Brian Cashman's admission that he wasn't in favor of the Rafael Soriano signing has generated almost as much buzz as the signing itself. Here's the latest on that controversy and some other Yankee-related items…
- The Soriano negotiations were handled by Hal Steinbrenner and Randy Levine, reports MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. In spite of this split of opinion over the reliever, Levine still called Cashman "the best general manager in the game."
- Cashman's decision to go public with his disagreements "were a sign of larger disputes within the Yankee front office," says CBSSports.com's Danny Knobler. Sources in the Yankee organization tell Knobler that ownership wasn't pleased with recent Cashman acquisitions like Randy Winn, Javier Vazquez and Nick Johnson.
- Cashman deserves respect for sticking to his principles, writes ESPNNewYork.com's Wallace Matthews, but the general manager was wrong in his belief that signing Soriano wasn't worthwhile.
- New York's negotiations with Andruw Jones are being led by Cashman and his baseball operations team, tweets ESPN.com's Buster Olney, so the Soriano signing could just be an "isolated case" of ownership getting involved.
- In another Bryan Hoch piece, Joe Girardi revealed that Andy Pettitte is training to "get into baseball shape" in case the southpaw decides to pitch in 2011. Cashman said the decision is solely up to Pettitte and the club won't try to woo him into a return.
- Johnny Damon is still drawing some interest from the Yankees, in part because the team thinks Damon could help getting A.J. Burnett back in form, tweets Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated. Heyman notes that the Yankees can't offer Damon the playing time that he could find with the Angels and Rays.
Why can Damon help AJ get back in form?
And if that doesn’t work they’re going to make birthday cake wednesday mandatory and see if that helps…
Geez…what a mess that team is.
Yeah I know, being one starter away from a World Series contender and as of now probably being the overwhelming frontrunner for the wildcard? They’re a joke.
no one said that it was bad team
but i’m sure many agree that the team is a bit of a mess
You can argue the front office is a mess, sure. Clearly Cashman is frustrated or he doesn’t make those comments public….But the team is the one on the field, and this has zero effect on them except they just received an elite reliever. That’s not very messy.
A “joke” is a bit of an over dramatization by you…but certainly a mess.
There’s no way to even deny that.
One enigma pitcher and owners that meddle every once in a while? Thats a mess? lol ok.
Minimize much? One “enigma” pitcher? Considering he’s one of only 3 viable starters, the Cashman comments and obvious rift, the fact that there’s still serious roster holes in mid JJanuary…oh yeah, and the very public Derek Jeter contract negotiation problems equals: BIG MESS!!!
The rotation is a disaster no doubt. I thought you meant organizationally. The Jeter thing is over. I don’t think the Steinbrenners going over Cashman’s head for a reliever = “obvious rift.” Huge exaggeration. Sounds like a disagreement over one player where the higher ranking guy(s) won.
“Cashman’s decision to go public with his disagreements “were a sign of larger disputes within the Yankee front office,” ”
That doesn’t sound like obvious rift to you?
The actual article says something to the effect of “friends of the members in the organization.” I’m not gonna base my opinions off of that weak crap. The fact that Cashman was so frank about the Soriano yesterday made me feel better about the situation, not worse. Being a fan has taught me that 90% of Yankee stories out there are fabricated BS. Yankee stories = more page views. Just my opinion…
Why are ppl acting as if Cashman hasn’t been dealing with meddling before this deal? Hello? Randy Johnson, Kevin Brown, Gary Sheffield…….not the first time the media let it be known that the choice for a player wasn’t always endorsed by Cashman.
Jeter and company have seen a lot over their careers. THis is not an issue. Cashman will not let it be an issue. Other than a hole in the rotation I’m not sure where the assumption that the Yankees are a “mess” comes in. This franchize seems to thrive on moments in chaos and that happens when you have a room full of Alpha males who all want to win. Sometime there’s a clash.
As for Pavano. Cashman wouldn’t be doing his job if he didn’t explore every single possibility to improve the team, even if itmeant kicking the tires and exploring a deal for someone like Pavano. SOmeone mentioned that Cashman’s ego is what pushes him towards revisiting the Vazquez’s and Pavano situation. I disagree. Wouldn’t it be his LACK of ego (by putting the team first) that would allow him to pursue evey avenue to improve the team. If he had a big ego wouldn’t that prevent him from stepping near a disaster like Pavano again simply from fear of ridicule?
