What Cashman is a master at, as are most truly successful, long term sports executives, is a ruthless ability to control his image in the media. Win or lose. Win, its all him. Lose, and he is only bidding time 'building for the future'. In the meantime, the income goes up. The real bottom line metric to measure 'success'.
3
Lifelong Yankees fan. I hope they don't spend lavishly on free agents when they get some salary relief next year with A. Rod & C.C. no longer under contract. I'd like to see them let the kids play and develop with additions only by smart trades and draft picks that they can give teaching to in the minor leagues. I'd like to see them hire more good scouts and minor league coaches that can mold baseball players.
The incessant need for the Yankees to win everything all time and their fans lack of appreciation for what the game of baseball represents, failure, has left them in a state where the 27 times World Champs have to share the baseball capital of the world with that lowly rotten little brother, the Mets.
Too bad, get over it.
W/O "Stick" Michaels Brain Caseman would never lasted 20 years with the Yankees. Now the real challenge begins, having the patience and wear withal to make excruciating personal decision.
The only difference between the Yankees and the Twins, Padres, or Reds et al. in their small market towns; the small markets die for 10 years on a bad decision, the Yankees live to play another day as in tomorrow.
God help the Yankees if baseball ever gets smart and installs revenue sharing like the NFL, they'll become the Dallas Cowboys of MLB.
Too bad, get over it.
W/O "Stick" Michaels Brain Caseman would never lasted 20 years with the Yankees. Now the real challenge begins, having the patience and wear withal to make excruciating personal decision.
The only difference between the Yankees and the Twins, Padres, or Reds et al. in their small market towns; the small markets die for 10 years on a bad decision, the Yankees live to play another day as in tomorrow.
God help the Yankees if baseball ever gets smart and installs revenue sharing like the NFL, they'll become the Dallas Cowboys of MLB.
I have been a Yankee fan for over 50 years and watch or attend over 100 games a year so I think I know what I'm talking about: So many Yankee fans are spoiled and unrealistic about the sport. With 32 MLB teams, the Yankees should win on average once every three decades.
They have played meaningful games into mid September or beyond for more than 20 consecutive seasons. That, realistically is all fans can expect. It's all I ask for. Give me six months of
games I care about t. Cashman is a huge part of that.
His fire sale trades have huge upside potential. He got a potential superstar for Chapman. And then got Chapman back for nothing other than money. His trades for quality players like Starling Castro and Didi Gregoriius were relative steals.
Chill, Yankee fans. All those teams that are currently better than the Yankees went through some very dark, sub .500 seasons to get the talent they now possess.
They have played meaningful games into mid September or beyond for more than 20 consecutive seasons. That, realistically is all fans can expect. It's all I ask for. Give me six months of
games I care about t. Cashman is a huge part of that.
His fire sale trades have huge upside potential. He got a potential superstar for Chapman. And then got Chapman back for nothing other than money. His trades for quality players like Starling Castro and Didi Gregoriius were relative steals.
Chill, Yankee fans. All those teams that are currently better than the Yankees went through some very dark, sub .500 seasons to get the talent they now possess.
5
It's the right thing to do but it took no genius to plot this course. A million Yankee fans who follow the team closely knew this was the only path to follow. Once the draft rules changed, the Yankees deep pockets could no longer simply outspend the competition to success.
1
The yankees are on the right track. I agree with Cashman with going with youth. I'm old enough to remember when i turned around one day and Mickey was old Whittey was gone so was Yogi. They never planned for the future. We wound up with guys like Horace Clark. Thry Yankees today have young prospects like Bird, Sanchez, Judge. that will make this team exciting. Yes they need Starting pitching. I do believe Cashman will make deals that will improve this team. He has done it before. It was Cashman that brought Cecile Felder and Chile Davis to help the yankees win those years.
1
Over the last few years, I have not been able to keep up with the revolving door of player parts that this team has become. As a fan, I loved knowing the playing quirks of "our" players like Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada and Paul O'Neill. That Andy would be the stopper, for instance, if the team had been losing. That Paulie would give it all out there and then go beat up the water cooler. That fan favorites like Luis Sojo might have their moment of glory and surprise everyone. That Bobby Murcer went right up to the booth from the field. It sounds superficial to want your team to be a TEAM of good mates, guys that you feel like you know, who have a history with you and the organization . . . but I think that same kind of contribution translates to something on the field that made us champions -- it was a win-win -- and I think that not having this "us" feel anymore is one reason former fans are bored with this almost lifelike replica of a Yankees team.
