Yankees baseball blog

Cashman like Red Sox team

 Brian Cashman stood behind his opinion that the Red Sox, as of now, are better than the Yankees and didn't even claim anything he said yesterday to be a euphemism.

The general manager, speaking publicly for the first time since Hank Steinbrenner's blustery remarks Monday and Tuesday, said, if anything, his observation that the Red Sox were better - on paper - should be taken as him critiquing himself, not his players. (Newsday)

Yankees Still Waiting On Pettitte; Still Searching For Upgrades

The New York Yankees are always looking to improve their roster at any time of the season, which is one of the major reasons why they have been World Series contenders virtually every single season. Right now, baseball betting fans are eyeing their starting rotation as everyone is wondering what type of response they have – if any – to the Philadelphia Phillies picking up free agent Cliff Lee. 

And it’s that exact move that has the Yankees in somewhat of an odd spot. Few times over the last decade has a star free agent decided to spurn them for a team other than the Boston Red Sox or maybe even the Los Angeles Angels. Lee signed with the Philadelphia Phillies and it’s left the Yankees in somewhat of a quandary. 

It’s not that the Yankees starting rotation was bad in 2010 but it could definitely use a boost. C.C. Sabathia is the ace and Phil Hughes may serve as the future No. 2, but beyond that, the Yankees are still wondering.

Andy Pettitte was the second man in the rotation in the playoffs and the Yanks would love to have him back. As of now, the 38-year-old isn’t sure whether he’s coming back but rumor has it that he’s leaning towards retirement. 

If he does hang up his cleats, that leaves the Yanks with A.J. Burnett, who was 10-15 last season, Sergio Mitre, who is very hit or miss (mostly miss) and righthander Ivan Nova. 

The Yankees also missed out on Zack Greinke, although most they maybe weren’t pursuing him so hard. He couldn’t have given the Yanks an answer in the starting rotation but they clearly didn’t want to give up that much. 

There will be options at the trade deadline but for now, the Yanks could definitely use a boost to their starting five.

 

Yanks offer unlikely to be enough for Lee

It's official: the Yankees have made their offer to Cliff Lee. General manager Brian Cashman confirmed that he made an official offer to Lee's agent, Darek Braunecker, on Wednesday, the first such offer after the Yankees' month-long courtship of the lefthander. "He's got all the information he needs from us," Cashman said. "I assume he's got the same from anybody else that's got an oar in the water." A source said the offer was six years and $140 million, an annual average salary of $23.3 million. Lee is believed to be seeking seven years, and while reports have indicated that two teams are willing to give him that extra year, no such teams have been identified. (News)

Another big offseason for Cashman

Consider Monday to be Opening Day of the Yankees offseason.

That's when general manager Brian Cashman will sit down with owners Hal and Hank Steinbrenner in Tampa, Fla., to start talking payroll, free agency and the game plan for the rest of the winter.

The meetings are expected to last two days. Cashman has informed the agents for Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte that they should not expect to hear anything from him until those meetings are over.

"Nothing is really going to happen until I sit down with my bosses and have a feel and have some discussions about the lay of the land and how things should be approached from our perspective," Cashman said. "I have made everyone aware of that." (Post)

Cashman not panicing

With 16 games left in the season, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said his team has done everything necessary to prepare for the playoffs — with one notable exception.

“I think we’re doing everything we should be doing other than winning,” Cashman said yesterday.

The Yankees have dropped five of their last six games and eight of their last 10. They have lost both series of their current road trip, which resumes tonight in Baltimore.

Cashman may make an appearance in Baltimore this weekend to take the pulse of his team or give it a boost, as he did last year in Atlanta. He was vague when asked about his travel plans, but several people around the team said they expect to see him. (NY Post)

 

Who will return for 2010?

- The Yankees are strategizing ways to retain all three of their major free agents -- Johnny Damon, Andy Pettitte and Hideki Matsui -- sources told The Post.

Damon and Pettitte are the priorities. But when asked if that meant Matsui had played his last game in pinstripes, one team executive said, "No, I hope we can figure out a way to have them all back."

Right now, the Yankees are much more focused on their own trio than they are on the three big outside free agents: Jason Bay, Matt Holliday and John Lackey.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman has yet to meet with his whole staff to formalize a concrete plan, and that won't come until next week. Continue

Cash flies to Andy, says: Take it or leave it

Brian Cashman once again jetted away from the Winter Meetings to meet face to face with a lefty starter. But this time, he was not ready to offer a record contract as an inducement, as he did with CC Sabathia.

Instead, the Yankee GM departed Las Vegas early yesterday morning to fly to Texas for a sit-down with  Andy Pettitte -a story The Post broke exclusively yesterday on nypost.com.

Cashman was expected to deliver the following message to Pettitte:

We have signed CC Sabathia. We are about to sign A.J. Burnett. We already have Chien-Ming Wang and Joba Chamberlain.So that leaves just one rotation spot - and it's time you take our contract offer or we're prepared to fill that spot with someone else and close the door on you. Continue

Cash 'Pitches' case

Even in a strong economy the glue is good. Power always feeds the ego and as the Yankees New York Yankees ' general manager there is plenty of juice. And because Hal Steinbrenner has emerged as the leader of the Steinbrenner family over brother Hank, the working relationship is solid.

Nevertheless, Brian Cashman re-upped for three more years in The Bronx for reasons other than money, (a little more than $2 million per year) muscle and being tight with the boss: his legacy.Yesterday at a Yankee Stadium press conference not attended by any Steinbrenner, an emotional Cashman stated the reasons he stayed instead of leaving for Seattle or Philadelphia, jobs he could have had. Continue

Yankees sign GM Brian Cashman to a new three-year deal

The Yankees settled their first bit of offseason business Tuesday, announcing that they have a decision-maker in place - Brian Cashman is returning as the club’s general manager for three more years. Cashman, who has been the Yankee GM since 1998, will hold the same role through the 2011 season and said in a statement he returned because “I’ve got a job to finish here. That’s the bottom line. Continue

GM tells Steinbrenners he wants to return

While Brian Cashman remained mum about his future, the buzz smothering the Yankees' universe yesterday focused on the GM telling the Steinbrenner family he wants to return. An announcement could come as soon as tomorrow.

"Sooner than later," Cashman said with a smile when asked about reaching a decision. Hal Steinbrenner, who wants Cashman back, hasn't made an offer. However, there are indications Cashman could tell Steinbrenner he wants to return and negotiate later. Continue