Brian Cashman

Yankees News: Brian Cashman’s comments on latest moves aren’t exactly motivating

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New York Yankees, Brian Cashman

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has been active the past few weeks, supplementing the loss of three starting pitchers and a weakened bullpen. Entering the off-season, acquiring pitchers for the rotation was a necessity, and while he managed to do so in a cost-efficient manner, he took an extremely risky approach.

Cashman hosted a zoom conference on Friday, stating that he feels confident his team can compete for a World Series in 2021. However, the roster is never fully strengthened and complete, even though he will once again have the highest salary in baseball.

“I’m not sure if the roster is ever complete,” Cashman said. “At the same time, we’re ready to go with what we have. I think we’ve got quality at all positions, and we’ve got depth in the starting rotation with additions like Taillon and Kluber. We certainly are excited by the current crew that we have.”

I wouldn’t expect the Yankees to make any more significant moves, with the exception of maybe signing an outfielder. Cashman did indicate they are in communication with Brett Gardner’s representatives, and he remains on their list.

The Yankees have been risky with their pitching rotation in recent years:

Cashman has taken a similar approach this season compared to recent years, acquiring injured talent who are rehabilitating from serious issues. Take Corey Kluber, for example, who missed a majority of the 2020 season with shoulder tightness, which came after a 2019 season where he broke his forearm. Kluber has only pitched 36.2 innings over the past two years, but considering he has won two Cy Young Awards, acquiring him for just $11 million seems like a bargain.

The Yankees are hedging their bets on formally injured talent, but if they do pan out, they will walk away like bandits considering the price tags.

“Hopeful is certainly an appropriate word,” Cashman said. “We made the commitment because we believe, despite the risk, it was a position worth taking. Now we’re going to test drive that, for better or for worse. By placing a bet, we’re going to count on the better than the worse, but I can’t dismiss there is risk. I believe and hope they’ll have a positive impact.”

Cashman’s words don’t exactly scream “confident,” as he admits his risky approach and how it could easily backfire. Nonetheless, ownership is forcing him to stay below the $210 million luxury tax threshold, so making these moves were a necessity.

New York Yankees: Cashman has a lot to say about the coming season

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New York Yankees, Darren O'Day

The New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman took to Zoom yesterday to talk about the rotation, the team, and his hopes to win a World Series. After a very quiet offseason, the Yankees came alive in the past two weeks. The first thing they did was complete the negotiations for the long-awaited resigning of second baseman DJ LeMahieu last year’s batting champ. Once they got that done and knew how much money they had to spend, they immediately signed two-time Cy Young Award-winning Corey Kluber.

In more recent moves, they made a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates giving up four low-level prospects for starting pitcher Jameson Taillon. Then they, in a surprising move, managed to trade diminished reliever Adam Ottavino to the Red Sox in basically a salary dump, making room for more improvements in the team. Just two days ago, they signed quality reliever Darren O’Day a feared sidearm pitcher to bolster the bullpen. According to several sources, the New York Yankees still have about $7 million left to spend while remaining under the Steinbrenner mandated luxury tax threshold.

In a Zoom call on Friday, general manager Brian Cashman had a lot to say about pretty much nothing but indicated that he was pretty happy with what the club had now and could win with:

“The roster’s not complete, ever,’’ Cashman said on a Zoom call Friday. “But at the same time, we’re ready to go with what we have.”

After the season ended, the Yankee pitching staff was pretty much dismantled. Masahiro Tanaka, James Paxton, and J.A. Happ became free agents when the Yankees did not offer any of them qualifying offers. Tanaka has since signed a contract with the Eagles of the Nippon Pro League in Japan. Paxton is still a free agent, but Happ has signed with the Minnesota Twins. The Yankees also lost a key cog in the bullpen when Tommy Kahnle refused assignment and then signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Cashman said of the team as it is now set up:

“I think if you’re evaluating it, I’ve got quality at all positions,’’ Cashman said. “I’ve got depth in the starting rotation with the additions of Taillon and Kluber that’s pushed everybody, in theory, back.”

