Yankees' Hal Steinbrenner 'A Little Confused' by Fans' Anger at Early Struggles

Hal Steinbrenner has heard the growing chorus of complaints from New York Yankees fans.

He's just not buying the panic.

"I want to know what the vibe is out there, and I understand they're upset," Steinbrenner said Wednesday on YES Network. "I'm a little confused this year, being third week in June, why they're so upset. But they're upset, and that's going to get my attention. Everybody just needs to know we're working hard on all fronts to get this back on the rails."

The Yankees are 40-33 coming into Wednesday night, sitting 10 games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays. They would be a wild-card team if the season ended today.

While many fanbases would be rabid with excitement about being a playoff team midway through the season, the Yankees do not have a typical fanbase. New York expects yearly championship contention, and the Steinbrenner family spends like it does as well.

That said, it's worth noting the Yankees have not won a World Series or a pennant since 2009. This is much closer to the franchise's modern norm than the riches of the 1990s and 2000s, which saw the Yankees take home five championships in a 13-year span. It's now been 14 years since the Yankees last won the World Series.

New York's mediocre first half of the season has been a byproduct of a middling offense that ranks 17th in runs scored and a shaky starting staff that's been propped up by a dominant bullpen. The Yankees are hopeful to have offseason signing Carlos Rodon in the rotation in the near future, while Aaron Judge remains without a firm timetable for his return from a toe injury.

Don't be surprised if Steinbrenner picks up the phone and starts wheeling and dealing soon to add some life to the offense.