Hal Steinbrenner, naturally, made everything worse for Yankees fans by speaking

Every year, Hal Steinbrenner makes time for the media and allows for reporters to hit him with questions of all kind. It's actually fairly admirable for an owner of his caliber, considering so few (looking at John Henry) do much of anything in the public eye. But New York Yankees fans might prefer him to be reclusive after the last few appearances.

The most recent of which came on Monday when Steinbrenner spoke for the first time since announcing the change in the Yankees' facial hair policy back in February. That was nine months ago. Usually, Yankees fans are graced with his presence at some point during the season when the team is sliding into a hellish slump and he has to provide some sort of meaningless state of the union address.

This time, we got the 2025 Yankees postmortem. And it further emphasized the divide between Yankees executives and their fans. It further emphasized the lack of fluidity in the top-down communication. It further emphasized a lack of understanding in regard to baseball's new landscape.

We are sure Steinbrenner is a nice guy. That's not what this is about. This is about addressing the millions and millions of people who pay to support this team and aligning with them in some capacity. Literally any. Steinbrenner, much like Brian Cashman and any other person tasked with a level of decision making, continued to foster that disconnect.

Firstly, Steinbrenner went on to suggest the Yankees, who generated over $700 million in revenue in 2024, weren't a profitable organization. According to the year over year numbers, the Yankees brought in $728 million in 2024 and spent $352 million on their payroll (and luxury tax expenses) in 2025. That, on the surface, showed a $366 million surplus.

Now, we aren't dumb enough to actually believe the Yankees are pocketing $366 million. There are plenty of operating costs we don't know about. There are taxes, which are especially high in New York. There's EBITDA, as Pauly Walnuts will so kindly remind you of. But to suggest one of the most recognizable sports organizations on the planet doesn't turn a profit? And be vague about it? That's just beyond comprehension. Yankees fans will never believe it.

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner speaking to media made everything worse in New York

We need to talk about the expenses? Really? Nobody cares about the expenses! They care about the product on the field. And when you have the front office making incorrect personnel decisions, that needs to be fixed! The expenses are the cost of doing business. Nobody is going to feel bad for an organization valued close to $8 billion (again, we know they don't have $8 billion, but if they sold tomorrow, Steinbrenner would be able to take care of his family for 12 generations).

Moving on from the payroll discussion, there were some other deflecting comments from Steinbrenner, like when he once again blamed the players for the Yankees falling short. How many years, under the SAME regime, is he going to blame the players, who are DIFFERENT because of all the self-inflicted roster turnover?

Of course the players are to blame in some capacity. Some didn't perform! But who put this collection of players together? Who made the costly managerial missteps in last year's World Series and once again throughout the 2025 regular season? Hint: not the players!

He had more to say on this, like how he thinks the team's infield is in a great spot for 2026. Oh yeah? No shortstop and no true first baseman? And a third baseman who can't hit? That sounds like ... Mr. Cashman told you to say that! Let's protect Anthony Volpe and sell everybody on the fact Ben Rice will now be the full-time first baseman despite playing just 66 career minor league games at the position?

Then came the discussion of the "mental mistakes" and how that was a "thorn in the Yankees' side" all year. That's what spurred the coaching changes this offseason. Hm. Ok. Once again gutting the foundation around Aaron Boone, who is the leader of said coaches, because the players do not have their heads in the game or don't practice the right techniques, is a foolish decision they will probably learn the hard way for the third time since Boone took over as manager.

Not to mention, those same "mental mistakes" were downplayed by Boone at the end of the year when all was said and done! So again, WHICH IS IT?!

With each passing comment, Steinbrenner made it seem as if he was reading from a list of sparknotes provided by ... we don't even know. But it all suggests that his involvement is as "arm's length" as it can possibly be. Nobody is asking him to be his father. But maybe a shred of that energy could go a long way as the Yankees sink into one of the worst stretches in the history of the franchise.