Green Says He Expects to Be Fired as Yankee Manager by Steinbrenner

Dallas Green, criticized by the man he replaced as manager of the New York Yankees, says he expects to be fired.

“There’s no question we’re not going to be around long,” Green was quoted as saying in Tuesday’s editions of USA Today.

Referring to owner George Steinbrenner, Green said: “This guy is not going to let us be around long. But that’s all right. We’re prepared for that.”

Steinbrenner, though, disputed any suggestion that he has been feuding with Green.

“No, not really,” he said. “I’m still supportive of my manager. All I said was if we’re to win this thing and be right in the middle of it at the end, the players are going to have to play with the same intensity they showed in two games I saw recently.

“Everybody is going to have to do better, and that includes the coaching staff. That’s fact.”

Green also responded angrily to comments made Monday night on television by former Yankee manager Lou Piniella, who said center fielder Roberto Kelly should be moved higher in the batting order.

“Around here, everything is an affront,” Green said Tuesday. “It goes with the territory. And he is well paid to affront. Lou’s paid $400,000 to analyze. Let him analyze. But he’s been in this situation before, so he knows he doesn’t know the entire situation.

“This is really surprising, because I always thought that Lou was one of the class guys . . . “