3
This is a fine piece of sports writing, telling an important story in an entertaining way, showing serious homework in its preparation. This from a 72 year old guy who caught baseball fever this past August, following the Yanks as underdogs, a new experience for him (me), Also, and this is the interesting part, I have been a Times reader, now digitally, since grade or junior high school when I was hooked for life on the almost free subscriptions delivered in classrooms in New York. In all this time, up until this season I never bothered with the sports section. Baseball is the only sport I follow and my involvement with the Sports section up until recently, was to check the standings. You guys are doing a wonderful job. And, like listening to a good sports broadcasteer like Gooby with the LA Angels reading your columns is an education. Baseball 101, or more accurately, Advanced Introductory Baseball. Thanks Billy and Tyler. You've got fans too.
2
My thoughts exactly. As a life long 65 year old Yankee fan I can not remember the last time I was as excited about the team as during the August - September hot streak from last year which was led by the "Baby Bombers". This is a well done sports article about a team which is finally being introduced into the 21st century way of creating a winning baseball environment. Kudos to Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner.
1
I believe that the Yankees have one of the worst management teams in baseball, a fact borne out by their recent futility. Just a few of their recent blunders: getting rid of Bartolo Colon (while keeping Freddy Garcia); letting their only true Hall-of-Famer Robinson Cano walk (anybody who blames it on his 10-year demand isn't thinking straight; consider it instead as 8 years at $30M per for the same $240M total and it looks a lot better); even parting with a real pro Miller instead of the problematic Betances to save a few bucks. While the Red Sox were busy acquiring Price, Porcello, and Sale, the Yankees sat on their hands, evidently content with their tattered rotation. The club should have gone after Dumbrowski for the front office and Maddon for the dugout, and we might then have had a team worth watching and rooting for, instead of making excuses for.
4
There are going to be a whole lot of very pleasantly surprised fans this year. I'm not saying that they're going to win it all, but they're a much better team than they're being given credit for.
5
I like watching a rebuilding process with younger players, but not in person considering the astronomical ticket prices that the Yankees charge.
And, yes, I agree with other that Cashman was responsible for only one championship team despite having one of, if not the largest, player budget in baseball for all the years that he's been GM. By any definition, Cashman is a failure as GM.
And, yes, I agree with other that Cashman was responsible for only one championship team despite having one of, if not the largest, player budget in baseball for all the years that he's been GM. By any definition, Cashman is a failure as GM.
1
Some might say the drought is karma: for A-Rod's ball slap. Reggie's swivel-hips, Jeffrey Maier's interference, George Brett's pine tar home run, and the hundred other incidents where the Yankees put winning above fair play.
One Championship since the turn of the century, same as the Diamondbacks, Marlins, Phillies, Cubs, White Sox and Angels. Two behind the Giants, Cardinals and (gulp) Red Sox.
To quote Bill Parcells, "you are what your record says you are."
To quote Bill Parcells, "you are what your record says you are."
4
You've given the Cardinals one extra.
1
The first three of Cashman's "championships" were built on the core that Watson and Michael built, and the trades and free agents that Michael sought.
Cashman gets the credit for 2009, but the scheduling, now changed, allowed the Yankees to go through an entire post season without using more than three starters.
Kepner mentions the luxury tax and revenue sharing, but his Yankee$ blinders conveniently omit that the Yankee$ had the chance to zero out both the luxury tax and revenue sharing. Insread they signed Masahiro Tanaka, Jacoby Ellsbury, Carlos Beltran and Brian McCann, and locked the Yankee$ into maximum luxury tax and revenue sharing. In return, Cashman got one lost payoff series and a lost wild card game at home.
This team still has about the third highest payroll in the game. Are they better than Boston, Baltimore, Cleveland or Houston?
Cashman gets the credit for 2009, but the scheduling, now changed, allowed the Yankees to go through an entire post season without using more than three starters.