Cashman also talked about the return of pitchers Domingo German and Luis Severino. Throughout the offseason, both manager Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman have referred to Severino’s return to the team in June or July. For the first time yesterday, Cashman said of his return as being late in the summer. To me, late in the summer would mean not before August. Why the change in timing is unknown, or it could just be an off the cuff remark. When pressed on the matter of the budget limitations, Cashman had this to say:

“I’m not going to speak about budget or limitations or what our lack of limitations might be,’’ Cashman said. “I’m not here to say that I’m under a mandate we have to be under a tax threshold. … But I do know this: the Steinbrenner family has always been supportive. We tried to reconfigure the game plan appropriately and come up with a roster that’s maybe a little bit stronger, maybe a little bit more resilient,’’ Cashman said. “But that doesn’t mean that’s what going to play out.”

There is no question that the front office had made substantial changes/upgrades in last year’s team when they lost in the ALCS to the better Tampa Bay Rays with one-fourth of the payroll. When asked about the delay in the signings, Cashman had this to say:

“I don’t know if it matters the time frame it takes,’’ Cashman said. “I was very public about what our intent was. When a player becomes a free agent, you have no idea how that’s going to play out. If DJ wanted it to be over in two weeks, he should have just said yes to my first offer.” he also offered on if he is now satisfied with the team ““I can’t tell you I’m satisfied because satisfaction only comes with success,’’ Cashman said. “Every move we make is intended to get us closer to accomplishing a world championship title again. We just won’t find out until later if the decisions we make now, which are intended to have that occur, [are] going to play that way.”

Brian Cashman has always been creative in putting teams together that he hoped can win another World Series for a team that has won 27 World Champions and more championships than any sports franchise in the world, And this year is no different. Well, maybe a bit different as he is relying on returning pitchers that, in some cases, have not pitched in a year and a half. But with the spring training just over two weeks away, the Yankees, who still have a bit of money left and many prospects that can be traded, may still work to improve the team.

 

 

 

 

New York Yankees Analysis: Yankees taking the dangerous route to 28

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The New York Yankees won their 27th World Championship in 2009. The Yankees have more World Championships than any franchise in any sport, but they have had an eleven-year drought that has disappointed the boys in pinstripes and the fans as well. Now the Yankees, who have suffered multiple injuries in the past two seasons, embrace the injuries that have been plaguing them.

The Yankees are taking a creative but dangerous route to break that drought and win a 28th World Championship. In 2009 the Yankees had one of the best pitching rotations in baseball, led by newly acquired CC Sabathia, Andy Pettitte, AJ Burnett, Mike Mussina, and Joba Chamberlain. They also had a powerful lineup of Johnny Damon, Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez, Hideki Matsui, Jorge Posada, Xavier Nady, Robinson Cano, Brett Gardner. That combination of good pitching and good hitting won them their 27th World Championship, their first since 2000.

The New York Yankees 2021 team is set up similarity with what could be excellent pitching and a lineup as powerful as any in baseball. The Yankees could very well be on their way to that championship they have long sought. So, what’s the catch? Although there is a huge upside to the Yankees projected starting rotation, there is also a huge danger factor, failure by injury. The entire Yankee rotation is a huge question mark; if they perform to their potential, they will be unstoppable, but if just a few cogs fall out of wack, it could be a disastrous season.

I have said several times in the last month that this is the Yankees’ season of opportunity, a season when they have the best chance to win than they have in years and are likely not to have again for years. Plain and simple, the teams opposing the Yankees are not as strong as they have been. Last year’s East division winner, the Tampa Bay Rays, have gotten rid of two of their winningest pitchers without replacing them. The Red Sox, although not looking as bad as last year, are still an organizational mess. The Baltimore Orioles will be near the bottom with the Red Sox. The Toronto Blue Jays will likely be the most competitive, although they still are not where they want to be.

