With the New York Yankees falling two games under .500, team senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner is weighing in.
And he wants to see more effort out of baseball's best-paid team, or changes could be on the horizon.
"They've got to play smarter and harder," he said Wednesday. "The injuries -- when you're missing Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada, that makes it tough. The injuries make a huge difference. At the same time, you've got to get it done. We still have plenty of good hitters. We need to get the job done."
In fact, Steinbrenner wants to see the Yankees play more like the Tampa Bay Rays, who had two straight wins over New York heading into Wednesday's game. The Rays, AL East cellar-dwellers for most of their history, moved into first place with Tuesday night's 2-1 win in 11 innings.
In an interview with the New York Post, Steinbrenner pointed to the Rays as an example of a team playing the game with effort and passion, saying his team has "got to start playing the way the Rays are playing."
"[The Yankees] need to start treating it like when they were younger players and going after that big contract, like they're in [Triple-A] and trying to make the majors," he said, according to the report. "That's the kind of attitude and fire the players have to have."
Steinbrenner, who runs the Yankees with his brother Hal, has faith that the team will improve. But in statements echoing the way their father, George Steinbrenner, used the media to motivate the team, Hank Steinbrenner said he wants to see greater effort, or else changes are going to be made, according to the report.
"This is going to get turned around," Hank Steinbrenner said, according to the Post. "If it's not turned around this year, then it will be turned around next year, by force if we have to."
"The bottom line is that the team is not playing the way it is capable of playing," Steinbrenner, said, according to the report. "These players are being paid a lot of money and they had better decide for themselves to earn that money."
"We have good professional hitters and I have a lot of faith in them," Steinbrenner said, according to the report. "I'm not saying they are not giving the effort, but they need to be playing harder."
Rodriguez hasn't played since April 28 because of a strained right quadriceps and hopes to return Tuesday. Posada hasn't been able to catch for most of the season because of a right shoulder injury and won't be back until June at the earliest.
Rodriguez is expected to run the bases for the first time Thursday, a key step in his rehab program. He will work out with the team before the game against the Rays so Yankees manager Joe Girardi can watch the session.
"Joe wants to see me run the bases," said Rodriguez, who could play in minor league games in Florida this weekend.
Rodriguez took 89 swings in batting practice, fielded 24 grounders and continued a running program in the outfield Wednesday at the Yankees' minor league complex.
"We've got to forget about all the injuries and start playing our butts off," Steinbrenner said, according to the Post.
But he also acknowledges that the loss of A-Rod and Posada has hurt the team's offense.
"There's no question, when we get 100 percent healthy, we'll start hitting," Steinbrenner said. "The players, the hand they were dealt, that makes it tougher for the other hitters."
Rodriguez said it's tough not being able to contribute to the Yankees' offense, which has been sluggish.
"It's frustrating," Rodriguez said. "It's hard to watch. All I can do is cheer. I have all the confidence in the world that we're going to start scoring some runs."
Steinbrenner did not completely blast his team, according to the report, making a point of praising pitchers Chien-Ming Wang, Mariano Rivera, Joba Chamberlain, Mike Mussina and Darrell Rasner and stating his confidence in the club's ability to turn things around.
Steinbrenner also defended Chamberlain's fist-pumping after getting outs, which has been a hot topic of late in New York.
"He's a great kid and I'm behind him 100 percent and he's not the only pitcher to do that," he said, noting Boston Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon is similarly emotional on the mound. "Joba is special to me and he means no malice by what he does."
Following the four-game series against the Rays, the Yankees host the New York Mets in a three-game series starting Friday. Two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana, traded to the Mets after the Yankees cut off talks with the Minnesota Twins, is slated to pitch the Subway Series opener Friday. Santana is 4-2 with a 3.10 ERA.
"To me, it's not any added significance because Santana is pitching. We want to win, it's that simple," Steinbrenner said. "We're both kind of struggling. We just need to win. They just need to win. We just need to keep putting wins in the win column. We've got to start racking up some runs."
Steinbrenner will likely watch Friday's game on TV in Florida, but could be at Yankee Stadium over the weekend.