Kepner mentions the luxury tax and revenue sharing, but his Yankee$ blinders conveniently omit that the Yankee$ had the chance to zero out both the luxury tax and revenue sharing. Insread they signed Masahiro Tanaka, Jacoby Ellsbury, Carlos Beltran and Brian McCann, and locked the Yankee$ into maximum luxury tax and revenue sharing. In return, Cashman got one lost payoff series and a lost wild card game at home.
This team still has about the third highest payroll in the game. Are they better than Boston, Baltimore, Cleveland or Houston?
4
What "change in direction"?? They resigned Chapman to a ridiculous contract. Miller was only there through 2018, and the Yankees will not be that close to winning it all by then. The rest were "flotsam and jetsam". Let's be honest here, everyone knows that this past year was not a big time free agent year. We all know that the "young bumper crop" will be in the next two years. Back to the old ways: $$$$$$.
2
Among Cashman's many other self-inflicted disasters, he decided to hold a fire sale last July and bail on the team, giving away some of his best talent. He figured the team was going nowhere, so he shrewdly dumped starting pitching at fire sale prices to teams that were in contention. Unfortunately, the Yankees responded by going on a winning streak and making the year interesting, even though they were short-handed. To be clear: Cashman quit on the team. The players did not. The public did not, even though they are paying NY real estate prices for a triple A product. This he calls "cleansing". That may be an apt term if you're a gastroenterologist, but I would suggest the Yankees cleanse themselves of this general mis-manager. The Yankees sell their tradition at every opportunity but the tradition is now more milking the patrons for as much cash as possible. That's what they still have the cash-man.
4
Nope the Bombers will bomb until they remove the statue to George Steinbrenner and the new Yankee Stadium. Sad but true the HEX is on.
1
Really?
There are so many more important things in this world than professional sports!
There are so many more important things in this world than professional sports!
For the past 10 years, most of the Yankees first round draft picks have been busts. Players such as Cito Culver, Andrew Brackman, Ty Hensley, Slade Heathcott have failed to either to show any return for the Yankees. (Their is hope for Aaron Judge.) The Yankees have not developed a starting pitcher via the draft since Andy Pettitte. This is inexcusable. Cashman needs to clean house of the player development department in order for the Yankees to show upside when it comes to selection and development of players.
3
No, he can't. Especially since he's a prime cause of their need for revival. For one thing, he thinks "making the playoffs" is success. This is baseball, not hockey. Success means going to the World Series. And it's the New York Yankees, so in that case success means winning the World Series - nothing else will do.
The bigger problem with Cashman has a name. Actually, it has lots of names: A.J. Burnett, Randy Johnson, Kyle Farnsworth, Jason Giambi, Carl Pavano, Jaret Wright, - need I keep going? I can of course; that's not all of his bad decisions. And on top of this horrendous record, his treatment of Jeter at the end of his career makes Cashman not merely a bad judge of baseball players, but also a bad boss. I'd love to see him gone.
The bigger problem with Cashman has a name. Actually, it has lots of names: A.J. Burnett, Randy Johnson, Kyle Farnsworth, Jason Giambi, Carl Pavano, Jaret Wright, - need I keep going? I can of course; that's not all of his bad decisions. And on top of this horrendous record, his treatment of Jeter at the end of his career makes Cashman not merely a bad judge of baseball players, but also a bad boss. I'd love to see him gone.
8
Once they dismantled the Real Yankee Stadium no matter who owns,manages or have anything to do with new yankee stadium are destined for failure . It was a disgrace the day the old was torn down And the new will have a curse on it till end of time . The Yankees will never win anything anymore.
Boo hoo they have nobody to blame then there selfish lust for more revenue .
Boo hoo they have nobody to blame then there selfish lust for more revenue .
5
They won the world series the yesr they opened the new stadium.
Sign me up for a curse like that.
Sign me up for a curse like that.
6
The Real Yankee Stadium, as you call it, was destroyed after the 1973 season
3
Sometimes change is good. The Cano move was smart but Ellsbury was a horrible signing. Cashman must have photos of someone.
2
His challenge will be to convert some of the fine infield and outfield talent into starting pitching. Good luck to him. It's almost impossible to rebuild without a few top-ten draft picks. The Giants were transformed in a few years after drafting Posey and Bumgarner.