So how exactly could Damon help Burnett get “back in form?”. Do they mind-meld on the bench between innings, or what exactly does Damon do to help AJ perform better? I would like to see Damon back with limited playing time as a reserve OFer, he hits well at YS3, I would have never guessed the reason for bringing him back was for his BFF, Burnett.
Damon is a HOF caliber pitcher. Haven’t you seen his pitching stats?
Damon having 0s on all of his pitching stats makes him a HOF caliber pitcher?
Who would have thought.
I think that went over your head.
Way way over.
Damon has given up less HR, hits, and BB than any pitcher in the HoF. He’s a LOCK!
Can he actually get a pitch to home plate?
“In spite of this split of opinion over the reliever, Levine still called Cashman “the best general manager in the game.”
LOL, let’s not go that far Randy Levine. He’s okay, but the best? Certainly not.
if it was GEORGE Steinbrenner who overruled Cashman no one would blink an eye. Hal is stepping up. good for him! it’s his team. and Cashman is being honest about it. kudos for both of them!
A couple of points…
On Soriano: Look, when you overrule your GM and call him the best in the game you might as well finish off the statement with “but I know better.”
On Cashman’s recent acquisitions: All were buy low options that didn’t pan out. It’s baseball, it happens.
On Damon/Burnett: What, is Damon a pitching coach now or will his contract stipulate he needs to buy his own pom poms?
How is Vazquez at 12 million per year and giving up Cabrera, Michael Dunn and a prospect now considered the best in Atlanta’s farm system a low buy option.
How is Nick Johnson at 5.5 million coming off yet another injury plagued year a low buy option. Damon got a one year deal at 8 million- only 2.5 more than Johnson after having a very good year in which he was healthy. How was this low buy?
Park and Winn both signed major league deals at over 1 million a year- again how are these low buys? They were not minor league deals.
They traded Melancon for Berkman who hit one homerun with the Yankees- Melancon is now a big part of the Houston bullpen and Berkman is in St. Louis after doing nothing of note for the Yankees.
These were not low buy options.
1 million a year is a buy low for not only the yankees, but most teams in baseball.
Not when its guaranteed look at the guys this year having to take minor league deals. The Royals, A’s and many other teams can’t afford to throw away 2.5 million in salary which is what the Yankees did. That aside Vazquez and Johnson were far from buy lows.
Dude….Thames, Wynn, Park and Johnson cost a grand total of about $8 mil for two DH’s, a bullpen loogy and a 4th OF. You are wayyyyy overreacting. Most of the minor lge deals signed by vet mlbers are usually in the $600-$850 range and they become guaranteed if they make it to the majors and that’s just what happened.
574 plate appearances is quite a plague of injuries.
Because Nick Johnson was a 1 year deal @ $5.5 mil and it wasn’t until Damon came off of his crazy demands for a 3 year deal that he came down to what his market value should be. Cashman had a choice. Either make a decision to go with NJ on a one year deal or watch everyone else come off the board as he hopes for Damon and Boras to come down to reality. Do you even know what a “buy low” means?
Park and Winn signed for a total of what $2 or $ million?
I liked Melancon but he was and is expendable. He was traded for someone who was going to help the Yanks on their run to a WS.
Vizcaino is a good prospect but he is no where near being ahead of Teheran, Freeman, Minor or Delgado, hasn’t pitched above A ball yet and ended his season early with another arm related injury (elbow) which is the 2nd major arm issue he’s had before his 21st birthday.
You are way over exaggerating. You also give him ZERO credit for the Marcus Thames minor lge deal, the Swisher trade for nada and overseeing what has been a very productive farm system. Has he made mistakes, of course, but even in folly you have to measure the intent vs the ramifications of his choices. I would easily say he’s one of the top 5-10 GM’s in baseball regardless of the fact that he has a huge payroll to work with. Omar Minaya and Dumborski each had payrolls bigger than 80% of mlb teams and they haven’t faired well either.
Omar Minaya is the worst GM in baseball. To say Cashman is better then Minaya isn’t really helping your case.
