These are heady times for followers of the National Pastime, Ladies & Gentlemen.  Never mind Brett Myers’ postseason hitting prowess or the mind-blowing highwire act Daisuske Matsuzaka performed against the Rays last night. The real story worthy of your undivided attention is genetic lottery winner Hank Steinbrenner telling the New York Post’s George A. King III that he’s….well, just as self-absorbed and prone to self-parody as his fading father (link taken from Hot Foot)

“There is one very important point here,” Steinbrenner told The Post during an exclusive half-hour session. “The most important thing to remember is this: If you didn’t get it from me or my brother [Hal], it doesn’t mean [anything]. I don’t care about some piss-ant employee. If you don’t get it from me or Hal, it’s meaningless. I have a lot of things [in Tampa] and Hal is in New York, which is good.”

Asked if he has taken a step back, Steinbrenner emphatically said, “No.”

Since The Boss turned over the day-to-day operations to his sons, Hank has one regret.

“I should have pushed harder for the [Johan] Santana deal,” said Hank, who was talked out of signing Santana by Hal and GM Brian Cashman because they believed the Yankees’ talent and the money (Santana signed a six-year, $137.5 million extension with the Mets) was too costly. “My dad wanted to do that,” Hank said. “But that doesn’t mean we would have won if we got into the playoffs, because [Chien-Ming] Wang was hurt.”

Despite the Yankees missing the playoffs, Steinbrenner said he believes Joe Girardi is still the right manager, and is happy Cashman re-upped for three years.

“I talked to him [Cashman] during the [June] draft and told him I wanted him back and I am glad he did,” Steinbrenner said. “He is just like me, he wants to finish the job and get this thing turned around.”