The Yankees, after losing Masahiro Tanaka, James Paxton, and J.A. Happ to free agency when they were not offered qualifying offers. They allowed all three to walk. This left the New York Yankees with 2019 acquired ace Gerrit Cole and three pitchers returning from Tommy John surgery or suspension. Knowing this, you would think the Yankees would go out and get some bulls. But general manager Brian Cashman has gone the opposite way, hiring two more pitchers returning from the same Tommy John surgery or injury.

In the strategy, Cashman is betting on the upside, hoping to avoid the downside; if he is successful, he will be praised as a genius; if he isn’t, he will hear calls for his firing. Here’s the rotation:

  • Gerrit Cole, healthy coming off a 7-3 ERA 2.84 season in 12 games.
  • Cory Kluber pitched only 1 inning last year for the Rangers. Fractured are 2019, Bad shoulder 2020.
  • Jameson Taillon did not pitch last season for the Pirates. TJ surgery.
  • Luis Severino, coming off Tommy John surgery, hasn’t pitched in almost two years.
  • Domingo German did not pitch last season due to suspension.
  • Jordan Montgomery, a season off from surgery, 2-3 ERA 5.81 in 10 starts during 2020.

We all can say this guy is going to get injured..blah blah blah, but the truth is nobody really knows what will happen. As of now, everyone looks to be healthy and ready for the 2021 season. Cashman is betting on the upside, and with two aces and a potential ace, the rotation could be frightening to the opposition. Cole in 2019 was 20-5 ERA 2.50, Kluber in 2018 was 20-7 with an ERA of 2.81, Taillon in 2018 was 14-10 ERA 3.20, Severino in 2018 was 19-8 ERA 3.39, and Domingo German in 2019 was 18-4 ERA 4.03. Looking at these stats, there are amazing possibilities.

Should any of these arms falter,, some talented backup is available, notable Deivi Garcia, who made his major league debut last season, going 3-2 ERA 4.92 in six starts. Behind him is the major league-ready Clarke Schmidt, who also made his debut last season. There is also Michael King, Luis Gil, and Luis Medina. Manager Aaron Boone also has the versatility of having Chad Green, Luis Cessa, and Jonathan Loaisiga to start games. To finish up the offseason, Cashman must add to the bullpen after Tommy Kahnle to the Dodgers and trading Adam Ottavion to the Red Sox. Stay tuned.

Manager Boone being aware of possible injury to these returning pitchers and adjusting to a much longer season; you will likely see all of these pitchers at some point in the season as Boone carefully manages inning limits to keep injuries at a minimum. He may also used a six-man rotation at times to give pitchers a rest.

Pitching is not the only challenge for Aaron Boone. Assuming the New York Yankees get to the postseason, Boone has to find a way to keep the bats from going silent for long periods. He also has to mix and match closers to prevent giving up the postseason winning run to whoever opponent the Yankees face.

 

 

 

New York Yankees: Yankees free up $8.15MM with Boston Trade

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New York Yankees, Brian Cashman

The New York Yankees have freed up $8.15 million of luxury breathing room. They had dumped slumping reliever Adam Ottavino onto the Boston Red Sox in the team’s first trade since 2014. This is another move by the Yankees to improve the team. Last week they managed to re-sign DJ LeMahieu to a $15 million six-year deal. That freed up enough money to immediately sign two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber for a one year deal worth $11 million.

Yesterday they traded for Pittsburgh Pirates starter Jameson Taillon. The Yankees sent Miguel Yajure, Roansy Contreras, Miakel Escotto, and Caanan Smith in the no-cash deal. Today, they have unloaded reliever Adam Ottavino to the Red Sox for cash or a player to be named later. Boston will receive Ottavino and minor league right-hander Frank German. German was a low-level minor league pitcher. The Yankees also sent $850K to the Red Sox. The move was basically a salary dump for the Yankees.

Moving Adam Ottavino seemed like a long shot after his poor year last when he admitted he had no idea why he was pitching poorly. But Yankees general manager Brian Cashman got the deal done with a team that badly needs bullpen help. The move also allows the Yankees to either trade or spend some money for either more staring enhancement or replacing Ottavino in the bullpen or both.