That being said. I don’t think Cashman is awful just bc he has a large budget to work with. I’d say he’s about average.
I hate to agree with a Sox fan but……
So which one is he Top 5 or average. You know what I think
Let’s see the Yankees stick to their pledge not to “try to woo [Pettitte] into a return” come June…
I can hear Susan Waldman now: “ANDY PETTITTE IS IN HAL STEINBRENNERS BOX”
GOODNESS GRACIOUS
That just sounds like they’re getting…intimate.
That’s kind of a cop out, isn’t it? We already know Pettitte has not officially retired and we also know he can’t be in shape by Opening Day. So basically you’re just waiting to see if he comes back because if he does you can say “see, the Yankees woo’d him, Cashman lies again!”….Even though Cash meant what he said about the Soriano signing since he wasn’t involved and Pettitte returning has no choice but to be later in the season.
It’s the difference of Andy Pettitte saying “yeah, I think I’ll come back” versus us hearing stories of the Yankees suddenly offer him vast amounts of (prorated) dollars. I can’t believe Cashman won’t be banging down Andy’s door when the time comes.
Yeah but Andy hasn’t said “yeah, I think I’ll come back” in four years.
I still haven’t heard WHY Pettitte can’t be ready by spring training. Was there an injury that I didn’t see the reporting on? I thought that he hurt his groin and the tweaked his back in 2010. Did he have major surgery or something?
It takes time, (workouts and conditioning), for a pitcher to be prepared for the season even when that pitcher is healthy.
I think it’s just a matter of his indecision causing him to start training too late. He’s way behind his normal schedule.
Thanks, I thought so. Basically it’s just a “Meh, I don’t feel like pitching in April/May/June” then.
i wonder what the Redsox are going to do in July? Absolutely no one left in the farm to use for bait or to step in when if not one all of the three bozos in boston fail: Beckett, Lackey and Dice. By the way, the Redsox catcher is who?
Wakefield, Doubront, Tazawa, Britton (probably in that order, the first three readily available and the last more of a prospect, perhaps Pimentel over Britton).
Are there a lot of teams out there who would be fine if 3 of their starting 5 pitchers “failed” that I’m not aware of?
The Red Sox shouldn’t be doing much of anything in July. They handled much of the trade business this offseason.
Pitching depth exists in the forms of Felix Doubront, Michael Bowden, Junichi Tazawa. Also, Wakefield’s in the bullpen to step in if we need spot starting. In the event of an emergency, other top prospects include Lars Anderson, Ryan Kalish, Josh Reddick, and Yamaico Navarro.
The catcher would be Jarrod Saltalamacchia, with Jason Varitek backing him up. When that’s the weakest part of our lineup, I think we should be fine.
DAMN. Nice comeback there.
Maybe having Damon’s noodle arm around would make Burnett feel better about himself.
Bad-Ass post of the week!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
I laughed…..
Good one. You still suck Bosh.
Damon is going to share more steroids with Burnett than with A-rod.
A steroids joke right after you couldn’t decipher a basic joke? You’re on a roll.
Not surprised reading the article talking about Cashman’s ego- this was clear when Vazquez kept pitching and some writers had the guts to say that Cashman was the one preventing him from being sent to the pen because of his ego. It was reported that he was intent on proving he was not wrong about him.
This is even more clear when you look at his admitting he spoke to Pavano’s agent about a reunion. The Pavano signing was his idea and it was a disaster, he was disliked in the clubhouse and a reunion would have been a nightmare and a disaster waiting to happen. It made no sense to consider bringing him back but Cashman’s ego again was pushing him to try and act to prove he was not wrong. You dont want to sign Soriano but your considering Pavano that its just ridiculous.
Cashman should have some of his authority taken away. It was this autonomy that brought Javy Vazquez part 2, Nick Johnson, Randy Wynn, and Chan Ho Park. Each move was simply awful and aside from their performances he traded Michael Dunn, Melky Cabrera and a prospect now considered Atlanta’s number one pitching prospect for Vazquez, Johnson and Wynn replaced Damon and Matsui and later led to embarasments named Chad Huffman and Kevin Russo starting games for the Yankees. Park was abysmal leading to the pen being over worked early in the season.
