Truth & Rumors > MLB

Steinbrenner rips MLB playoff system

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Many people have been impressed with the Dodgers' recent turnaround, one which will likely land Joe Torre's club in the postseason next week. Just don't count Hank Steinbrenner among them. Steinbrenner, the Yankees' co-chairman, ripped Major League Baseball's divisional system in a column in this week's Sporting News, saying that the format allows teams to make the postseason even if their records don't warrant such an honor. "The biggest problem is the divisional setup in major league baseball. I didn't like it in the 1970s, and I hate it now," Steinbrenner wrote. "Baseball went to a multidivision setup to create more races, rivalries and excitement. But it isn't fair. You see it this season, with plenty of people in the media pointing out that Joe Torre and the Dodgers are going to the playoffs while we're not. "This is by no means a knock on Torre - let me make that clear-but look at the division they're in. If L.A. were in the AL East, it wouldn't be in the playoff discussion. The AL East is never weak."

New York Daily News

Joe Torre, AP Joe Torre, AP
September 24, 2008  06:45 AM ET

Life long Yankee Fan here saying

Hank, shut up

September 24, 2008  06:54 AM ET
QUOTE(#1):

Life long Yankee Fan here sayingHank, shut up

agree

September 24, 2008  06:57 AM ET

Wow. They are reduced to complaining about the divisional playoff system? Are we playing the "well, if the Yankees were in the NL West, we'd be in the playoffs"? Face it, you aren't good enough to be in the playoffs. Blame injuries, blame the division, blame the "socialist" system, blame whatever you want. You spent over 200 million and could not get the job done.

Imagine the offseason. I can hear it now. [insert world series winner here] only won the World Series because the Yankees didn't get into the playoffs. He will say it, just wait. He can't even give the teams credit that beat him and got to the playoffs. Hey, for 200,000,000+ you should be able to get a little depth on the bench. Every team has injuries. There are teams in the playoffs that lost more players to injuries and still made the playoffs. The Sox got in while losing the following players to injuries this season: Schilling, Lugo, Lowell, Drew, Beckett, Matsuzaka, Wakefield, and the most feared hitter in baseball, Ortiz. 8 allstars. 4 starting pitchers.

Shut up Hank.

September 24, 2008  07:13 AM ET

It's funny how this guy only complains about stuff when it's happening to his team. Wang gets hurt and interleague is awful. They don't make the playoffs and all of a sudden the divisions aren't fair. "The AL East is never weak." You're right the Rays and Sox are very strong, you on the other hand. Not so Much!

September 24, 2008  07:24 AM ET

my lord this guy is full of excuses. what a b00b

September 24, 2008  07:25 AM ET

WWWHHHHHHAAAAAAAAHHHHHH. S T F U dude. This happens all the time. Cry me a river when it's your team. Too bad your Gigantic payroll team could not get it done this year.

September 24, 2008  07:25 AM ET

Can you say "Sour Grapes", boys and girls?

September 24, 2008  07:27 AM ET

This big-mouthed load wasn't complaining when his team was making the playoffs all those years in a row. Typical New Yorker!

September 24, 2008  07:37 AM ET

I can't believe that guy,what a sack of crap.

September 24, 2008  07:42 AM ET

"In my new system, if a team makes the playoffs from the National League with a worse record than the Yankees, then the Yankees automatically make the playoffs too."

September 24, 2008  07:45 AM ET

HANK ****..... GET OVER IT LIKE WE ALL "YANKEES FAN" ... WE BETTER FIX THIS MESS NOW OR ELSE. " I WON'T BUY ANY TICKETS NEXT YR O_o"

September 24, 2008  07:46 AM ET

BY THE WAY I'M ROOTING FOR YOU TORRE..... HOPE YOUR TEAM MAKES IT TO THE PLAYOFFS....EVEN THOUGH EM CUBS WILL CRUSH YA NEWAYS.

September 24, 2008  07:46 AM ET
QUOTE(#11):

HANK ****..... GET OVER IT LIKE WE ALL "YANKEES FAN" ... WE BETTER FIX THIS MESS NOW OR ELSE. " I WON'T BUY ANY TICKETS NEXT YR O_o"

You can't afford the tickets in the new stadium anyway. No normal fan will be able to.

Comment #14 has been removed
September 24, 2008  08:12 AM ET

MLB playoffs must have a bad effect on old pitching staffs and players past their primes.

i am happy the yankees out about time

September 24, 2008  08:13 AM ET

Hank just shut up.

Better to have people think you are a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.

Comment #18 has been removed
September 24, 2008  08:18 AM ET

It isn't fair? What a little ****.

September 24, 2008  08:18 AM ET

***** is female dog. Wow..aren't we all adults and we can't even say B.I.T.C.H???

 
Comment #23 has been removed

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