George Steinbrenner's stated plans were for Steve Swindal, his son-in-law, to take over the Yankees, but the reality is that almost certainly won't happen, now that Swindal and Steinbrenner's daughter plan to divorce. And within the Yankees' world, this is a big deal.
On two separate occasions, Swindal served as the organization's Jimmy Carter and helped to broker a détente between the owner and manager Joe Torre. When the contract of general manager Brian Cashman was set to expire after the 2005 season, he was fed up, seemingly on his way out. But again, Swindal served as the middle man, helping to draft the contractual guarantees of chain-of-command powers that Cashman got in his new three-year deal.
Torre and Cashman might have worked out their issues with the owner even if Swindal had not been around. But the role of heir apparent has come with some power within the Yankees' organization and, as of today, there are questions about who will fill the power vacuum created by Swindal's departure from authority.
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Buster Olney