1
Yankee Stadium is a ban box. The Yankees need strike out pitchers or those who can induce hitters to ground out. Fly ball pitchers are doomed at Yankee Stadium.
1
The only team he built at all on his own was the 2009 winners. Can you imagine what a GM like Theo Epstein could have done with Yankee resources?
12
That team wasn't built, it was a bought through the signings of Texeira, Sabathia, and A.J. Burnett. Most teams could only realistically sign ONE of these free agents, let alone three! Other GM's could only roll there eyes.
5
The Steinbrenner's need to talk to Jeter he would be able to turn the team around. The farm team needs help and so does our pitching. I am died hard fan and its so hard to see all that happen over the last couple of years. They never seem to get right since the 2009 ? why ?
Gene Michael was the architect of the Yankee championship and perennial playoff teams of the late 90s and early 2000s. Even the 2009 teal had a solid core of Michael's players. Cashman's personal record has been decidedly mediocre. Ellsbury? Andruw Jones? Lyle Overbay? Brian Roberts? Stephen Drew? He also ruined Joba Chamberlain and nearly did the same to Francisco Cervelli. Actually, worse than mediocre.
7
Cashman has done an amazing job. I'll never understand those who want him replaced. Working for the Steinbrenners he's constantly got one hand tied behind his back. I love the new direction of the team and am excited for the rebuild.
6
You haven't been seeing the same team everyone else has....,,,
5
"Increased luxury-tax penalties have made it costlier — and more foolish — to sustain lush payrolls, year after year. Spending on the draft and international markets has been heavily regulated, negating another edge the Yankees once had on their rivals."
WHY has this happened? Seems like a cheap way to get back at the yankees. They develop all these strengths for years and they are no longer allowed? Now they have to do something different...? Seems unfair. I don't know that much about baseball rules and such though...
WHY has this happened? Seems like a cheap way to get back at the yankees. They develop all these strengths for years and they are no longer allowed? Now they have to do something different...? Seems unfair. I don't know that much about baseball rules and such though...
1
The Yankee$ had a chance to zero out both luxury tax and revenue sharing. All they had to do was bring in payroll at under $210 million. Instead, Ca$hman signed Masahiro Tanaka (good), and Carlos Beltran, Brian McCann and Jacoby Ellsbury (bad to unnecessary), flew right over $210 million, and locked the team into 40% luxury tax.
4
Yes, and that 40% luxury tax went to teams like the Rays and the Royals, so the Yankees decision to go over the luxury tax directly helped their competition.
2
Amazing how many people on this comment board are smarter than Cashman. And yet not a single one of them has ever been a baseball GM. So much wasted talent. Go figure.
6
Really that's why Yankee stadium attendance has been steadily decreasing including YES ratings....I wonder why?
3
Why force Alex Rodriguez out mid-season, only to turn around and sign Holliday and the so far woeful Chris Carter? Ellsbury should show some integrity and agree to a salary reduction, although the union might not go for that.
Yankee fans have a lot to look forward to, but it isn't a smooth road. I do give Cashman credit for the general plan.
Yankee fans have a lot to look forward to, but it isn't a smooth road. I do give Cashman credit for the general plan.
1
Really Ken? You're down on Carter after 15 ABs? Cheap insurance get at $3m for a guy who hit 41 jacks.
1
Hundreds of millions of dollars can cover up a lot of mistakes.
6
Answer to the headline question: No!
All those years of over-paying has-beens and never-will-bes to stuff the seats with season ticket holders and keep the media ratings going are all that Cashman and the Steinbrunners know how to do
All those years of over-paying has-beens and never-will-bes to stuff the seats with season ticket holders and keep the media ratings going are all that Cashman and the Steinbrunners know how to do
5
Cashman has been is continues to be overrated. The deals he's made have mostly panned out. Tanaka. Pineda. Ellsbuty. A-Rod part 2 and 3. Letting Cano go was a disaster, and the reason why the stadium is empty. The Yankee's can't let go, and Cashman is the poster child for this thinking. The BoSox let Theo Epstein go, and they are better for it, and so is Epstein. There are many examples of better managers out there, and better teams. I am not certain that the Boss would have kept Cashman and settled for the past four seasons.
