Hank Steinbrenner whines about Playoff system.

[Matt700wlw]

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/ba...int=1&page=all

[cumberlandreds]

Would he like a little cheese with that whine?

[princeton]

I coach a kid just like Hank.

but the kid is 10. He'll grow out of it.

[lollipopcurve]

now we just need the Brewers and Phils to knock the Mets out of the playoffs

[blumj]

I'm not defending Hank, because he should have stopped at simply defending Girardi, but he's right about one thing: the difference between the Dodgers making the playoffs and the Yankees not making the playoffs probably has nothing to do with Torre vs. Girardi and a lot to do with how weak the NL West is vs. how strong the AL East is. How often do you see a 4th place team with a +90 run differential? Girardi must be doing something right just for the Yankees to be ahead of Toronto.

[PuffyPig]

I'll have sympathy for any better team not making the playoffs at the expense of a lesser team when there is a salary cap in place.

Is it fair that a better team doesn't make the playoffs? Probably not, but that's a random thing. It's not like the same team is getting screwed all the time.

Teams with smaller payrolls get screwed every day.

[blumj]

Originally Posted by PuffyPig

I'll have sympathy for any better team not making the playoffs at the expense of a lesser team when there is a salary cap in place.

Is it fair that a better team doesn't make the playoffs? Probably not, but that's a random thing. It's not like the same team is getting screwed all the time.

Teams with smaller payrolls get screwed every day.

Absolutely. For Hank to essentially whine about having to compete with Tampa is beyond absurd. I was just giving him a tiny bit of "partial credit" for defending his manager, who, as far as I can tell, does not seem to deserve to be compared unfavorably with Torre based on who is and isn't making the playoffs this season.

[lollipopcurve]

You know, I always think I see the demise of the Yankees coming, but this time I really think we're nearing the day. Consider:

1. Aging starters (Mussina & Pettitte, their rotation anchors this year, are old. And Pettitte may retire.)
2. Young starters scuffling. Hughes and Kennedy went backwards this year. Joba may have to stay in the pen to save his arm.
3. Rivera is another year older.
4. Rumor has it CC will sign in the NL, Sheets in the south and AJ Burnett in Toronto.

Bottom line -- possible pitching meltdown. Meanwhile, Boston will stay strong, Tampa Bay will too, and Toronto is looking solid. No wonder Cashman may decide not to return.

[durl]

The Yankees had 2 chances to make the playoffs: win the division or win the Wild Card. They did neither.

I seriously doubt he'd complain about the system if the Yankees were to make the playoffs at the expense of another team with a better record.

[cincrazy]

I didn't hear anyone in the Steinbrenner family whining about the division format when the Yankees won 87 games in 2000, and went on to win the World Series for the third straight year.

[blumj]

Originally Posted by lollipopcurve

3. Rivera is another year older.

I don't think that one counts, since Rivera's not human, he's a pitching robot they built in a laboratory.

[Sea Ray]

Originally Posted by blumj

Absolutely. For Hank to essentially whine about having to compete with Tampa is beyond absurd. I was just giving him a tiny bit of "partial credit" for defending his manager, who, as far as I can tell, does not seem to deserve to be compared unfavorably with Torre based on who is and isn't making the playoffs this season.

I agree. What's absurd is Tampa having to compete with Boston and the Yankees.

Overall the sytem in MLB is slanted very heavily in the Yankees favor, hence their record of consecutive playoff appearances. ESPN last night reported on how few ABs and IP came from their draftees since 1996. It was one of the worst in baseball. Most franchises would be bottomfeeders with such a poor farm system but the Yankees continued to compete for the World Series year in and year out.

[Strikes Out Looking]

What is absurd is the NL Central having 6 teams--while other divisons have 4 or 5.

[blumj]

If I feel bad for any team, it would be the Jays, though. They've had a team good enough to make the playoffs several times over the past few years if they'd been in another division, and it's got to hurt to be leapfrogged by the Rays the very first time they're even close to competitive.

[Caveat Emperor]

Originally Posted by Strikes Out Looking

What is absurd is the NL Central having 6 teams--while other divisons have 4 or 5.

If you look at the trendlines, the NL Central has been among the easiest divisions in baseball to win since realignment.