Column: Yankees strugglin’ haha

By Jacob Bressler

The New York Yankees are 10-15. Feel free to take a moment at this time to rejoice by yelling or putting on a Red Sox hat.

George Steinbrenner, who cares about his team more than any other owner in all of professional sports, has gotten so frustrated as a result of their dismal start that he even missed a calzone lunch with Costanza to cuss out his over-paid, over-the-hill team.

Would any other owner in baseball care so much about winning as to go into his team’s locker room and give his players a verbal lashing in the midst of a sub-par April?

The same thing that makes Steinbrenner a great owner is also what makes the Yankees so much fun to hate and bad for baseball.

The Boss, otherwise referred to as some random actor with Larry David’s voice, has utilized his revenue-producing machine, including the YES television network, to put together a run of success that over the past decade has returned the Yankees to their form during the early-mid 20th century.

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Since there is no salary cap in baseball, Steinbrenner has been able to use his surplus of money to plug holes every offseason via blockbuster trades and big name free agent signings.

The Yankees have not won the World Series in five years but continue to throw out ridiculous amounts of cash.

Their early slump this year is not due to a lack of spending. Rather, it appears as if their pitching staff is literally fossilizing after the team gave long-term contracts to aging veterans such as Kevin Brown and the injured Jaret Wright.

Also, former superstar closer Mariano Rivera and his rubber arm might finally be falling off the wagon.

Some baseball fans like that they have been able to count on Rivera and the Yankees to be competing in October for the World Series every year.

I see where these people are coming from – it is somewhat comforting and satisfying to see the same teams and players in the playoffs each year.

However, I prefer to see a team build from the ground up, with players who become loyal to the franchise. The Twins, who are the three-time defending AL Central champions, have been able to put together a home-grown dynamo.

The Twins have been able to spend their small budgets wisely. Minnesota has yet to win a World Series, but they have remained contenders thanks to resigning their stars and filling in holes when needed.

The likeability between the Twins and the Yankees is not even comparable.

The Twins have a solid nucleus of players they have developed or are developing. Meanwhile, it feels as though the Yankees haven’t had a player go through their minor league system since Derek Jeter.

The Twins are a true team with a core group of guys that have become synonymous with the organization; names such as Torri Hunter, Jacque Jones and Brad Radke.

The Yankees have so many new additions every year that it feels like they are just a group of all-star players thrown together. There has been no team chemistry or camaraderie, which is probably why they haven’t won the title since 2000.

Now you tell me, would you rather root for the Twins or the Yankees in a playoff series?

Take that George (Steinbrenner and Costanza).