They will never write a book about Cashman because he is not a good gm. His stance on the Soriano signing shows this he is concerned about spending closer money on an eith inning guy even though last year proved that Robertson and Joba were not up to the role and they had nobody to step in should Rivera get injured.
even if Pavano had a disastrous first tenure it still made some sense to consider him…the best SP on the market.
So…What if Oliver Perez was the best pitcher on the market? Would it then make sense to consider him? Cashman is probably the worst GM in history.
“So…What if Oliver Perez was the best pitcher on the market? Would it then make sense to consider him?”
Yes. What kind of question is that?
If you have a glaring hole in your lineup, you should look into the best free agent starter on the market. That’s something we in the know like to refer to as “common sense.”
I don’t care what Pavano’s previous history with the Yankees is, Pavano put up better numbers last year than all but one pitcher on the Yankees’ current rotation and that is a player you should consider. A bad GM would be someone who would write off a strong candidate for personal reasons.
hahahaha..really….What if Steve Urkel was the best pitcher on the market?
“hahahaha..really….What if Steve Urkel was the best pitcher on the market? ”
Yes. What kind of question is that?
If you have a glaring hole in your lineup, you should look into the best free agent starter on the market. That’s something we in the know like to refer to as “common sense.”
I don’t care if the best pitcher on the market is Michael Moore, if you have a need at the position, you do your due dilligence and consider him as a potential acquisition.
Isn’t this the same autonomy that has brought New York a few world series championships?
You won’t find a GM anywhere with a flawless signing record, and the dollar amounts that you mentioned earlier in those signings is a luxury that any Yankees GM will have. There’s almost no such thing as a bad one-year signing for the Yankees because they have the payroll to absorb it, so Cashman has taken some risks on injury-prone players with some upside.
You seem to contradict yourself by bashing Cashman for spending on a player like Nick Johnson, and then calling him overly concerned about the money spent on Soriano. Soriano’s got injury concerns as well, it’s just a matter of whether it pans out. If you’re of the opinion of taking on less risk and spending less that’s fine, but you can’t have it both ways.
Honestly it comes off as a little spoiled when you’re trashing a GM for getting poor performances out of spare parts bench players and #5 starters. I don’t think Cashman is a miracle worker, but I think you’re selling him short by quite a bit.
Cashman rarely makes the “ultimate” decision on many players. Since the Yankees sign so many large contract players its ultimately ownership that decides. The low pay players he signs to help give the team depth and character often are outright disasters. I have not seen him make one good decision on a pitcher yet. Also, Cashman inherited Gene Michaels team. Ya, the Yankees won in 2009, but only after they signed f’n 300 million dollars worth of free agents that ownership approved..
How do you know which players Cashman is making the decision on, then? My impression was that, until Rafael Soriano, Cashman told the ownership who he wanted and they gave the OK. Is it just big money players? Where’s the cutoff? So do you blame the ownership for someone like A.J. Burnett?
A lot of the so-called “outright disasters” with minor signings have been due to injury, which is borderline impossible to predict and the reason they’re signed for relatively little salaries.
There seems to be a contradiction when you use “low pay players for depth” and “outright disaster” in the same sentence… how can a player who has such a relatively little effect on the team be such a disaster? The Yankees have the luxury of a lot of studs at most positions that gives them the flexibility to not have to rely on their bench quite as much.
I agree that Cashman hasn’t had much success with pitchers, but Kerry Wood pitched extremely well and they got excellent production from the likes of Thames and Swisher for next to nothing.
Ya your right, Cashman makes the final choice on players that earn 20 mill a year. Are you insane? Matthew T, you are the definition of a troll. You write books every time you post and you think you have the right stance on every subject that pops up.
Ugh, I forgot you’re the guy I had that other long conversation with where you refused to actually read anything I wrote.
I write a lot on certain subjects because I prefer to not make broad, sweeping generalizations and statements without examples to back them up.
And what the hell does “you think you have the right stance on every subject that pops up” mean? This is a website where people post their opinions. Am I supposed to go around posting other people’s stances?
Troll?
