Well fans, it looks like $200-plus million just doesn’t go as far as it used to. Despite shelling out more money than most of us wouldn’t make in 500 lifetimes, Yankee owner George Steinbrenner is once again going home early in October. This was not supposed to happen. Fielding what many experts dubbed the most potent offensive lineup in baseball history, the Yankees won Game One of the American League Divisional Series and figured to make quick work of the upstart Detroit Tigers, a team that had staggered down the stretch and, on the final weekend of the regular season, lost three straight games to the lowly Kansas City Royals. Yes fans, after Game One it was clear to everyone with half a brain that the Bronx Bombers were invincible and on their way to their 27th World Championship. The only problem was: Someone forgot to tell the Tigers.

Led by solid pitching and clutch hitting, Detroit won Game Two at Yankee Stadium, then took Game Three and Game Four back home in the Motor City. New York, the team and the city, was shell-shocked.

Ageless wonder Kenny Rogers took the mound in Game Three like a man on a mission. Rogers used pinpoint control and pitching savvy to shut down the vaunted New York offense and, at times, make the Yankee hitters look absolutely foolish. Rogers, now over 40, pitched like a man 20 years younger. The veteran southpaw painted the corners, moved the ball up and down in the strike zone, changed speeds, and kept New York’s “Murderers’ Row” off balance the entire game.

No one saw this coming.

The Yankees virtually owned Rogers prior to Game Three. Nearly every hitter in the New York lineup had great career numbers against Rogers and the grizzled lefty figured to get hit hard and quick. Most pundits agreed that Rogers would be lucky to last three innings.

Again, someone forgot to tell Rogers.

By the time the Game Three dust had settled, Detroit had come away with its second win and now led the Series two-games-to-one. Still, few folks figured the Tigers could win Game Four. Youngster Jeremy Bondermann, inconsistent down the stretch, was due to take the hill in Game Four at Comerica Park. Yankee faithful figured its impressive lineup would make quick work of the youthful Bondermann and New York would even the Series at 2-2 and send the teams back to the Big Apple for Game Five.

Someone forgot to tell Bonderman.

The strong-armed right hander carried a perfect game into the sixth inning, held the Yanks to just one run in 8 1/3 innings and left the mound in the ninth inning with an 8-1 lead and a standing ovation. Jorge Posada belted a two-run tater off the Tiger reliever but it was too little, too late.

Detroit won the game 8-3 and eliminated the Yankees from post-season play. It was yet another early exit for New York.

After winning World Series titles in 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2000, the Yanks lost to the Diamondbacks in the ninth inning of Game Seven in 2001 and have not won it all since. New York had an early exit in 2002, made the Series in 2003 but lost to the lowly Marlins, were eliminated by the Red Sox in 2004, and lost to the Angels in the Divisional Series last year.

George Steinbrenner is not a happy camper.

Figure on drastic and quick changes in the Yankee camp this fall. Reports already have it that manager Joe Torre is history and will be replaced by the choleric Lou Piniella. General Manager Brian Cashman may also be on the way out. I also suspect that Alex Rodriguez, the scapegoat for all the Bronx ills, will also be traded. That is, if Steinbrenner can find someone willing to take up the remainder of his $252 million contract.

Firing Torre would be a big mistake. In his 11 years as Yankee skipper, Torre has won four World Series titles and been to the playoffs all 11 years. Who can ask for more than that?

Yankee fans and Steinbrenner, that’s who.

What can we expect from the Bronx circus in the Hot Stove League? Stay tuned.