Through his public-relations people George Steinbrenner had this to say yesterday, three days after his high-priced club was eliminated from the postseason by the Angels:

“My chin is not on my chest and I don’t want anyone on my team to have their chin on his chest either,” Steinbrenner said in the statement.

“Particularly since Sept. 11, the Yankees have come to symbolize the spirit, strength and resilience of New York and I am very proud of what we accomplished this year. We won 103 games and even I know that you’re just not going to win it all every year. But our fans should be confident that we are already at work on improving our team for 2003.

“Will there be changes? Of course. But will these changes be made arbitrarily or unilaterally by me? Absolutely not.

“There is an old Scottish proverb that says, ‘I am wounded but I am not slain. I shall lay me down and bleed a while then I shall rise and fight again.’ That should be the feeling of all the Yankees today.”