Earlier in the offseason, Yankee owner Hal Steinbrenner gave the front office a directive to stay below the luxury tax threshold of $210 million. Since then, Cashman had to wait it out with DJ LeMahieu negotiations seemingly going nowhere, or so we thought. Cashman worked his magic and got what was best for both parties. DJ got his future security, and the Yankees saved what many reported to be as much as $10 million annually. That allowed Cashman to finalize the deal with Corey Kluber immediately.

Now Cashman had done what most industry experts thought was near impossible, pushing Adam Ottavino last contract year off the books. Ottavino’s 5.89 ERA was his highest since debuting as a rookie with the Cardinals back in 2010, although fielding-independent metrics were more bullish on his work (3.52 FIP, 3.62 SIERA). Last season he was so bad toward the end of the season he was seldom used. The only time he was used in the postseason was for two-thirds of an inning when he gave up a run in the Rays’ loss.

Now New York Yankees fans can sit on the edge of their collective chairs and wait for Cashman’s next move. Will it be another starter or an arm or two for the bullpen?

Yankees Rumors: Expect Brian Cashman to make another pitching move soon

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New York Yankees, Brian Cashman

The New York Yankees might have retained DJ LeMahieu on a six-year, $90 million deal and signed Corey Kluber to a one-year, $11 million deal, but they still have holes on the roster that need to be filled. Specifically, with their starting pitching rotation, the Yankees seem to be relying on Luis Severino, Domingo German, and Kluber returning from year-plus long absences from baseball.

Combined, the three starters have missed virtually five seasons of baseball over the past two years. If the Yankees feel confident with that reality, God bless them, but from a realistic point of you, that is a group they simply can’t rely on.

Best case scenario, they all pan out and end up solidifying the rotation for the 2021 season. The more likely scenario is that they miss time throughout the year due to flare-ups or inconsistencies. Considering that scenario, it only makes sense that general manager Brian Cashman continues to look for pitching support, whether it be in the starting rotation or the bullpen.

The Yankees will likely make another move soon:

The rumors haven’t stopped flying recently, as Cashman continues to search the market for potential trade options or free-agent supplements. Recently we saw Cincinnati Reds star Luis Castillo pop up in the rumor mill, but they were asking too much in return for his services (Gleyber Torres). More recently, Jameson Taillon from the Pittsburgh Pirates has been considered, and he could be a solid acquisition as a relief arm.

Cashman and the Yankees “are talking to everybody free agents and trades, starting pitching and bullpen,” the person said, via Brendan Kuty of NJ.com. “Talking to everybody on market. Nothing close.”

When it comes to the Yankees, if there’s smoke, there’s likely fire. Cashman works quickly, scouring the market for any nibbles. Once he gets interest and a price point he can work with, he tends to act quickly to ensure other buyers don’t enter the fold. DJ’s contract was a bit different, as most thought he would be valued much more, but they managed to land him on a cost-efficient deal worth only $15 million per season. Most thought he could reach up to $25 million.

MLB News: Yankee’s Cashman my be good but the Padres Preller has worked magic

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New York Yankees, Blake Snell

The New York Yankees went out in 2019 and made the biggest heist in baseball, acquiring arguably the best available pitcher in baseball in Gerrit Cole. The year before that, Cashman got a little known player by the name of DJ LeMahieu. Outside of that Yankee general manager, Brian Cashman has little to sing about. When the Yankees were making a run for the 2020 postseason, he did nothing by the trade deadline when the Yankees obviously needed pitching help. This offseason, with the Yankee’s priority being resigning DJ LeMahieu, Cashman got that deal down on the cheap. He also signed pitcher Corey Kluber to a one year deal but has done little else.

The San Diego Padres and their general manager A. J. Preller has been the biggest movers and shakers in baseball for the last two years. Last year by the trade deadline, they signed nearly a whole team of players. Major ones included Mike Clevinger and Greg Allen from Cleveland; Austin Nola, Austin Adams, Dan Altavilla, and Taylor Williams from the Mariners; Jason Castro from the Angels; Mitch Moreland from the Red Sox; and Trevor Rosenthal from the Royals. That’s four relief pitchers, two catchers, one outfielder, first baseman, and starting pitcher apiece. If you’re not doing the math, that’s 26 players to the Yankees zero players.

