Some of the things Hank says are priceless, if (especially) unintentionally so - what did he say in that last Santana go-round, “I either have to do it or don’t do it?”

SG,

It looks like your inspiration for a lot of productive work that you do on this site, Miguel Cairo, has signed on with the Mariners. Hope you are doing ok.

I’m sure the Mariners wouldn’t mind if the Yankees wanted to borrow Cairo and use him as their starting 1st baseman when they play each other this season.

Some of the things Hank says are priceless, if (especially) unintentionally so - what did he say in that last Santana go-round, “I either have to do it or don’t do it?”

Hank’s talk is annoying, but so far I haven’t seen the team doing anything that I didn’t like, so maybe it’s just cheap talk and nothing more.

It looks like your inspiration for a lot of productive work that you do on this site, Miguel Cairo, has signed on with the Mariners. Hope you are doing ok.

It’s been a long period of coping since his DFA, but I’m doing ok under the circumstances.  Best of luck to Miggy.

If Cashman does not come back at the end of the season (by choice or no), the way Hank and Hal handle hiring his successor may go a long way towards indicating how much control Hank really wants when it comes to personnel, ie: do they hire someone to do the actual gm job or do they hire someone to be an administrator….

As we all know Cashman does a fine job as GM.  This is clearly evident in the moves and non moves that have happened since Cashman was given “total” control over players.  The farm system is back to a level that allows for growth of players, and it seems as if the Yankees are done cleaning up the mess that occured after Michael left. 

I think we are all getting tired of Hank running his mouth, and coming up looking dumb.  So far his word holds no water (Arod, Santana issues).  I believe that this is another example.  Hank has to know that his best bet is to let Cashman make the moves.  This way no matter what he can look good.  Yankees win he says he had faith in Cashman and knew letting him make the right moves with him signing off on them was right thing to do.  Yankees lose he says he wanted to make different moves but Cashman talked him out of them, it is Cashman’s fault we lost.  Either way I cannot see the majority of fans calling for Cashman to leave and not be resigned when his contract is up at the end of the season.

I grow tired of Yankees airing their “feelings” in public. I hated that Arod/jeter “we don’t have sleepover’s anymore” stuff, and this isn’t that much better. Who cares. Put the best team on the field, and if you don’t like the working conditions go elsewhere. You don’t think Cashman has ten assistants who are as capable who will do the job for less?

I hope he stays, but in the words of many a 6th grader in the early 90s “Save the drama for yo mama.”

In other 90s news, anyone notice how many people are rocking 8 ball jackets all of a sudden?

“As we all know Cashman does a fine job as GM.  This is clearly evident in the moves and non moves that have happened since Cashman was given “total” control over players.”

hmm that’s really interesting, but if we all know it, what does fine mean? And did Gene Michael really ruin the Yankees farm? Because I thought that he gave birth to the farm that gave us Jeter, Po, Mo, Bernie, and the whole dynasty? That’s so weird that the farm he ruined also was a big part of 4 championships.

Because I thought that he gave birth to the farm that gave us Jeter, Po, Mo, Bernie, and the whole dynasty? That’s so weird that the farm he ruined also was a big part of 4 championships.

i’m pretty sure you are misinterpreting Joey’s statement.

i think he meant that Cashman is starting to clean up the mess that happened to the farm system AFTER Michael was the GM.  specifically that 2001-2005’ish period.

of course, Cashman was the GM while this happened, but this was before he was given power to oversee the draft.  the “mess” was largely a result of terrrible drafting, and it’s easy to see the rapid improvements that happened when Cashman started to oversee the draft.

What’s happening between Cashamn and the Steinbrenners right now reminds me of all those medieval legends where the prime minister to the ailing king becomes the regent and then has to return to being just an advisor when the heir to the throne takes over.  Those stories rarely ended well. 

Cashamn will have to get used to having less authority again.  So long as all of the apparatus reports through him to Hank and Hal and they don’t return to that crazy fractured system of Tampa vs. New York, the Yankees should be fine.

ml:

I will start with your second question: “And did Gene Michael really ruin the Yankees farm?”  As I stated “it seems as if the Yankees are done cleaning up the mess that occured after Michael left”.  Key word being after, as in when he was no longer GM.  Michael is one of the main reasons the Yankees won 4 World Series, the players were his guys.  After he left the Yankees began selling the farm for high priced freeagents.

As for my use of the word fine I mean that he has done a good job.  He has managed to improve the farm system to a level that it hasn’t been in since Michael left.  During his time Cashman has also brought on strong free agents and mad some good trades.  And don’t get me wrong there have been bad moves under his watch as well, I am not giving him a free ride on that. 

As for your other post ml: “You don’t think Cashman has ten assistants who are as capable who will do the job for less?” 
I agree.  They might even be better talent evaluators.  However, Cashman has the advantage of exerience in dealing with other teams.  He seems to have a pretty good relationship with other teams and has been in the organization since interning in college.  He brings a lot to the table in experience and the respect he has around the league, which is not something one gains over night.

Reading the tea leaves about the Yanks’ internal struggles is pretty boring, but in the absence of other news…

I agree with rab.  It’s unusual for Cash to speak about things like this in public; I can only think it’s a shot across Hal’s bow.  But if he thinks it will work, perhaps by getting George to rein in the boys, he’s mistaken.

Wouldn’t it be fun if Cash poisoned Hank and married his widow, becoming Prince Consort and therefore the real power in the land?  Then maybe it would be up to a young farm boy to set matters right and marry the young princess.

The farmboy’s name?  Joba Chamberlain.

that would make an excellent story.

