Steinbrenner II Talks & We Have To Listen Whether We Want To or Not....

Folks, the Yankees are not what they used to be -- at least for right now. With a litany of injuries, along with A-Rod and Posada out, as well as struggles of the young pitching staff, it looks like the Bronx Zoo Part II may be opening up for business.

With a bloated playroll and only 120+ games to go, Hank Steinbrenner mused about the Yankees.

He more or less has called his team out -- again -- and once again Mt. Yankee blew up and let the press know what was on his mind.

Hank said:

Gentlemen, it's time to get your act together. "We've got to forget about all the injuries and start playing our butts off," Steinbrenner told The Post. The Yankees were buried by the Rays on Monday. These are difficult days for Joe Girardi's club. "The bottom line is that the team is not playing the way it is capable of playing," Steinbrenner said. "These players are being paid a lot of money and they had better decide for themselves to earn that money."

Again, I have no idea if he's channeling dear old dad, or thinks he can be his father, but does he realize his team is stumbling because of the aforemtioned problems?

The Yankees seem to both want to rebuild and also compete (evidenced by being so top heavy with veterans), and it's very hard to do both.

Something has to give, and I certainly do think that the Yankees may seriously miss the playoffs in 2008. They have to realize their window perhaps may be closing quickly, and that New York might have to take it on the chin for a year or two...