This year the Padres have become a true contender for the Los Angeles Dodgers, making more headline trades than any other baseball team. First, they traded for the Tampa Bay Rays ace Blake Snell to head up their pitching rotation with Clevinger out for the 2021 season. Next, they traded for the Cubs co ace Yu Darvish. But the Padres weren’t done; they just traded for Joe Musgrove of the Pirates. These trades have given them one of the best starting trios in baseball, plus they will have Clevinger back next season.

In both of these years, the San Diego Padres spent little money but basically traded away their one deep farm system. That pantry is now pretty bare, but the Padres are going for their first World Series, a Championship they have never won.

The San Diego Padres were founded in 1969. Since then, they have had 15 winning seasons. They have won 5 NL West Division titles and two NL pennants. They went to the World Series twice in 1984 and again in 1998 but came away winless. The Padres have been so bad at times that they had become the laughing stock of the National League. Not the case anymore. In 2019 they went 70-92. In 2020 they were 37-22 and came second in the West only to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The fact is that the Padres were a better team last year than the New York Yankees; they were 33-27. General manager A. J. Preller has certainly done his job improving the club big time and turning them into a true contender in the upcoming season. Yet the Yankees have yet to make moves that will improve the team from last year. Although the Yankees have won more World Championships (27) than any other baseball team, they haven’t been World Champions since 2009. That team was built by Gene “Stick” Michael, not Brian Cashman.

Are the New York Yankees in on Trevor Rosenthal?

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New York Yankees, Trevor Rosenthal

The offseason was going incredibly slow for the New York Yankees. Fans were getting extremely restless and it just felt like the bombers were never going to get anything done. All of that changed last week starting with the resigning of DJ LeMahieu. 

After months of back and forth, the Yankees finally got the deal done. However, they didn’t stop there. Once that deal was done, they turned their attention to the starting rotation. It didn’t take them very long to secure another arm for the rotation.

The same day as the LeMahieu agreement, the bombers came to terms with former two-time Cy Young award winner, Corey Kluber. Kluber and the Yankees agreed to a one year deal that will pay him $11 million for the 2021 season.

With LeMahieu and Kluber secured, I was told the focus would remain on pitching. Of course, over the weekend, we saw Luis Castillo rumors running wild. While there have been talks there, there is certainly nothing close or even momentum towards that happening.

Per my understanding, the Yankees are active on a number of fronts. They are definitely working on some trades especially considering they have to free up space on the roster for LeMahieu and Kluber.

They are looking into arms via the trade market, however, they are still looking at the available free agent relievers that are on the market. One of those relievers is someone who they are familiar with. That pitcher is Trevor Rosenthal.

How interested are the Yankees in Trevor Rosenthal?

Over the weekend I was told that the Yankees had made contact with Rosenthal last week. Now, I was not told if those were serious talks or if the bombers were simply doing their due diligence with what’s available on the market.

DJ LeMahieu controlled everything for the Yankees. He was the big domino and now Cashman is exploring every possible option he has to improve the club. By all indications, Trevor Rosenthal is someone they are interested in.

It’s been no secret that the Yankees are looking for another bullpen arm. They like Rosenthal and even took a flyer on him in 2019 by signing him to a minor league deal. Rosenthal was sensational in 2020 and would be a good fit in the bullpen.

It’s worth noting that Cashman is looking into everything. At this time, I just know that there’s been contact, but I’m not sure how serious it is. Last night, Rosenthal tweeted out a gif of Batman in Gotham. Perhaps it’s a sign or maybe just a coincidence.

What I do know is that the Yankees are looking for more pitching help. I would expect to see a move sooner than later with the bombers improving upon either their rotation or their bullpen.

New York Yankees: Did Brian Cashman land another gem in speedy outfielder?

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Greg Allen, New York Yankees

The New York Yankees might not be making any big splash moves, but you never know when general manager Brian Cashman is going to land another secret gem that over performs in pinstripes. If you recall, both Luke Voit and Gio Urshela were Cashman finds that ended up being significant pieces to the puzzle.

