While the Yankees are busy trying to figure out why CC Sabathia turns into Jaret Wright every time he faces the Red Sox, and waiting for Jesus Montero to rise from Triple-A to save them, a former batboy for the team is dishing on life behind-the-scenes at Yankee Stadium—including Derek Jeter's easy going nature, A-Rod's high-maintenance foibles, Hideki Matsui's inadvertent catchphrases, and Joe Torre's obsession with horses. more ›

We knew George Steinbrenner was a character, but who knew he was an FBI informant too? And yet that appears to be exactly what the late Boss was. According to government files released yesterday Steinbrenner actively worked with the FBI on national security cases in an attempt to improve his chances of getting a pardon for illegal campaign contributions to Richard Nixon's re-election campaign. more ›

Considering how much time he spends restricting the rights of his people and alleging that 9/11 was a giant Western conspiracy, we'd be surprised to learn that Iranian president and clown-of-the-century nominee Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has any time for something like sports. But it turns out that Ahmadinejad has a huge thing for soccer—so much so, that one US diplomat dubbed him "The George Steinbrenner of Iran." more ›

The passing of Yankees owner George Steinbrenner this year didn't help his chances at being elected into the Hall of Fame, apparently. ESPN is reporting that he received less than eight of the needed 13 votes this time around, and won't be eligible for entry again until 2013, when the selection committee next convenes. Guess who else didn't make it in? more ›

According to reports, the Yankees and longtime closer Mariano Rivera have agreed on a two-year-deal worth around $30 million. The 41-year-old pitcher reportedly had serious offers from other teams, including the Angels and Red Sox, and was offered a three-year-deal worth more money from one of those other teams yesterday, according to the News. That offer seemed to have spurred the Yankees into finalizing their deal with Rivera, which sources expect should be finalized by tonight. more ›

Thinking of deceased Yankees czar George Steinbrenner conjures up images of pennants, World Series rings and eggplant calzones, not love letters—but that's what Mary Jane Schriner remembers. Schriner, nee Elster, became friends with Steinbrenner in 1949, when she was just 16 and the Boss was 18. She says he sent her over 60 letters between then and 1952, and she has 19 of them intact today. Her son, Michael Schriner, told the Post, "It was puppy love, but more about the innocence than about the passion of two people. They held hands and they kissed." Now Schriner wants to write a book about the relationship and publish the letters, but the Yankees are not letting it happen. more ›

On Monday night, a plaque in honor of longtime owner George Steinbrenner was unveiled at Yankee Stadium's Monument Field. And the immediate consensus was that it's really big. At seven feet by five feet, the Boss' tribute looms over the monuments to, oh, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and other legendary Yankees. While one Gothamist commenter said, "Hideous -- looks like something they would have done on Seinfeld!" there's a method to this madness. more ›

Last night, the Yankees paid tribute to their late bombastic leader, George Steinbrenner, by unveiling a monument of him at their new stadium. And, in fitting fashion, his monument is the biggest at Memorial Park, "measuring 7 feet across and 5 feet high across its bronze face and weighing 760 pounds...With 35 square feet across its face, and looking like a wide-screen television, it dwarfs monuments to Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and Manager Miller Huggins, which are 2 feet by 3 feet, or 6 square feet," according to the Bats blog. more ›

Yesterday, the Yankees held a poignant Old Timers' Game, where former players fondly remembered owner George Steinbrenner and public address announcer Bob Sheppard. Goose Gossage said of "The Boss," "He was tougher back in our day than he was later on, over the last regime, the last decade-and-a-half. As much as we won, the more we won, the crazier he got. more ›

Before the Yankees' first game since the deaths of two of its legends— owner George Steinbrenner and public address announcer Bob Sheppard—the team said good-bye with tributes, a moment of silence, and, finally, two roses left at home plate by closer Mariano Rivera. Captain Derek Jeter told the crowd, "We gather to honor two men who are both shining stars in the Yankees' universe... Mr. George Steinbrenner and Mr. Bob Sheppard cared deeply about their responsibilities to this organization and to our fans, and for that will forever be remembered in baseball history and our hearts." more ›

