In New York, siding with ownership is the fastest way to lose the crowd. MLB insider Joel Sherman learned that the hard way after defending Hal Steinbrenner and brushing aside fan frustration following the Cody Bellinger signing. What Sherman framed as patience and progress was viewed by Yankees Nation as another attempt to shield an owner they no longer trust.

That reaction did not come from a single move. While the Yankees did re-sign Bellinger even after keeping Trent Grisham, the rest of the offseason told a familiar story. The team missed on most top free agents, and after another year without a serious postseason run, doubts about the front office’s direction only grew louder.

Against that backdrop, Sherman’s response stood out. Rather than acknowledging the unease, he argued that the concern was misplaced and that the real problem was a fanbase unwilling to see the bigger picture. Delivered with little patience and even less restraint, that message turned frustration into backlash and placed Sherman squarely in the line of fire.

“Will any of those people shut the f*** up now? They will not shut the f*** up,” Talkin’ Yanks shared Sherman’s no-holds-barred rant.

Well, bringing Bellinger back felt like the final touch on the Yankees’ offseason, especially since a lot of people weren’t convinced he’d return once Trent Grisham unexpectedly accepted the $22 million qualifying offer. That decision seemed to jam up the outfield and tack on more payroll at a time when the Yankees were already hovering around the dreaded $300 million mark.

And as we’ve heard recently, Steinbrenner himself has said he wants to keep payroll from exceeding that number.

The result? Outside of Bellinger, the Yankees didn’t land any of the big-name targets fans were dreaming about, no Pete Alonso, Alex Bregman, Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette, Dylan Cease, or Edwin Díaz. So while Sherman has been loudly pushing the idea that Steinbrenner somehow made fans eat their words, the reality looks a lot different from where fans are sitting.

What fans really can’t figure out is why Sherman seems so convinced the front office deserves praise, especially when the Yankees haven’t won a championship since 2009. And judging by the nonstop chatter on social media, Sherman has taken plenty of heat for echoing Steinbrenner’s message.

That kind of backlash is not new in New York. The Yankees have consistently ranked among baseball’s highest spenders, but payroll data shows they dropped to third highest in 2025, behind the Dodgers and Mets.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers have exceeded the luxury tax threshold for five straight seasons and won back-to-back World Series, with their 2025 tax bill alone topping $169 million, underscoring how differently fanbases respond when aggressive spending produces results.

Because of that contrast, fans are clearly not ready to put their trust back in the Yankees’ front office.

The Fans are calling out Sherman’s pro-Yankees rant

What made Joel Sherman think that the Yankees are at the top after landing Bellinger? Fans wonder. “Loser tap dancing on behalf of a billionaire who only cares about the shareholders’ value and how many days he can spend on his yacht instead of winning a WS lol,” one fan said. “Sherman is high on some good stuff. He really believes that Hal did ANYTHING to calm a rabid Yankees fan base. Hal does not care about the fans or the team. As long as the revenue is up, he’s happy,” added another

Well, even though the Yankees haven’t won a World Series since 2009 and have turned in plenty of underwhelming seasons, the franchise is still raking it in.  That said, a huge part of the Yankees’ long-term stability still comes from their legacy and their status as the face of New York’s sports scene.

And from the fans’ point of view, as long as shareholders are seeing returns, the organization doesn’t feel much urgency to chase championships at all costs. This offseason only reinforced that belief, with the Yankees passing on most of the big-name stars instead of going all in.

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“Wow, I didn’t think Joel Sherman would cuss like that,” another user wonders. “Bellinger was on the team last year, btw,” one fan remarked.

Sherman has long been regarded as one of the best in the business. He consistently delivers real insight and has been around the game long enough to know what he’s talking about. Especially in a media market as brutal as New York, he’s usually found that rare sweet spot between reason and criticism.

That’s why his most recent rant caught so many fans off guard. The tone and messaging left people scratching their heads. And fans aren’t wrong to question it, especially when you consider that Bellinger was already on the roster last year and played at an elite level, yet the Yankees still couldn’t get past the ALDS.

So the big question remains: what exactly is different this time around just because Bellinger is back? “I don’t think the Cody Bellinger signing was as impactful as Joel thinks,” one fan agrees.

Nevertheless, Sherman has shared his view, and he thinks the Yankees have a commendable job this offseason. While the fans are yet to believe him, let’s see how it goes once the season starts.