Steinbrenner meeting: A show about nothing

TAMPA – As Billy Joel once crooned in his classic hit about the
Big Apple, "now I need a little give and take, the New York Times, the Daily News, and Newsday, too."

Throw in the Newark Star Ledger, the New York Post, the Bergen
Record, ESPN Radio, the Associated Press, a handful of television crews and the St. Petersburg Times. All were in a New York state of mind Tuesday, staking out Legends Field and Yankees owner George Steinbrenner's house all day for a sign of news about manager Joe Torre's fate, just looking for a little give and take with any Yankees official.

But none was forthcoming, not from 9 a.m. until around 3 p.m.
outside Legends, where about two dozen members of the media waited patiently, believing a meeting with Steinbrenner and his sons Hank and Hal, who have taken over the daily operation of the club, as well as general manager Brian Cashman and Steinbrenner's son-in-law Felix Lopez, was taking place.

Reporters and cameramen eventually fanned out, checking Tampa restaurants for any sign of the meeting, and wound up across the street from Steinbrenner's home late in the afternoon, again watching for any activity.

Finally, at 4:02, the gates to the home swung open and a Suburban pulled out quickly with Hal at the wheel, then closed again. Just over a half-hour later, the gates re-opened and three cars exited hurriedly, one driven by Lopez, one by Steinbrenner's driver and the third by Hank.

No news about Torre, no news period, other than the Tampa police officer who drove past to tell the media that the meeting inside was over.

In the end, the waiting game Tuesday felt like another quintessentially New York production, Seinfeld – a show about nothing.

-- DAVE SCHEIBER, Times Staff Writer

(Pictured: George Steinbrenner's house in Tampa. AP photo. Click to enlarge.)

Comments

[Tony]

Wino, your comments are as ridiculous as your misguided belief that the Yankees are going to continue to dominate. I look forward to seeing it all play out on the field over the next few seasons. The Rays and Yankees are like two trains passing, headed in opposite directions. In case you hadn't figured it out already, the Yankees are the Southbound train.

[wino]

Maybe it's because the Rays just aren't interesting. Maybe it's because the Rays suck. Maybe it's because the Rays have a cheap ownership and therefore will never improve. Maybe it's because there are more Yankee fans here than there are for that no-hope outfit. You clowns are probably Bosox fans anyway.

[what ron said]

i thought this was a rays blog...

many of rays fans are NOT also yankee fans. i'm not sure what this post is doing here.

[jimbo]

The NY Times account of the media stakeout was funnier and more detailed. Why did you guys bother reconnaisance at Maggiano's and The Palm? The Radisson I understand because previous Yankee councils of war have been held there. It'a a pretty safe bet they were at the new Malio's where GS' relationship with the owner assured anonymity, a very private meeting room, and a great steak lunch.

[Gary]

The best thing that could've happened in MLB is that if Steinbrenner would have been in Cory Lidle's plane that morning!

[Ron]

Oops, I must have clicked on the wrong link. I thought I was going to a blog titled "The Heater: Inside Devil Rays Baseball". Apparently, I'm at a Yankees blog instead.