JL - Stick left after the 95 season, and Bob Watson took over until 1998, when Cashman took over. I think Cashman is fine, but I’m not prepared to give him credit for everything you name either. I don’t mean to start a flame war, but how can you give him points for how he deals with other teams?

Billy Beane fleeced a few teams, and he still manages to make more top trades, as does Theo, Schuerholz. I’m not saying he has to be the best, but it seems as if people blindly give him the benefit of the doubt, or just doubt him.

“Billy Beane fleeced a few teams, and he still manages to make more top trades, as does Theo, Schuerholz. I’m not saying he has to be the best, but it seems as if people blindly give him the benefit of the doubt, or just doubt him”

I agree that Cashman has a lot on the ball. He has made some missteps, Igawa being the latest one and most of the pen decisions haven’t panned out to well with a few exceptions. The pen is where the Yankees often focus to reign in the salary line due to so many other huge commitments throughout the rest of the lineup. There have been few free agents for the pen that have worked out particularly with the longer term contracts so maybe sooner or later a youngster not named Joba will really step up.

Finally, in fairness to the frusteration many have with the team in terms of trades etc, remember just how loathed the team was (and is) by many owners and GM’s.  As I have said before, if the Yanks and any other teams ante up equal talent, most teams will rather deal with the team not named NYY. For that reason, it may be harder for Cashman to satisfy NY fans with lopsided deals in our team’s favor.

If Boston strings together some more success, they too may begin to experience some of the same treatment. (perhaps with the exception of Fla.) But from what I can tell, and I’m living in the Midwest, it’s still pretty vogue right now to be sporting Red Sox gear. It’s a faze that will fade at some point. I remember seeing a boatload of Chi Bulls stuff, but for some reason it’s disappeared. To their credit most Yankee fans wear their gear win or lose. I’m proud to be counted among them.

ml:  I agree with you. Cashman is not the sole reason that the Yankees seem to be on the right path with player development.  But since the Tampa factor has been removed and Cashman has been given full power the Yankees seem to be making smarter moves. 

I give him points in his relationship with other teams because Baseball is a business.  If people like you and you don’t throw around nonsense they will often times be more willing to hear you out and consider what you have to say.  It also doesn’t hurt that the Yankees have a lot to offer without doing a lot of damage to themselves most of the time.  The more you have the more people want to be your friend.

As far as Billy Beane goes, he will aways be able to make trades as long as the A’s don’t spend money.  It’s easy to trade a good player for young guys who might pan out.  For him many times the players have panned out. 

Either way, I just have trust in Cashman, he knows more about this than any of us, that’s why he is in that position.  And to this point has not made any moves that has made everyone call for his head.

<i>it’s easy to see the rapid improvements that happened when Cashman started to oversee the draft.<\i>

I know that the farm system has improved, that there’s great potential in Hughes, Joba, Kennedy, Jackson, etc and BA now ranks it 5th best overall. But how many of those players Cashman drafted (or oversaw when drafted) have become great MLB players? I’m just not so convinced that Cashman is so great as many people believe. Or perhaps I’m just ignorant; when exactly did Cashman start overseeing the draft?

My $.02:

I think Cashman IS the sole reason the Yankees’ development cycle has worked out. OK, I don’t actually understand the heirarchy there, but at least publicly, Cashman was the fall guy/front man for the stop-trading-our-kids pushback… and he won.

I think Cashman is hampered by his organization when it comes to trades. Not so much in an evil-empire way, but a more complementary “if Cashman likes this guy in my system, he must be good” way. Beane was starting to get that reaction, IIRC. Third possibility: nobody wants to trade with the Yankees because if they get fleeced, it’s impossible to stay out of the media. Make a bad deal with the Royals? Nobody will ever know (will they, Omar Minaya?)

And finally, with CAIRO on the left coast, let me suggest a new mediocrity who’d make a fine acronym” SEXSON. You’d have to get creative with the “X”, but S, O and E are fine letters to work with.

http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/01/09/so-whos-really-in-charge-of-the-yankees/#comments

it seems that it is not only Hank running the show after all

But how many of those players Cashman drafted (or oversaw when drafted) have become great MLB players?

huh?  Cashman gained sole control after the 2005 season.  how quickly do you think players develop?

this question needs another 3-4 years to be answered. 

but so far, the early returns show he is kicking ass.

Ok let’s not get carried away here yet guys, as far as we’ve seen the Yankees havn’t done anything stupid yet under Hank. just because he’s a loose mouth doesn’t neccesarily mean he’ll make nutty decision, and from the sound of it all he at least understand baseball moves and not simply “OMG WE’RE SOOOO GOING TO GET HIM BECAUSE HE’S FAMOUS!”

My issue with Hank is rarely with what he says, but rather that he says it in public, so often.

As for Cashman - I like him.  I don’t think he’s great, but I think he’s good, and I do give him a fair amount of credit for the recent improvement of the farm.  It seems to me that he has a plan (use the Yankees financial strength in the draft by going after guys who slip due to “signability” issues and/or injuries) and empowered good talent evaluators to go and carry it out.  Hopefully this continues.  He’s also made some good trades to balance out some bad FA signings (the ARod trade was excellent, for instance).

Back in college history, I remember reading about Queen Elizabeth.  Someone asked her how she became so astute in foreign policy and other areas.  Her response:

I see and say nothing.

Hank could do himself a big favor and follow in that lady’s footsteps.  He needs to keep his mouth shut.

Replacement Level Tankees - educational on so many levels.  Yatt, your quote led me to check Wikipedia.  The quote is: I see but say nothing.  Definitely words for Hank to live by.