To paraphrase Inigo Montoya:
“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. ”
Writing a detailed response to convey one’s point is not trolling, it’s presenting a valid argument. And if you consider 183 words a “book,” I feel a great deal of sympathy for your most recent English teacher.
I think you are being wayyyyyy too critical of the signings of Johnson, Wynn and Park. All three of those moves made sense on varying levels.
NJ as a 1 year deal hoping he can stay healthy after having 574 AB in the NL in 2009. Thinking he can stay healthy as a DH was logic based thinking.
Park was brought in on a 1 year deal for $1.2 mil as a bullpen arm. Guess what? Relievers are streaky. He had a 3.49 FIP in 2009 and was a perfect candidate for a roogy. Again….1.2 mil.
Wynn was a dissapointment but what was he brought in to be? A 4th OF who could play the corner positions at a measly $1.1 mil. If a 4th OF gives you versatility and hits at least .250/.315/.400 than who really cares? He wasn’t being brought in to start right? If anything we gave up on him too soon @ only 64 AB considering he was a bench player.
And while I was all for signing Soriano, at least frame the arguement correctly. He was more concerned about the draft pick than the money.
That depends- not if it is Pavano over Soriano- I think they are better with Soriano and I think with his history and the fact he would not be beloved in the clubhouse you only consider him if there was no other way to improve the team and he was the only available player who could possibly make them better. I would spend on Soriano and then overpay for bench players to build depth rather than sign Pavano. I also think the chance of Pavano actually pitching well is no greater than the chance of Brandon Webb or others making a comeback.
i think cashman airing this out because hes afraid he wont be resigned and wants to show small market teams, he has half a brain
Wait! Johnny Damon is a pitching coach now? And apparently a better one than the Yankees already have. Cool!
@ run
The one worry Cashman doesn’t have is whether he’ll be re-signed by the Yankees. And he has already proven his intelligence to the Baseball industry. Were he available, he’d have plenty of suitors with job offers. What this whole issue is about, is the frustration he appears to be experiencing with the FO. They make deals and bask in the glory when they work out, but Cashman takes the hit when they don’t. Case in point, when the Yankees allowed Pettitte to leave after the ’03 season, it was over Torre and Cashman’s objections. That was a move that was totally orchestrated by Old man Steinbrenner and Randy Levine, when it backfired and Pettitte returned it was placed at Cashman’s and Pettitte’s feet. Levine showing what a hypocrite he is by welcoming Andy back with open arms. The signing of Kei Igawa is another example of the FO making a colossal blunder and then dumping it on Cashman’s lap. Igawa was signed by the Yankees when they lost out on the Dice-K bidding war with the RedSox. Igawa was the best pitcher in an inferior Japanese league, so the Yanks marketing department along with Levine pushed for the signings over Cashman’s objections again. Like the good soldier that he is Cashman took the hit.
This time with the Soriano dea, Cashman is not in the mood to accept blame if it goes badly. While Soriano is a talent, the deal is just plain bad for the Yankees, as it’s structured. Soriano can opt out of the deal throughout the life of the deal, in theory he can leave and hold out for a raise every year or just leave for somewhere else. If he’s hurt, he will still get paid. that, coupled with the lost draft pick going to Tampa is a terrible deal. Cashman would never have offered such a deal. This is the Yankees Hierarchy panicking and making a move for the sake of making a move and reaching for headlines. Cashman will not be taking the fall this time if it blows up .
Cashman started out with the Yankees as an intern (probably because his father knew somebody) and was able to keep his head down and his mouth shut and not get in the way of any bullets until somebody made him GM. If that makes him smart so be it. He’s not a baseball guy. People try and make it sound like he is some sort of draft guru and he’s not. Maybe terrible is the wrong word to choose when describing his higher round picks. More like below average to average. Maybe Its just that Cashman rubs me the wrong way like he did Torre, Jeter, and Pettitte. He brought Rodriguez here when he was a shortstop to play third base and the swisher trade. Off the top of my head I can’t really think of anything that was distinguishing. Don’t say the 2007 signings. That was obvious if the Yankees were going to contend in the future and he would not have been able to do that if he was the GM of another team.