Since Voit was acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals, he has cemented the first base position and was one of the more consistent factors in 2020. Over 56 games, he launched 22 homers (league-high) and 52 RBIs, earning a career-low 23.1% strikeout rate and a fantastic .277 average. He is one of Cashman’s golden eggs, and without him, the Yankees would have a significant problem at first base after the Greg Bird debacle.

Then you look over to Urshela, who replaced Miguel Andujar on the hot corner after he tore his labrum in 2019. Ever since the former Toronto Blue Jay took over at third base, he hasn’t let go.

This past season, he played in 43 of 60 games, logging a .298 average with six homers and 30 RBIs. While his slugging ability took a bit of a dip compared to his 2019 statistics where he hit 21 homers, he was still very productive at the plate. His 10.3% walk rate was the highest of his career by nearly double, and he had a career-high of .368 in on-base percentage.

As you can see, Cashman has the talent and ability to find hidden production and players that have underwhelmed earlier on in their career.

Did the New York Yankees and Cashman find another gem in Greg Allen?

On Wednesday, the Yankees acquired outfielder Greg Allen from the San Diego Padres. He was previously designated for assignment by San Diego and will receive left-handed reliever James Reeves in return, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

Allen, who was raised in San Diego, is a speedy outfielder who made just one appearance this past season with the Padres. Over his career, Allen slashes .239/.298/.343 over 618 plate appearances. He has spent time with both the Cleveland Indians and Padres.

While Allen isn’t exactly an extraordinarily productive player, he seems to be eerily similar to Brett Gardner. A speedster with solid defensive abilities at 27 years old can only be beneficial for the Yankees, who could look to develop him and increase his contact ability, if possible.

Over four seasons, Allen has only been hit with three errors, indicating a strong presence in the outfield. While he’s not as offensively proficient as Gardner, the Yankees don’t want to pay him a significant amount of money at his age. Allen could likely supplement his loss defensively and, with a little hitting work, could improve and offer something at the plate in case the Yankees need to dip into their depth.

New York Yankees News/Rumors: The importance of DJ LeMahieu signing or walking has implications

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The New York Yankees haven’t kept it a secret that signing the second baseman DJ LeMahieu is its main priority. Unless you have been living under a rock, you have probably read a dozen stories about the subject; you are even tired of hearing about the back and forth, just as much as I am tired of writing about it. The stories continue because the outcome is so important to the Yankees one way or the other.

The Yankees have apparently set it up, so nothing will really happen this offseason until they know the LeMahieu negotiations’ outcome. Since the sides seem to be so far apart in those talks, it’s not likely they will be solved before Christmas, although it would be a wonderful gift for Yankees fans to find under the tree this year. I’m not going to talk about how much DJ wants to return to the Yankees or how far the negotiations are off, but I want to discuss the implications of the signing or lack thereof.

However, back in the cobwebs of our minds, there are pluses and minuses to the event we are all waiting for.  With little money to be spent this offseason, the signing of LeMahieu will leave little money for other needed improvements in the team. If they sign him, the Yankees will have an MVP, Gold Glove-like player back in the lineup for at least the 2021 season. Looking at the situation seriously and not showing bias, it’s tough to tell what would be best for the team as a whole and the chances of reaching a World Series.

General Manager Brian Cashman, who is really tight-lipped and seldom tips his hand, has been more than signing the praises of DJ. LeMahieu.

“I promise you that we’re working on it,” general manager Brian Cashman said of LeMahieu on Wednesday. “He’s a priority. He’s this winter’s priority. The overall priority is to make sure that we somehow find a way to field a team that can push through and ultimately represent the American League in a World Series and find a way to win it.”