I like the line-up this year. I like the young rookies, making it to the bigs and trying hard now that they’ve got their shot. The storyline is a good one. Game by game, you wish them well. It’s been more interesting and more fun to watch than the corporate-minded strategy of sheer domination, of spending huge and trying to buy a championship with a gathering of star players, many of whom I rooted against last season. This year I get more of a sense of a team, of hope and promise, played out with honest effort on a sunny field. That, to me, is the spirit of a sport — the best ever — which has kept me coming back for six decades.
I just watched Aaron Judge hit a dinger in the bottom of the 4th in the home opener against the Rays.
Looking forward to the future.
I just watched Aaron Judge hit a dinger in the bottom of the 4th in the home opener against the Rays.
Looking forward to the future.
12
I totally agree. Long time fan who lost interest in baseball will now root for the Yankees. They are no longer the evil empire that buys its rings. For those saying spend money look where that has gotten us. The Yankees are young, fun and exciting again! Play hard, with passion, hustle and you will gain fans. The yanks are now the underdogs.
3
Totally agree. Go Yankees! Never thought I would say that again.
2
I'm a Red Sox fan. Need I say more!
4
They need a bat. Maybe they could sign A-Rod again?
1
Brian Cashman and the Steinbrenners compiled those winning Yankees teams that manager Joe Torre got most of the credit for. I've always said that I could have managed those Yankee teams to championships by filling out the lineup card, sending them onto the field, then retire to the clubhouse to be woken up after the game was over.
I'm happy with the new direction Cashman has taken. But honestly he should have been replaced long ago. He doesn't deserve credit for the World Series teams that Michael and Watson put together. And without them, he has one title to his name over 17 years of having one of, and more often, *the* highest payroll in baseball. It took him way too long to recognize that late 30s players are mostly no good without roids.
16
This is the greatest myth since big foot: that somehow Cashman was responsible for the Yankee dynasty of the 1990s. Michaels and to a lesser extent Watson were totally responsible. George Steinbrenner's suspension played more of an important part in the team's glory days than Cashman. Even the 2009 championship was driven by the core guys and ARod, who may I add was not wanted by Cashman. Cashman is a terrible talent evaluator, despite the farm system looking pretty decent today it only took him 20 years. If the Steinbrenner boys had any baseball business acumen they would cut ties with Cashman. Plenty of other teams are consistently more successful than the Yankees with less payroll, St. Louis for example. Cashman had no problem in not signing Cano but gave Ellsbury a ton of cash based on one good year with Boston. Get rid of Cashman and while you're at it show Randy Levine the door also.
18
As a lifelong Met fan, I hope not!
1
I think it is time to sell the team to a group that is devoted to developing a winning team. Only a change in general or team manger will not accomplish this, It is very apparent to most fans that the Steinbrenner sons do not have the passion that their father had.
This is not a criticism of the sons. I am certain they have many talents. However they do not have the commitment to baseball. It is time for the Steinbrenner sons to be fair to New York City, take their profits, invest in something else and transfer it to another consortium that is willing to make the commitment.
Is this the moment when Jeter could be part of such a group?
It is time to be fair to New York City.
This is not a criticism of the sons. I am certain they have many talents. However they do not have the commitment to baseball. It is time for the Steinbrenner sons to be fair to New York City, take their profits, invest in something else and transfer it to another consortium that is willing to make the commitment.
Is this the moment when Jeter could be part of such a group?
It is time to be fair to New York City.
5
I'm sure Brian is right about letting Cano go, but time will tell. I agree that a 10 year deal was a crapshoot, but he's had 3 good years in Seattle. But yes, he needs 7 more to make a 10 year deal worthwhile.
Yes but look at it this way.....Cano has had 3 good years and Ellsbury none....
8
He's 34 years old and he's signed through 2023. That's seven (7) more years. Seattle will be choking on that contract long before it's over.
2
As much as I love Robbie, the Yanks were smart to not give him a 10 year deal.
The Jacoby deal that followed was puzzling though and one of the only blemishes on Cashman's record (although who knows who was really the push behind that, Hal or Cash)
The Jacoby deal that followed was puzzling though and one of the only blemishes on Cashman's record (although who knows who was really the push behind that, Hal or Cash)
2