 And now we bring in the managing general partner of the New York Yankees how Steinburner how it's Michael Don and Peter How are you? Hello guys? How you doing doing great? So what do you feel about your team? What do you think? I? Think we're better now than we were last year at this time, and we had a pretty good team last year You know we added some important pieces in areas of need pitching especially and I just think if we can get healthy And stay healthy as with any team that's that's going to be a big part of this But we're excited and do the injuries worry you you've got it's a joke. You've got what was that Peter? I was doing work in the computer. Okay, you've got you've got Aaron Hicks. You've got the tances And you've got the CC. It's about the as well with Severino any concerns Well, it's always concerns you leave spring training, you know with injuries, but the good news is they're not significant entries So you know Severino started his pit the touring program a few days ago He's coming along as scheduled so his CC CC has a missed a step So, you know Hicks missed a lot of spring training, so it is going to take him a while to ramp up We'll see how quickly that happens. We don't want to push any of these guys But it's it's clearly not the way you want to start the season But hopefully we get it out of the way get everybody healthy, and we we stay that way when we've talked to you Before you seemed optimistic about DD's return. Is this still the case? You still believe it'll be sooner than later? I Have heard nothing dawn to to indicate that it's that anything's got prolonged Okay, you know whether it's June whether it's July that's that's still the schedule as far as I know We just had on right before you Aaron judge and then John Carlos Stanton and we were marking the judge and you've been around this team practically your whole life It's it's been two and a half years and he's almost the face of the team One of the faces of baseball has his ascension in that short a period of time even surprised you how? Well, no because he's he's a great guy and I'm from a great family great leadership skills and obviously great Great physical skills as well. So he's been a big part of it. And we noticed it when he was injured for almost two months There was it was different, you know, it was he was still there every day and he was still being a leader But to have them actually in the lineup You know being one of the leaders of the team and actually participating and contributing It was a whole different vibe. It really was When did you do you remember when you first heard about him? And then when you first realized that he was more than just another prospect with something potentially kind of iconic Well sitting in the draft room, you know to hear that a to hear that a guy his size plays, you know College center field that was was was pretty impressive So, you know ever ever since we drafted him and you know the same with same with Sanchez when we signed him and Bird and Severino when you signed him I mean, you know really since day one these were the guys that I've said time and time again Everybody was always asking for at the trade deadline. Everybody was always asking for in the offseason So we had a great time just watching them progress almost seamlessly, you know through the system through the years and and Here they are now it's not hockey where you're supposed to have a captain But you know you guys don't willy-nilly go about naming a captain when you look at the guys that have worn that sea and been The captain of the team Can he be headed in that direction? And what are some of the things you need to see for to comfortably feel that he could be ready for something like that? Well, it is it does not something we take lightly and obviously it isn't something we do every year sometimes many years in a row without one Look, I think obviously the leadership skills and and you know the admiration of his teammates whoever it is and You know their ability to produce on the field and carry a team when a team needs to be carried I mean, these are all things that these are all things that come into play and obviously, you know player beloved by our fans Is a big part of it as well because our fans are that important to us. So a lot of things How do you house time under the Yankees managing general partners on with us? Do you? Feel pressure and are you putting pressure on the people in uniform? You know what this team hasn't made the world series since oh nine That hasn't happened since the beginning of the last century. We've got to get to the world series without the way you're looking at this Well, that's the way I look at it every year But the the players never need me to put pressure on them, you know, they're their competitors They understand what our fans expect every year and they know what they expect out of themselves so I expect great things this year and Like I said, we need to get healthy and we need to stay healthy because that's always going to come into play But they don't need my help in any way shape or form for that They put the pressure on themselves in a positive way now with the exception of last year The best team doesn't always win in the postseason in your mind Do you believe building a team to win 162 is the same as having that team win in the postseason or is it more of a Crap shoot once you get through the regular season Well, look, I think the postseason as you know particularly that's first for getting the world card game. They give the first series It's only five games You know, it's tough You have a couple of bad games in a row and you're in trouble, right? so you got to go in healthy and you got to go in you got to go in hot and I don't I'm not sure it's different and really any other sport in the postseason I know some other sports have much longer post seasons, but you know, it's about being healthy And it's about being hot at the right time. Well, I guess the way I'm getting at is you had a hundred win season Yeah, and yet the fans kind of look at it as a disappointment because you finished in second place But I don't know how you improve on a hundred wins I don't know how you can expect your to do more than that in a hundred and sixty-two. Well, again, I Hear you on that, but we didn't reach our goal and that's that's just a fact. It was a good season Yeah, it was a great season for Boone and the entire team, but we didn't we didn't reach our goals So what do we do in the offseason? We try to improve the areas that as far as we're concerned We're kind of the reason or at least a pretty big contributor as to why we didn't get past the division series And that was was pitching starting pitching in particular So we went out and got past it and then we re-signed half and then we worked on the bullpen So we think that we're we think we're a very very good team and a championship caliber team for sure and Better than we were sitting here March 25th 2018 How in