New York Yankees fans react to owner Hal Steinbrenner saying a team shouldn’t have to spend $300 million to win a title: "And still, he kept Cashman"

The New York Yankees are in an unfamiliar position. They are being outspent. Not only are the Yankees being outspent, but they are being outspent by the organization long considered to be their little brother – the New York Mets.

For decades, the Yankees have been known as the Evil Empire that would hunt smaller-market teams and claim their superstars either by trade or free agency. Former owner George Steinbrenner threw the cash around freely in his attempts to build a ballclub right up until his death.

His son, Hal Steinbrenner, isn't exactly penny-pinching, but the title of heaviest-spending team owner has clearly transferred to Steve Cohen of the Mets, who has amassed a payroll of $374 million, including luxury-tax projections. The Yankees are No. 2 in MLB at $293 million with luxury-tax projections.

The younger Steinbrenner told the New York Post that at this point, a team shouldn't have to have a $300 million payroll to win a World Series – pointing to the Houston Astros, who haven't come close to that point while winning the title in 2022, as well as the Mets, who are seeking their first championship since 1986.

It's well known that New York Yankees fans are no fans of general manager Brian Cashman, and rather than mocking Hal Steinbrenner for a fairly astute claim, most focused their angst once again on Cashman.

Did we mention that Yankees Nation really, really doesn't like Cashman? Well, they don't. At all.

However, the New York Yankees have not won a World Series since 2009. That's a long time for an organization that has 27 world championships to its name. So, naturally, ownership must take the blame in the eyes of many fans of the team.

However, no one is going to be passing the hat for the New York Yankees any time soon.

New York Yankees haven't won a title since George Steinbrenner's death

New York Yankee general manager Brian Cashman speaks to the media during a news conference.

George Steinbrenner bought the New York Yankees in 1973, and ran them until his death in July of 2010 – approximately eight months after his team won its last World Series. While New York has only missed the playoffs in three seasons since, the Yankees have not even been to a World Series since 2009.

Of course, George Steinbrenner's tenure as owner wasn't all rosy. New York won the World Series in back-to-back seasons in 1977 and 1978, but then didn't win again until a dominating stretch at the end of the 1990s, when the Yankees won the championship in four of five seasons between 1996 and 2000.