Question #67: Brian’s back?
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- October
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So two baseball disasters happen in two closing ballparks and both GMs get to stay?
What do you think about that. I have mixed feelings on both, but since today is about Brian Cashman, let me just say this. The guy is the best man for the organization, but I wonder if this organization, at this time, is best for this GM.
I mean, working with a team in some decay, and for those nice Steinbrenner boys, who are threatening to cut off your power, and under immense pressure to spend loads of money, wisely or not … well.
If I were Cashman, I’d have taken this opportunity to run screaming for another team. But I guess he loves the Yankees, he loves the challenge, (he loves the money), and he loves the stage. Good luck to him, because everything that happens going forward is going to be his fault.
Not that he hasn’t done some things wrong. I’m writing a column about that for The Journal News and LoHud.com tomorrow about this topic.
I won’t go much into the history of Carl Pavano, Kei Igawa, Randy Johnson, Jose Contreras and Jeff Weaver. But I will note that last season, coming off a third straight first-round playoff loss, the Yankees’ main moves were: Firing Joe Torre and his staff; losing Roger Clemens to retirement; and signing LaTroy Hawkins. Hardly the rebuild that was needed.
Now here’s something I can sink my teeth into… so to speak.
I have conflicting feelings about Cashman. Let me just start off by saying that I think overall, Cashman has done a good job leading this organization when he could. Has he had some poor moves? Absolutely (Pavano, Igawa). Has he done some great ones? Absolutely (Wang, Justice). And as much as everyone out there wants to hang Cash for the Pavano debacle (and I’m being kind here), let’s not forget two things… 1) The Sahx’s offer for Pavano, was just as much for just as many years – and everyone and their mothers wanted Pavano on their team (at the time). 2) The Sahx signed their own version of Idle (Matt Clement anyone??) as well. And with Igawa, the Sox’s bid for Dice-K was over $10 million more than the next highest bidder and almost $20 million over the Yankees’ and in a panic, everyone left overbid on Igawa – including the Mets. We were just unlucky enough to have enough capital to be able to overbid on Igawa over everyone else. Now, I’m not excusing these acquisitions, because quite frankly, if the Yankee scouts had the right info, neither of these two would ever have been a Yankee, and that is on Cashman and his team. So if he deserves to be derided for “his” poor choices, he deserves accolades as well for “his” successes as well. Thinking Hughes and Kennedy were ready to fill in at the big league level I think was a little overambitious and naive on Cashman’s part. But he’s also learning at this point… his biggest flaw at this point is filling the farm with position prospects. I’ve seen deserts less barren than this farm.
If Hughes, Kennedy and Joba don’t pan out in three years, and if they are successful in landing Sabathia and/or Burnett… then you’re talking about the next 5 or so years of Wang, Sabathia, Joba, Burnett, Hughes, and Kennedy to fill in when Burnett gets hurt (which is as likely as there being a new president in January). I think it’s obvious at this point that Hank is a blowhard (that guy is full of so much hot air, you’d think he’d be in orbit by now) and Hal is really the one running the team and Cash – I think – likes Hal. So despite having to deal with the media blowouts not unlike my baby’s diaper blowouts) by Hank, Cash’s real connect point is Hal, and if he accepted the job, he’s accepted it with eyes wide open – he’s been at it and dealing with it for over 10 years. So for this decision – he’ll get no sympathy from me. In the end, I’m glad he’s staying. But he needs to improve the team surrounding him already – NOT the one Hank is proposing and get better information on both veteran players for signing and trades as well as draft picks both pitching and position. If he can do that, then I can see success for him and the Yankees in the future. (And probably because I’m a super biased nut job Yankee fan).
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Cheers! Sandra. R.