If you follow the blogs and Facebook pages, it won’t take you long to find fans saying that Brian Cashman should be fired and Hal Steinbrenner should sell the team. To those questionable Yankee fans, I say, stop it. It doesn’t make sense that the two experienced baseball professionals don’t want to put the best team they can on the field at Yankees Stadium. Hal Steinbrenner, although he has a different style than his father, George, is a smart businessman; he knows that winning brings in revenue and losing doesn’t. But being a smart businessman, he also knows that throwing money at everything doesn’t always solve problems. The Tampa Bay Rays won the division and almost the World series with a payroll less than half of the Yankees.

It’s a delicate balance in finding the right amount of money and developing the talent they have and need to acquire and manage them and keep them healthy. Unfortunately for the New York Yankees, they haven’t been able to keep the team healthy going into the last three seasons. Now it will be even more challenging for the team to achieve their dreams. They have an ace in Gerrit Cole but no one to follow him in the lineup with the experience to win a 162 game season. They lack a fully qualified backstop or shortstop. But the New York Yankees are not alone in their woes as all teams have little money to improve, many teams are making drastic salary reductions.

If the Yankees can not add DJ LeMahieu to the 2021 season, it does give them $30 to $35 million to upgrade the team, assuming they stay below the luxury tax threshold. That amount of money should allow them to get a veteran pitcher to back up Cole in the rotation and pick up some bullpen arms. Changes at short or backstop are not likely. The Yankees also have to beef up the annual salaries for arbitration-eligible players like Judge, Sanchez, and more.

If they can pull off signing DJ, they will keep their strong lineup and keep his presence at second base but will leave them little money to do much else. Both manager Aaron Boone and general manage Brian Cashman have said they are satisfied with all the young arms they have coming up, including Deivi Garcia and Clarke Schmidt. There is no question that they will get their chance this year; how they do will determine the Yankees’ success this year.

 

 

Yankees News/Rumors: Brian Cashman breaks down his off-season strategy

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New York Yankees, Yankees, Brian Cashman

Every year, the New York Yankees are monitored ever-so closely to examine their off-season moves and negotiations. General manager Brian Cashman might have the smallest amount of secrecy as media members and fans track his every move and phone call. However, that has forced him to develop an interesting strategy on how he negotiates during free agency.

“Whenever decisions get made by players and their representatives, you keep a catalogue of this is what they said, this is what they said they were going to get, this is what they ultimately got,” the GM said. “That information matched up and it was accurate and they’re on the nice list, you can trust them as you move forward because you had 13 negotiations and they were 13-for-13 in their honesty and transparency and they didn’t misrepresent, they didn’t lie or what have you.

Honestly is the key, as Cashman tests the players and their agents to determine the truth and if they’re fair to the club. Cashman wants to corral good/honest players who respect the club enough, to tell the truth about their value and alternative conversations.

“And then you have the naughty list where you get the experience of, that’s not even close to what they said and we ultimately conclude a deal with a player and you keep them you backtrack with other clubs after the fact to find out, ‘Hey, I read in the media you were here, and is that true?’ And they’re like, ‘No, I wasn’t even involved with the guy.’ And its like, well, that’s the naughty list because the agent might have said you were.

New York Yankees’ Brian Cashman is like Santa:

Once you’re on the naughty list, Cashman takes a backseat and allows the players’ representatives to begin negotiating elsewhere. Maybe, that’s what’s currently happening with DJ LeMahieu’s agents, who asked for a five-year, $125 million deal, which Cashman is clearly not overly inquisitive in. He continues to push off negotiations to a point where LeMahieu will begin fielding offers from different teams, even the Toronto Blue Jays.
This is not for lack of desire, as the Yankees desperately want to keep DJ in pinstripes, but his reps may have overstated his value.

“Then you engage with the clubs after the fact when you do your deep dives and the winter is over and try to crosscheck your information to make sure that you had that true, honest dialogue (and) start to get a feel for who you’ve had relationships you’ve built with and who you’ve got to be a little bit more careful with.”

Cashman is playing the long game, waiting for his opportunity to strike later on in free agency and not dive into the pool too early. Reacting too quickly will force the Yankees to overspend on players, a reality they want to avoid this off-season.
Nonetheless, Cashman’s style is interesting, and while there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes, he values relationships more than I previously thought.