"I think there is a very good chance I might go up there," he said.
And he wants to see more effort out of baseball's best-paid team, or changes could be on the horizon.
"They've got to play smarter and harder," he said Wednesday. "The injuries -- when you're missing Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada, that makes it tough. The injuries make a huge difference. At the same time, you've got to get it done. We still have plenty of good hitters. We need to get the job done."
In fact, Steinbrenner wants to see the Yankees play more like the Tampa Bay Rays, who had two straight wins over New York heading into Wednesday's game. The Rays, AL East cellar-dwellers for most of their history, moved into first place with Tuesday night's 2-1 win in 11 innings.
In an interview with the New York Post, Steinbrenner pointed to the Rays as an example of a team playing the game with effort and passion, saying his team has "got to start playing the way the Rays are playing."
"[The Yankees] need to start treating it like when they were younger players and going after that big contract, like they're in [Triple-A] and trying to make the majors," he said, according to the report. "That's the kind of attitude and fire the players have to have."
Steinbrenner, who runs the Yankees with his brother Hal, has faith that the team will improve. But in statements echoing the way their father, George Steinbrenner, used the media to motivate the team, Hank Steinbrenner said he wants to see greater effort, or else changes are going to be made, according to the report.
"This is going to get turned around," Hank Steinbrenner said, according to the Post. "If it's not turned around this year, then it will be turned around next year, by force if we have to."
"The bottom line is that the team is not playing the way it is capable of playing," Steinbrenner, said, according to the report. "These players are being paid a lot of money and they had better decide for themselves to earn that money."
"We have good professional hitters and I have a lot of faith in them," Steinbrenner said, according to the report. "I'm not saying they are not giving the effort, but they need to be playing harder."
Rodriguez hasn't played since April 28 because of a strained right quadriceps and hopes to return Tuesday. Posada hasn't been able to catch for most of the season because of a right shoulder injury and won't be back until June at the earliest.
Rodriguez is expected to run the bases for the first time Thursday, a key step in his rehab program. He will work out with the team before the game against the Rays so Yankees manager Joe Girardi can watch the session.
"Joe wants to see me run the bases," said Rodriguez, who could play in minor league games in Florida this weekend.
Rodriguez took 89 swings in batting practice, fielded 24 grounders and continued a running program in the outfield Wednesday at the Yankees' minor league complex.
"We've got to forget about all the injuries and start playing our butts off," Steinbrenner said, according to the Post.
But he also acknowledges that the loss of A-Rod and Posada has hurt the team's offense.
"There's no question, when we get 100 percent healthy, we'll start hitting," Steinbrenner said. "The players, the hand they were dealt, that makes it tougher for the other hitters."
Rodriguez said it's tough not being able to contribute to the Yankees' offense, which has been sluggish.
"It's frustrating," Rodriguez said. "It's hard to watch. All I can do is cheer. I have all the confidence in the world that we're going to start scoring some runs."
Steinbrenner did not completely blast his team, according to the report, making a point of praising pitchers Chien-Ming Wang, Mariano Rivera, Joba Chamberlain, Mike Mussina and Darrell Rasner and stating his confidence in the club's ability to turn things around.
Steinbrenner also defended Chamberlain's fist-pumping after getting outs, which has been a hot topic of late in New York.
"He's a great kid and I'm behind him 100 percent and he's not the only pitcher to do that," he said, noting Boston Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon is similarly emotional on the mound. "Joba is special to me and he means no malice by what he does."
Following the four-game series against the Rays, the Yankees host the New York Mets in a three-game series starting Friday. Two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana, traded to the Mets after the Yankees cut off talks with the Minnesota Twins, is slated to pitch the Subway Series opener Friday. Santana is 4-2 with a 3.10 ERA.
"To me, it's not any added significance because Santana is pitching. We want to win, it's that simple," Steinbrenner said. "We're both kind of struggling. We just need to win. They just need to win. We just need to keep putting wins in the win column. We've got to start racking up some runs."
Steinbrenner will likely watch Friday's game on TV in Florida, but could be at Yankee Stadium over the weekend.
"I think there is a very good chance I might go up there," he said.
