George Steinbrenner emerged from behind the tinted windows of his car close to a half-hour prior to last night’s game against Toronto at the Stadium with a smile on his face and a spring in his step. The Boss was in a fine mood, fresh off winning the weekend series against the Yankees’ most hated enemies.
“It was a good weekend,” Steinbrenner said, as his Yankees had taken two of three games against the rival Red Sox that fattened their lead to 4½ games in the AL East.
The Boss was in such a good mood that even news that Kenny Lofton would be starting last night in right field – a position change Joe Torre was roasted by Steinbrenner for after Lofton, a natural center fielder, struggled there a month ago – was met with cheer rather than jeer.
Steinbrenner had said he never wanted to see Lofton in right ever again and routine plays Lofton botched in right would have easily been taken care of by MVP-candidate Gary Sheffield. Last night, Sheffield was out of the lineup after receiving a pair of cortisone shots in his mangled left shoulder, and Lofton was named the right field starter for the third time since his infamous debut there in August.
“Is he?” The Boss, eyebrows raised, responded when informed of Lofton’s place on last night’s lineup card.
Does that bother you, Mr. Steinbrenner?
“No, no. Not at all,” he answered.
Why not?
“Because Joe wants him there,” Steinbrenner said. “Joe puts him there, Joe wants him there, that’s good enough for me.”