack of a presence on the site lately. Daniel had grown frustrated with the whole ordeal and with life and even typing out something from his heart had become troublesome. This was weird for Daniel as he has been able to pump out content left and right for the better part of four or five seasons now. You know what though? That’s not because of anything the Yankees, and specifically Hal Steinbrenner, had done for once. As Hal watches Daniel struggle through the article there is a flash the two flash back to the 2016 season where a much happier, less frustrated, Daniel is sitting in the same spot still violently typing away at 70-some words a minute. Instead of that discouraged look on his face the blog owner has a smile. Why? The Yankees have recently traded away Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller for top prospects while Dillon Tate and others were being fitted for uniforms after Carlos Beltran had also been traded. Gary Sanchez was getting the bulk of the playing time behind the dish for the Yankees and the youth movement was in full effect. The Yankees were out of the playoff race by the time the calendar changed to September but Daniel knew brighter, and much better days, were to come.

George smiled at the sight and that scared Hal. Hal wondered in his head, but wouldn’t dare say it out loud, why his father was happy that the Yankees were going through a youth movement, trading away veteran pieces and about to miss the playoffs again. He didn’t dare ask and before he even could anyway his father had swept him away to the second house on their tour. The house of the Yankees GM Brian Cashman.

It’s the Hot Stove season and despite Cashman declaring that the Yankees “heavy lifting” was over after acquiring Aroldis Chapman and Matt Holliday the Yankees GM was still working the phones and fielding calls, even on Christmas Eve. It’s unclear what GM that Cashman was speaking to or what player or players could potentially be traded in the deal but the discussion ends abruptly when Cashman is overheard saying “no deal” before quickly hanging up the phone. Hal didn’t catch the entire discussion but he did specifically hear the names Luis Severino, Clint Frazier and Jorge Mateo uttered. George looks at his son and tries to fill him in with his eyes, as George has still yet to say a word on the evening, but before he can the flash reappears and the two go back in time once again to sometime in the mid-2000’s. Cashman and George are sitting in an office having a heated discussion over control. Cashman wants more power and wants at least the power of the other 29 general managers around Major League Baseball while George wants it done “his way.” Phrases like “he’s just a prospect” and “trade ‘em all!!” are uttered before Cashman storms out of the room angrily. Again, back in the same office as before, Cashman is back on the phone with another GM but the mood is much lighter this time. Cashman is seemingly in the positon of need and not in the positon of power in this deal and simply asks the unnamed GM to “name his price.” Cashman agrees and hangs up after a “thank you, and great doing business with you” and the deal is announced. The Yankees have acquired another superstar for prospects, the farm system is barren and Cashman is once again unhappy.

George still doesn’t speak as they flash back into the present, Cashman still sitting in his office looking at his computer. He’s likely reading The Greedy Pinstripes blog for ideas but neither George nor Hal can see his screen, just his concentrating face. This time George says, again with his eyes, that maybe this was not the best way to handle that situation. George knows that he handled the situation poorly and by the time he had tried to rectify it he was too late in his life for the scars to heal and the feelings to be mended. George’s biggest regret, presumably, was leaving the world with people still disgusted by the mention of his name. George wanted to be loved by all and wanted nothing more to win, and sometimes the two don’t go hand-in-hand. George knows that now and by the look on Brian Cashman’s face he may know that now as well. Cashman wanted to keep two of his top five prospects plus Luis Severino and he did despite the fact that this deal would make the team an immediate contender for a postseason spot in 2016. It’s Cashman’s world now though and the tyrant is long gone. Austerity, youth and the future now control the lay of the land in the Bronx.

Hal is still confused as to what his father is trying to show him but before he could even think of asking the two are swept away to the third and final stop on their journey for the evening. As the two fly into the house of Ken Hans the world as they know it begins to erupt. One minute they are in Ken’s house, the next they are in patrick (always with a little “p”) Walsh’s house, then Ken Reed’s house, then Daryl “he who have no last name’s” house, then Jeff Levin’s house, then Kip Raymo’s house and the so on and so forth. The duo spent just a few minutes in each house getting just a glimpse what they were doing in each before being shifted away with another bright flash. Some were happy with the direction of the team, some were still angry with the direction of the team or they felt like what the team had done was inadequate and one in particular just wanted to see one last World Series title before the good lord took him home. Screams of “This is a $3.4 billion franchise” and “Yay we got Chapman” and “Dammit I’m too old for this” ring out as the flashes increase in speed and brightness until everything goes white….

George finally speaks.

