Hal Steinbrenner Plans To Trim Yankees' Payroll To Paltry $189 Million

New York Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner has set a goal to lower his team's payroll to a mere $189 million, according to the Associated Press.

As the new collective bargaining agreement has placed the luxury tax threshold at $189 million starting after 2013, Steinbrenner has made it a point of emphasis to hit that number. Steinbrenner said the Yankees are down to around $210 million this year, after $212.7 million in 2011.

"Is it a requirement with baseball that we hit 189? No, it's not a requirement, but that is going to be the luxury tax threshold and that's where I want to be," Steinbrenner said. "I don't think it's an unrealistic goal. My goals are normally considered a requirement."

The Yankees paid out $13.9 million in luxury tax dollars last season; they won 97 games and the American League East crown but were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in five games by the Detroit Tigers.