Hank Steinbrenner shows his dad's confidence

Hank Steinbrenner seems to be more like his dad George Steinbrenner in assuring fans of the New York Yankees that the team will be playing meaningful baseball in October.

Hal Steinbrenner runs the team on a daily basis with a calm, quiet precision and is rarely seen, let alone heard. So it was up to his brother Hank to take on his father's mantle in making dramatic public pronouncements, memorably calling Red Sox Nation BS, criticizing baseball's revenue-sharing system or defending his father's honor against the Joe Torre backlash. Although Hank has quieted down a lot since those initial statements, he still shows his dad's confidence in proclaiming that the Yankees will make the playoffs.

Hank did not go as far as his father probably would have because he did not assure fans that the Yankees would win the American League East. With the race between the Yanks and Tampa Bay Rays still too close to call, it was probably a wise decision.

But George Steinbrenner wasn't always the wisest person and it would have been a classic George move to tell any reporter who would listen that his team would walk away with the division title, putting extra pressure on his players to back up his proclamation. It's obvious that Hal and Hank understand the peril of ratcheting up expectations and have chosen a different path. It’s a smart move on their part, expressing confidence in their team without overburdening them with the weight of their dad’s expectations.