the years I've known you you're pretty even kill you don't get that up And you don't it doesn't seem like you get down Maybe you do in private and you've said you know you watch the games and you get angry But you never show that side But I've read interviews that you've given this year that the one thing that seems like it rankles you a bit is when It's question that the Yankees are are being a little bit Cost-conscious not by not going out and getting a harper and a machado. What do you say to fans that say that or think that? well, look I Everybody's gonna have their own opinion and the reality is we spent 250 million dollars this offseason when you include the two Extensions we did so we were active But again, we were active not taking all that money and spending it on one individual But spending it on numerous parts and in a real area of need as far as we were concerned, which is pitching So that's what we did and yeah, there's been a lot of talk about revenues revenues revenues I just think it's it's it's logical and appropriate if you're gonna talk about a company's revenues To also address as best as you can their their expenses And as you know in addition to the expenses everybody knows about like the bonds and revenue sharing We have big expenses and stadium ops analytics performance science The money for our player development complexes and teams scouting all the money we spend signing players so they all add up in a hurry and Believe me, we understand that the fans want to win and you know, I don't want the fans I would never want the fans thinking that we're not doing everything we can to win As I said, we spent a lot of money in this offseason. I think we're a considerably better team Was there that every year was there any thought how just the sexiness of a signing of a Harper or Machado that let's Let's roll the down. I mean, that's something that your dad might have done Was there ever any thought of that just for the you know the marquee value of it? Well, okay, even more important on that these are two incredibly talented players I mean, there's no doubt we talked about it and discussed it and opinions varied on on both players But I really felt our need if we're gonna go out and spend hundreds of millions of dollars Our teed was pitching because in my opinion and people might disagree with me That's the reason we didn't make it to the ALCS Or at least the biggest reason we didn't now even a Michaels question Well, if George were here we hear that all the time callers saying all you if George was still alive We'd have both Harper and Machado. Does it bother you when you hear stuff like that? And is it is it necessarily true? No, I don't think it's necessarily true George was you know, look George was was a very emotional guy There's no doubt about it and and very intelligent and passionate and all that but he also listened to his people and and you know We had meetings every day in the off-season Addressing areas that we really needed improvement and that had to be the first thing and sometimes the last thing that we did So there wasn't always a Harper being signed every single year even under him Now it seems like the new thing in baseball at least the last couple of weeks out is extending players that are on the team You've done that with Severino. You did that with Hicks We just asked judge if they you'd be amenable today. He said they haven't been any discussions Is that something that you guys would like to examine and explore? Look, I'm not gonna get into I'll leave it to cash I'm not gonna get into who we've we've talked to about the concept and who we want to or don't want to But I will say we it's obvious. We can't do everybody at once There are numerous Situations we're looking at when it comes to major league service time and you know The other part of the puzzle is how conducive is the player to it to a concept like that so more to come stay tuned We love all of our players. We love our young players And we want them wearing pinstripes for as many years to come as possible and we know the fans do too Now are you excited about opening day or is it you know what it's it's it's the business that we're in or do You get pumped up for opening day. I do I'm excited here We're not gonna have eight inches of snow this year the way we did last year So that makes it much easier on stadium ops guides and grounds crew and it should be beautiful weather for the fans and and I'm looking forward to it because I we put a lot of work this offseason into building the team and I'm excited to see these new pieces and how they're gonna how they're gonna perform and how they're gonna contribute a little bit off The path here, but something your perfect person to ask about this We're hearing all about these rule changes, right? The you have to face three batters in one inning the Atlantic League is Implementing something the baseball is looking at of having the mound further away from home play in the last few weeks Radical change house seems to be suggested by a lot of people in the rules committee. Some have traction Some don't how is the feeling within major league baseball about the direction of pace of play? And is there a legitimate concern that there is a younger generation that might be losing interest in that something Dramatic does have to happen in the near future. Well, like I I think if you look at any major sport, there have been changes oftentimes dramatic in order to keep the product the product good and Unfortunately baseball is different obviously we are not a timed game But I think anything we can do to to minimize how long the games go and to make the game more exciting for the fans of All age groups That's something we have to take seriously and it's something the owners definitely do And I know the commissioner does too. So we'll see what's what's to come, but pace of play is discussed every year and You know, we're gonna do what we can to make this the most exciting game in the country All right, we seem to ask everybody this do you like watching Zion Williamson? Say again, do you like watching Zion Williamson of Duke? I'm not a Duke guy. Yeah, I'm not a Duke guy my Gators I really had a bad Saturday afternoon there with it with that but There's some exciting players in college basketball college basketball is great, but my team's out Unfortunately Peter you hear that somebody that's not a new a Duke guy. That's the answer not climbing on board Zion. He's great You hate Duke Duke Hal, but he loves it Yeah, but obviously let's just be honest. I'm gonna keep it a buck here. How's obviously not that dialed in right now He's focused on starting a baseball season Hal. Let's be honest. What are you ever dialed in right now? I'm very dialed in right now, but I don't have a team to run Well good stuff how we always appreciate that you give us some time It really means the world to us and I'll see you on Thursday. I'll probably see you Wednesday. You will all right guys