Buster Olney just dropped ill-timed reminder of Hal Steinbrenner's Yankees mentality

In case New York Yankees fans had any hope for a silver lining amidst their impending playoff crashout, venerated ESPN insider Buster Olney just doused them with the bucket of ice water that's been holding the Toronto Blue Jays' champagne. If you think a sweep or series loss against a division rival (for the fourth time since 2018) will mean curtains for Aaron Boone, Brian Cashman or both, Hal Steinbrenner holds his Yankees to a different standard than his father did.

It's good to strike a balance. George Steinbrenner did not operate in the world of rationality very often. If not for his foray away from baseball, the Core Four may have developed in four separate municipalities.

Still, a little urgency would be nice as the Yankees grow ever staler, and Olney's reminder that George's son doesn't live in the realm of "Championship or Bust" was ... shall we say, "not fun to read ahead of a likely home elimination in another title-free year"?

Buster Olney reminds New York Yankees fans that Hal Steinbrenner kinda cares about winning World Series, but not that much?

It's good to keep proper perspective and not make rash decisions brought about by focusing exclusively on winning a title every single October. It allows for chemistry and stability to grow. That said ... a little additional World Series urgency during your aging Captain's window wouldn't hurt. The 2023 trade for Juan Soto went a long way, as did this winter's Plan B. But plenty of winters from 2019 to 2022 were woefully incomplete by comparison, necessitating the late hustle to desperately salvage things. Eyeing the World Series as an essential rather than a nice side quest might've changed franchise history. Just a little.

It's hard to sit here with a straight face and claim the Yankees will never win with Hal in charge, given the acquisition of Soto last winter and the path through the American League that followed. That said, when they arrived on the biggest stage, they faced a Dodgers team that spares no expense in search of their ultimate goal, and seemed hardened by previous failed pursuits rather than broken by them.

The time to dismiss Aaron Boone was after 2022. If not then, it was last November. Now, the decision to pivot from stagnation is at least three years overdue. We know Hal's not prone to desperation — thanks again, Buster — but perhaps this offseason will represent the "middle ground" between his mentality and his dad's worst impulses. If not, there's always next year.