Steinbrenner blames National League for losing Wang

[shoeshineboy]

With Chien-Ming Wang going down with a potentially season-ending foot sprain (torn tendon), the Hank had these pearls of wisdom:

"My only message is simple. The National League needs to join the 21st century," Steinbrenner said in Tampa, Fla. "They need to grow up and join the 21st century.

"Am I (mad) about it? Yes," Steinbrenner added. "I've got my pitchers running the bases, and one of them gets hurt. He's going to be out. I don't like that, and it's about time they address it. That was a rule from the 1800s."

"This is always a concern of American League teams when their pitchers have to run the bases and they're not used to doing it," Steinbrenner said. "It's not just us. It's everybody. It probably should be a concern for National League owners, general managers and managers when their pitchers run the bases. Pitchers have enough to do without having to do that."

I feel bad for Wang, but I would laugh in Steinbrenner's face. What a complete putz.

[MrMadison]

"My only message is simple. The National League needs to join the 21st century," Steinbrenner said in Tampa, Fla. "They need to grow up and join the 21st century.

[houston-nat]

Haha, what an image!!

[UMDNats]

Wow, is this the newer, younger, more ass-holeish Steinbrenner? I hate this guy so much.

[DPMOmaha]

I think the AL should get with the program and not be such pansies that their pitchers are so precious that they can't risk them actually...oh, you know...play baseball!

[JMUalumni]

I understand, to a certain extent where Steinbrenner is coming from, but I do not agree with what he said or how he went about saying it.  If anything needs to reconsidered it is inter-league play.  I thought Major League Baseball was a game of tradition (I mean thats why we still let debacles like the Red Sox-Devil Rays fight, right?), but it seems as of late the "tradition" of the sport is being drained by millionaire owners trying to redefine the ballparks into amusement parks and selfish players seeing the Hall of Fame game as unnecessary.


P.S. great photo

[DPMOmaha]

I like interleague play.  Just get rid of the dh.

[sportsfan882]

I like interleague play.  Just get rid of the dh.

I enjoy interleague play too. It's fun to play against different teams and to go to different cities although I wish we didn't have go play in either Minnesota or Toronto every year. Playing against the same old divisional teams so many times can get a bit monotonous.

[JMUalumni]

I enjoy interleague play too. It's fun to play against different teams and to go to different cities although I wish we didn't have go play in either Minnesota or Toronto every year. Playing against the same old divisional teams so many times can get a bit monotonous.

To tell you the truth I do not even know what I was suggesting (a little too much to drink maybe).  I agree that playing only half the league in a 162 game season does not bode very well for sustainable excitement levels.  I actually also really enjoy being able to play the Orioles in the "battle of the beltway" series as a majority of my good friends are Orioles fans.  I think I am just mad at Steinbrenner for his comments... who knows ignore the part about reconsidering inter league play

[houston-nat]

By the way: in the photo in post 2, he DID catch the ball.

[spidernat]

and selfish players seeing the Hall of Fame game as unnecessary.

Did you mean the All Star Game or were you confusing MLB with the NFL?

[tomterp]

By the way: in the photo in post 2, he DID catch the ball.

What's the story behind that catch? 

[Nat of the Living Dead]

Hank is such an uneducated douche.

[JMUalumni]

Did you mean the All Star Game or were you confusing MLB with the NFL?

No I am sure about this one....  http://www.savethefamegame.com/

[wpa2629]

LOL at a pitcher who gets hurt "running" around the bases -- I mean if he gets hurt sliding or gets hurt in a collision that's one thing - but "running" the bases? LOL!  and Double LOL for mini me whining about it ...

[blue911]

I really like Hank Steinbrenner. He's more fun than a barrel of monkeys and doesn't cost a thing. I wonder if Jason Alexander writes his material.

[spidernat]

LOL at a pitcher who gets hurt "running" around the bases -- I mean if he gets hurt sliding or gets hurt in a collision that's one thing - but "running" the bases? LOL!  and Double LOL for mini me whining about it ...

NJ hurt his foot running the bases in '05 and was out an entire month.

[Minty Fresh]

I have to guess that the Onion will run something on this.

[MrMadison]

NJ hurt his foot stepping on Home Plate in '05 and was out almost an entire half of a season.

fixed.

[wpa2629]

NJ hurt his foot running the bases in '05 and was out an entire month.

Yeah ... and LOL at that ...