“Son, do you know why I brought you to these specific places and showed you these specific lives and stories?” Before Hal could answer George, in a way only George knows how, continued to speak as if the question was rhetorical. “I took you to Daniel Burch’s house because the young man is frustrated now but he is happy overall in what you’ve done. You’ve committed to a youth movement, even on the fly, after years of begging from him and I think he has a voice that many Yankees fans can relate to. Despite not seeing a youth movement in my entire time as the Yankees owner I have to say that losing for a season or two will be a flash of someone’s memory if and when the team creates another dynasty. Well done on that front.”

George continues.

“I was never the best human being but my heart was always in the right place and I think, well more so I hope, people knew that and accepted that in my final days. When I demanded things of my managers, my general managers, my employees, my players, my family and friends it was always out of a good place in my heart. Good plan, bad execution is what I always used to say and unfortunately it was a motto that I could live by. I treated people like crap, son. People didn’t adore me like I thought they did, not until after I calmed down and after I was gone. They were scared of me. They hated me. You have a long way to go to win over the fans, the toughest fans in the world to win over, but you’ve done well with Cashman I think. I can tell.”

And George concludes. 

"Hal, I couldn't be more proud of you. I take that back, I could be more proud of you. You've done a lot of good things for this team, the fans and the organization in your short time calling the shots but there are also a lot of things you still haven't quite grasped yet. Ticket prices are too high. You've run the families out of the stadium and most of the Bleacher Creatures including Bald Vinny Milano. You can't print tickets at home anymore and it's no longer fun or feasible to take the family out to the ballpark a couple times a week just to watch the Yankees play no matter who the opponent was. No matter what we're still the New York Yankees, dammit. We are a $3.4 billion franchise, no scratch that. We are a $3.4 billion EMPIRE. Start acting like it Hal!!!!" 

As soon as George finishes his sentence he's gone. Another flash. Hal is back in his office and it's one minute before midnight. As the clock strikes 12 it is officially Christmas Day 2016. Hal decides to finish off a glass of wine and head to bed but not before he sends out a text message to Brian Cashman, his GM. It reads "Merry Christmas Brian, best wishes from your friend Hal. Also, and no this is not the egg nog talking, we need to talk on Monday. It's time to start acting like the Yankees again. Hope you're well. - Hal." 

The scene fades out from Hal as he enters his bed for a slumber and fades into a close up on George Steinbrenner and the Ghost of Yankees past....

"I'm George Steinbrenner after all, you didn't think this was going to be ALL good... did you?" 

Merry Christmas everyone! And if you don't celebrate happy holidays or happy Saturday for you as well! Hope everyone has a great day, stay safe out there. Much love. 

Daniel Burch

Key Yankees New Years Resolutions

Right after Christmas I made a phone call to some of the key members of the New York Yankees and asked them what they received for Christmas this season. Most of the players received healthy 2015 seasons or productive campaigns next year while A Rod got money so I decided to check in on this New Year’s Eve to ask what some of their New Year’s resolutions were for 2015. The answers may surprise you.

Mark Teixeira – “I’m going to beat the shift. “

Hal Steinbrenner – “After reading the ‘Ghost of Yankees Past’ I think I’m going to give more power and responsibility to Brian Cashman and be more of an owner and less of a power hungry GM.”

Brian McCann – “I was going to say beat the shift too but as we saw in our race last year Mark Teixeira is just a tad quicker than me. I guess I’m going to have to beat Teixeira instead.”

Brian Cashman – “I’m going to put a real World Series caliber team on the field, it just may take me until the 2017 or 2018 season to do it.”

CC Sabathia – “I’m going to make 30 starts this season and try not to flip out on airport personnel because I missed my flight to Jamaica.

Masahiro Tanaka – Something that roughly translated into either “the disgrace the original Power Rangers brought to his family” or “less practical jokes in the locker room.” My Japanese is rusty.

Brendan Ryan – “Hit above .220 so I actually have a place on the team past June.”

Thank You!

It's a slow day for news and it's the first day I have really written anything since my "Ghost of Yankees Past" post which was written on Christmas Adam (Adam comes before Eve so I heard). I've taken a much needed break to spend time with my family and a much needed break to recharge my batteries. I hope everyone had a safe, productive and great holiday off with family, friends, too much food and way too much fun.

With that said I just wanted to thank everyone for being here with us, I want to thank everyone for their positive feedback on the Ghost of Yankees Past and the Brian Cashman Significant Trades posts and I want to thank everyone for their patience in allowing the staff to spend the holidays with their families.

We're back, now let's get to it!