TAMPA, Fla. — Rich Gossage, the Yankees’ irascible Hall of Fame relief pitcher, stood on a practice field last spring training, answering questions about the hair policy that George Steinbrenner put in place more than 40 years ago. Gossage, who played for eight teams in a 22-year career, said there was only one person who could have filled the imperialist owner’s boots: Donald Trump.
“I think they were out of the same book, of stirring it up and keeping people on their toes, and that’s the way it was around here,” Gossage said, peppering his language, as he often does, with expletives.