CHICAGO – At 2:30 yesterday afternoon George Steinbrenner walked into the Yankees’ minor league complex in Tampa to meet with his Inner Circle.
Having allowed the Inner Circle to talk him out of getting Jim Edmonds from Anaheim in spring training, The Boss wanted to hear why he shouldn’t add Jose Canseco to the Yankees’ limp lineup.
Steinbrenner, not wild about the starting rotation, also wanted to know what the chances are of trading for a starting pitcher.
Clearly, The Boss hungers to make a change. Canseco isn’t the only name on Steinbrenner’s lips. He is intrigued by Juan Gonzalez and hasn’t dismissed Sammy Sosa. Just imagine if the Yankees were more than one game behind the Red Sox in the AL East.
Steinbrenner had patience in March. But with the Red Sox invading Yankee Stadium this weekend, The Boss is itchy to do something.
And while Steinbrenner is the only one in the organization hot over the 35-year-old Canseco, he casts the only vote that matters. Late last week several Yankee employees in the know said there was no interest in Canseco. They were concerned about this history of back trouble and the fact that he has gone from a great baserunner to one who clogs the basepaths.
Instead, they prefer to wait for the Tigers to move Gonzalez even if it would cost them more to get him than Canseco.