The Boss has lost something off a Hall of Fame fastball, but that doesn’t mean the need to win has been sucked from his marrow.
“It’s the old George, the focus is on nothing but winning,” a friend of Steinbrenner’s told The Post yesterday. “This has put him in very good spirits. He wants to win.”
“This,” of course, is the Yankees’ first appearance in the World Series since 2003.
Game 1 of the “Amtrak Series” against the NL champion Phillies is tomorrow night at Yankee Stadium.
Steinbrenner, who hasn’t been to the Stadium since the home opener, and didn’t attend the closing ceremonies across the street last year, is slated to be on hand to watch CC Sabathia pitch against Cliff Lee in a meeting of ace left-handers.
The Yankees know the value Steinbrenner places on defeating the Phillies to cop their 27th World Series title.
“It means a lot to him,” Derek Jeter said. “He expects us to win.”
Health issues have taken The Boss off The Post’s back page and there are a lot of players in the clubhouse who have never felt his famous wrath which was often biting and motivational. Some of his best licks were delivered in October.
Yet, Steinbrenner has made them very rich and is the moving force behind their $1.5 billion playpen.
“It would be a great way to honor him,” general manager Brian Cashman said of beating the Phillies. “If we do, you are going to see a lot of attention surround him.”
Reggie Jackson, who is close to the Steinbrenner family, sees more than The Boss when he looks at what the Yankees’ first World Series title since 2000 would bring.
“It would mean a lot to him and it would mean a lot to the boys,” Jackson said. “That is a very close-knit family and they understand the timing of winning this championship.”
Two years ago, Steinbrenner turned the day-to-day dealings of the Yankees over to his sons, Hal and Hank. Hal Steinbrenner has stepped to the front and though he doesn’t have the bark or bite of his father, he shares his father’s belief that anything less than a World Series title is a disappointment.
“We expect to win a championship,” Hal said while champagne corks went off around him following Sunday night’s 5-2 clinching victory over the Angels in Game 6 of the ALCS at the Stadium. “We have one more step to go.”
You won’t see buttons attached to the pinstriped uniforms that read, “Win One For The Boss,” but there is a feeling in the organization that it would be a nice touch to give the 79-year-old Steinbrenner another title.
“I think it means a lot to my dad,” Hal said. “All these players are doing it for him. We want to win this whole thing for him and I think we feel he’s here. He’s a big part of it.”
George Steinbrenner issued a statement yesterday:
“The Yankees’ enormous will to win, tremendous professionalism and great team spirit, backed by the best, most vocal and supportive fans have propelled us into the World Series,” The Boss said. “We’re looking forward to our 27th ring.”
Just as The Boss is looking forward to tomorrow’s Game 1.
“He’ll be excited to be here [tomorrow] night, that’s for sure,” Hal said. “It’s a lot of years, it’s been six, and [Joe] Girardi has done a great job. We’re all proud.”
Proud is nice, but successful is better. Just ask The Boss: old or new.