The Yankees' tribute to late owner George Steinbrenner and public address announcer Bob Sheppard will take place tonight before the 7:05 p.m. game against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees recommend that attendees arrive by 6:45 p.m. According to the Post, "The observance will include a video tribute to The Boss and a special moment of silence honoring both Steinbrenner and longtime 'Voice of God' announcer Bob Sheppard, who died Sunday at 99." more ›

The Yankees' arch rivals, the Boston Red Sox, put away their differences with the Bombers/Evil Empire in order to pay tribute to late Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. The Red Sox held a moment of silence for The Boss and late Yankees public address announcer Bob Sheppard before their game against the Texas Rangers. While Steinbrenner was ruthless, one Red Sox fan told the NY Times, "He’s a human being and deserves to be honored. That doesn’t mean we love him, but we respect him. There’s competition, but also decency." more ›

George Steinbrenner's death yesterday had one small silver lining for his family: they won't have to give half his estate away to the taxman. Because the federal estate tax expired at the start of this year, and won't be renewed until 2011, the family won't have to carve up much of The Boss's estimated $1.1 billion net worth. If Steinbrenner had died in 2009, when the estate-tax rate was 45%, his estate-tax bill could have been near $500 million; the bill is expected to be renewed next year at 55%, which would have cost his family $600 million. His heirs may have been forced to sell his shares of the Yankees in order to pay it off. more ›

Oh, Rush! Controversial right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh decided to pay tribute to Yankees owner George Steinbrenner during his show by espousing Steinbrenner's capitalist tendencies, "That cracker made a lot of African American millionaires."—uh, what about the white millionaires—"George Steinbrenner, the classic capitalist. Everyone around him became wealthy... And at the same time he fired a bunch of white guys as managers left and right." Hear his clip below. more ›

The All-Star Game just offered a moment of silence in tribute to Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. Since news of the larger-than-life figure's death this morning, past and present players, managers, colleagues, and politicians have been offering their condolences to the Steinbrenner family and thoughts on The Boss. Yogi Berra, who was fired as manager after just 16 games in 1985, said today, "George was 'The Boss,' make no mistake. He built the Yankees into champions, and that's something nobody can ever deny. He was a very generous, caring, passionate man. George and I had our differences, but who didn't? We became great friends over the last decade and I will miss him very much." more ›

George Steinbrenner's hands-on ownership of the Yankees as well as his legendary feuds with managers, players and anyone who crossed him made him a figure ripe for caricature. And he played along—check out his unaired stint from Seinfeld and commercials with Billy Martin and Derek Jeter below. more ›

The Boss is dead. George M Steinbrenner III died today in Tampa, at age 80. Steinbrenner had been owner of the Yankees since 1973, buying the team from CBS with a group of investors for $10 million. He was at the forefront of the free agency movement, signing players for, what were then considered astronomical sums. more ›

Here come the tributes to George Steinbrenner, the Yankees owner who passed away this morning. The NYC Mayor's Office Tweeted this morning, "Our prayers go out to the Steinbrenner family. We’re thankful George got to see the Yankees bring one more title to the city he loved." That was followed by, "We’re lowering the flags in City Hall Plaza in honor of George Steinbrenner - a man who raised 7 championship flags at Yankee Stadium." more ›

Legendary Yankees owner George Steinbrenner died at age 80 this morning in his Tampa, Florida home. His family said, "He was a visionary and a giant in the world of sports. He took a great but struggling franchise and turned it into a champion again." more ›

On Friday Yankees fans will be confronted with the strange sight of Joe Torre sitting in the opposite dugout wearing his familiar #6, but trying to bring a victory to the Los Angeles Dodgers. It will be the first time the Yankees play their former manager and the first time they face a manager who won a World Series for them since Billy Martin was managing the A’s in the early 80’s more ›

