Hal Steinbrenner admits there is a lot riding on what unfolds for the Yankees this month. However, at this moment, he won’t address the question of jobs being on the line should the Yankees falter in the early rounds of the postseason.
“It’s tense, there is a lot we expect of them,’’ the owner said in a Yankee Stadium hallway before his club beat the Red Sox to move into first place all alone in the AL East. “There is a lot riding on this and a lot riding on doing well. We all feel obligated to our fans and succeeding on their behalf.’’
Steinbrenner said jobs are not tied to failure, but he mentioned all aspects of the organization being evaluated after the season.
“Are jobs riding on this? Not that I know of,’’ Steinbrenner said. “Jobs are not riding on this, and that’s not something I am concerned about right now. We look at everything in the offseason as we always do.’’
Manager Joe Girardi has one year left after this season on a three-year deal. General manager Brian Cashman is signed through 2014.
“If that was the case, Hal wouldn’t say anything because Hal is a smart guy,’’ Cashman said. “We all know what we want to accomplish. He will tell you what’s going on and he doesn’t threaten with jobs, but he has the ability to make changes. It’s not his habit to broadcast that stuff and take the focus away from tonight’s game.’’
Asked his opinion of how Girardi has done, Steinbrenner opted to talk about the 10-game lead his club had on June 10.
“I look at the 10-game lead, and, it’s funny, Andy [Pettitte] and I were texting when we had the 10-game lead and I said, ‘We really need you back, we need your leadership because it’s going to be a lot closer than 10 games in the end,’ ’’ Steinbrenner said. “We built up that 10-game lead and we have had our share of injuries. It is what it is. It might have been this way all year long, it might have been one game, one game down. The bottom line is with three games left we are tied for first place and we have to get the job done.’’
Steinbrenner said he is not surprised the Orioles, who lost to Tampa Bay last night, are so close to the Yankees.
“Nothing surprises in this division,’’ Steinbrenner said. “Buck [Showalter] has done a great job in Baltimore — they have been on us all year. This has always been one of the toughest divisions in baseball. I never expect to have a runaway in this division.’’
With the Red Sox in the role of spoiler while the O’s play the Rays in St. Petersburg, Fla., Steinbrenner is excited. His club has clinched at least a wild-card spot but obviously wants more.
“I am excited, I think we all would like a bit more breathing room — we have zero breathing room,’’ Steinbrenner said. “But the guys have been playing tough and we have [Mark Teixeira] back tonight and he will give us a boost, so I am excited.’’
He might be excited now, but Steinbrenner admitted to being concerned as the lead melted.
“I was concerned, I wouldn’t say I was worried,’’ Steinbrenner said. “These guys know what is expected out of them. They are professionals. I had no doubt they were going to persevere the best they could. We kept getting a big guy back and another big guy goes out, and it’s frustrating after a while. But we have everybody back now and we are at full strength and we will keep pressing on.’’
Though he said his goal of getting the Yankees’ payroll under the $189 million luxury-tax cutoff by the start of the 2014 season is still very much in play, Steinbrenner pointed out that is very far in the future.
“It’s a 10-percent reduction in payroll,’’ said Steinbrenner, who still believes young pitchers Manuel Banuelos, Dellin Betances and Michael Pineda, all of whom had disappointing seasons due to injuries and ineffectiveness, will help lower costs.