Keep in mind that this is baseball not the NBA or the NFL, draft picks are not quite the same barometer of judging talent that the other two sports are. So to judge a GM mainly on the basis is simply not fair or accurate. The statement that he rubs you the wrong way says you’re not even close to being objective here. To judge a GM on one off season is also just plain silly and because you can’t recall ‘anything that was distinguishing’ just reinforces that.
1.Here are some moves and non-moves that Yankees fans find distinguishing.
2. Signed Johnny Damon as FA from the Red Sox
3. Refused to trade Ian Kennedy, Phil Hughes/ Joba Chamberlain and Melky Cabrera for Johan Santana
Signed Hideki Matsui, opening the door wide open for Asians signings in MLB.
Slopeboy, come on really. I chimed in today because I hear people gassing up Cashman. O.k. If you want to do that fine. All I’m saying is if I’m starting a team tomorrow and picking a GM he isn’t it. He is a product of the New York Yankees and quite frankly I would expect much more from the Yankee GM since ’98. Gene Michael gets credit for the team of the late 90’s and Cashman is no Gene Michael and people who think that he is are disillusioning themselves. Pat Gillick, Billy Beane, Ruben Amaro, Nolan Ryan, I’ll even say Andrew Friedman share something in common. Can you tell me what it is? I’ll give you a hint. Cashman never did. My post before was about a post another day in which people year discussing Cashman’s draft prowess. I know Baseball is different from other sports. But don’t tell me i can’t sign Soriano because i might loose out on c.j. Henry, brackman (im still waiting for), garrit cole, and the last two picks. Maybe that is what Hal was thinking when he said, “the hell with the draft pick” You know what they should have on this site. They should have a forum in which they rank the best GMs in baseball. See where Cashman falls.
And don’t make it sound like cashman is the Lefty O’doul of baseball GMs. teams were signing Asian players before Matsui
You ‘chimed in because you hear people gassing up Cashman’, and you don’t care for him, I get it. That’s your opinion and you’re entitled to it. My post was in response to what you posted today, and with that I took exception as noted. As far as all the comparisons with the other GM’s, I disagree with most of your opinions there as well.Gene Micheal gets credit for the teams of the ’90’s and deservedly so,but he was the GM with out any interference from the Boss, who was on suspension. Micheal didn’t serve as many years at the helm, as has Cashman. Yankees fans owe a debt of graditude to Micheal, but had he served more time at the position, he too would have committed some errors as well and he would be thought of differently for sure. Your statement would be better put this way: Gene Micheal is no Brian cashman.
Pat Gillick is a HOF, and to compare Cashman with him is a cheap shot, as Cashman doesn’t have the length of time or the resume at this juncture. Safe to say very few GM’s have his credentials. Certainly not any of Cashman’s current peers.
Billy Beane is the most overrated GM there is. He gets credit for bringing ‘Small Market’ teams to the play-offs and getting beat. When was the last time the A’s made it to the WS? Beane puts together inexpensive players on a team, makes money for himself and his other owners and then hides behind the fact that he can’t compete with the big market teams.When the time comes to pay the players, he trades, makes below market Arb offers or lets them walk for picks. That’s being a great GM isn’t it ?
Ruben Amaro doesn’t have the length of time to really compare him with Cashman either. Keep in mind that he inherited much of the current Philly team from Gillick, and he has made a few less than stellar moves already. So while you consider him much better than Cashman, that’s totally debatable also.
Nolan Ryan compares to Cashman as a GM how?He bought the Rangers at the right time. Remember he’s been at the helm for less than three years.
Andrew Friedman has owned the Tampa for just about five years.Cashman was winning championships when Friedman was working on Wall Street. Tampa’s resume is three years old, let’s see what they do this year.
Like you, I would like to see a GM rankings report, I’m sure it would quiet a lot of Cashman detractors. I know this won’t change your opinion on Cashman, but you shouldtry to see the whole picture and be fair.
Granted, none of this will change your mind, but
True that the Asian market was there before Cashman and the Yankees, but it was after the Matsui signing that MLB opened their eyes to the talent.
Seattle and Suzuki didn’t make the impact that the Yankees did . Rigtht after that the Asians signing really took off.
cashman’s contract expires after this season and he will be gone, last off season cashman has really come up with some horrible signings. Johnson, Vasquez and Winn did nothing to help the yanks win the title.