Earlier this afternoon, the Yankees received their championship rings for winning the 2009 World Series. In a ceremony before their home opener against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the team celebrated its 27 World Championship. On hand to present the 14-carat rings to the Yankees were Whitey Ford and Yogi Berra. Also on hand to receive a ring was World Series MVP Hideki Matsui, now a member of the Angels, who was greeted by Yankee Stadium fans with chants of "MVP! MVP!" Matsui actually received his ring last, and all the Yankees swarmed to hug him in the middle of the field. Here's video: more ›

Last night's decisive Game 6 victory over the Angels gave way to celebration, and then anticipation for the World Series meeting with the Philadelphia Phillies. And the question on everyone's minds: will The Boss, George Steinbrenner, be in town for Game 1? (And should the eggplant calzones be fired up?) According to his son, and managing general partner (aka, The Baby Boss?), Hal Steinbrenner, it's a resounding YES! more ›

What's up with the Yankees and text messaging? We always hear of A-Rod texting: checking in with manager Joe Girardi, flirting with Madonna, and even LOLing with Pete Rose. But apparently his infield neighbor and new all-time record holder for most hits in club history, Derek Jeter, loves getting down with some T9 as well. After Jeter broke the big record Friday night, reporters naturally checked in with his old manager, Joe Torre. When asked if he had phoned to congratulate his former rookie phenom, Torre said, "I didn't call him...I texted him. That's his favorite thing. I've got to get into that young stuff." Much like all of Jeter's other longtime acquaintances, Torre went on to shower him with praise in abundance. He said, "He's a special kid. The person he is, to me, means a great deal. That's really something to be proud of, the respect he has for the game and his teammates. He's a leader but not that 'rah, rah.'...He doesn't have the power I know that George (Steinbrenner) likes to refer to as a Yankee. ... Just the tenacity, the determination. He's not afraid to win." more ›

George Steinbrenner is being sued by a cable executive claiming that The Boss stole his idea for the YES Network. Bob Gutkowski is suing Steinbrenner for $43 million, claiming that he pitched the idea that the Yankees start their own network back in 1996, six years before YES hit the airwaves. Gutkowski had worked with Steinbrenner while he was president of MSG network, negotiating the historic 12-year, $493.5 million deal to bring the Bombers to cable in 1988. The suit says that The Boss wanted to use the threat of starting a network to get $1 billion for a 10-year extension from MSG, who had been taken over by Cablevision (which had ousted Gutkowski from his former role). Gutkowski claims that Steibrenner said to him and his partners, "You are my guys. If it goes forward, I will do it with you." But Steinbrenner did not "do it" with Gutkowski, instead stalling him and stringing him along, according to the executive. The Yankees have called the suit "false and frivolous" and denied Gutkowski had any role in developing the YES network. more ›

Maybe the local teams should have skipped breaking in their new ballparks with preseason exhibition games. After winning both of those unofficial affairs a couple weeks back, the Yankees today joined the Mets in earning a 0-1 home record in their opener. The Yankee bullpen burst apart at the seams today in a 10-2 loss to the Indians. more ›

The local tabloids are foaming at the mouth with the first revelations from former Yankee skipper Joe Torre's soon to be released tell-all book about his time with the team. Torre was famous for his stoicism in his decade as manager and for keeping drama to a minimum, a notable feat among the New York sports media. But initial word is that Torre's memoir lets off some steam after his unceremonious exit last year by taking swipes at ARod, GM Brian Cashman and not surprisingly, the Steinbrenners. more ›

George Steinbrenner, one of the most notorious owners in professional sports, has officially relinquished control of the Yankees, naming his son Hal as head of the organization. The announcement came from Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig following owners' meetings where Hal Steinbrenner was unanimously approved as new owner. Hal, who runs the financial side of the Yankees, will continue to share the role of chairman with his brother Hank, who oversees the baseball operations. Hank Steinbrenner tends to lead like his father did--drawing headlines for putting down former manager Joe Torre and calling the Red Sox Nation "a bunch of bullshit." The two sons have been running the organization for over a year with their father in fragile health. more ›