Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner said Friday that he has not ordered his front office to drop the team's player payroll, adding, "We know what our fans expect."

It has not helped the external perception of the Yankees that the team that beat them in the World Series last October went out and had a monster offseason, as the Dodgers are now projected to have a luxury tax payroll of $402.3 million ( per Cot’s Contracts ).