Yankees allow 24-hours of unprecedented access to war room

In the world of fantasy, can you imagine if the Yankees were to open their War Room for the next 24 hours? Because if they did, we might witness something like this.

The Yankees trade activity is a topic of much interest. There are always rumors and innuendos about deals floated and prospects offered. In an unbelievable move (and I do mean seriously incredible) the Yankees director of Media Relations, Hugh B. Leaveit, invited me to spend 24-hours inside their central office.

With that, I found myself–on Thursday, July 27th at 5 p.m.–at the heart of the New York Yankees Empire.

The scene itself is simple to describe: I was in a relatively nondescript, blue-and-white room with large Yankees logos on the lengthwise walls. Two glass cases faced each other on the shorter walls; one contained one of those Yankees jackets with all the titles on it, in badge form.

The other had a replica bust of George Steinbrenner, copied from monument park. There was a banner with the word, Dad, draped upon it.

Phones, yes, landlines, were around the table. Throughout the day and night, Yankees top brass and decision makers came in and out. Some came in on their cells and stayed that way until they left. Others came in and grabbed a land line to conference with a variety of disembodied voices.

I am proud to have been chosen and to bring the report to YanksGoYard. The one caveat was that I could only use names as I heard them. And they failed to put out snacks, which was a bummer. Excepting that, it was a fun day. And very revealing.

Here, now, is a faithful report on everything I heard, about trades, tirades, and things that go bump in the night.