If you’re a New York Yankees fan, the last few weeks have been incredibly depressing. A few weeks ago, the Yankees were looked at as a team that could win a World Series. Now, they are tied for second place in the division in a virtual free fall.
The Yankees were abysmal again last night. The bombers had a 4-0 lead and a 7-4 lead during the game against the Mets. The Yankees blew both leads and were walked off again by the Mets. The Yanks are now 4-10 in their last 14 games with no signs of improvement.
The one hope for Yankees fans everywhere was the trade deadline. The team needed something to lift their spirits. Whether it be a big-time reliever or a starter, the team needed something. Instead, Yankees GM Brian Cashman stood pat for the second consecutive deadline.
"Something that we couldn't live with"
Brian Cashman says teams were not making "sensible" offers with the Yankees pic.twitter.com/Y7dWP9iJ0a
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) August 31, 2020
Cashman is a problem for the Yankees
I’m going to preface this by saying that I don’t believe that Brian Cashman is terrible at his job. Clearly, he’s done some great things and pulled off good deals in his tenure as the Yankees GM. However, he has one giant flaw that has cost this team over and over.
If Cashman feels that any deal is risky when it comes to giving up prospects, he won’t do it. He won’t make the sacrifice of prospects who might not pan out to improve the present Yankees. That is something that’s continuing to cost this team.
We have seen teams make moves where they had to give up very good prospects for proven MLB talent that has translated to a WS. The Royals in 2015 traded top pitching prospect Sean Manaea for Ben Zobrist and they traded Brandon Finnegan for Johnny Cueto.
In 2016, the Cubs traded Gleyber Torres to the Yankees for a few months of Aroldis Chapman. Both of those teams paid steep cost in giving up prospects, but both teams won a World Series. Isn’t that worth it?
I’m so sick of the narrative that prospects are not worth MLB proven talent. Prospects do not always pan out. I’ll again remind the folks at home that Brian Cashman refused to trade Miguel Andujar and Chance Adams for Gerrit Cole. Yeah, the same Chance Adams that can’t even hold a roster spot with the last place Royals.
One World Series since 2004
The Yankees haven’t been to the World Series since 2009. Yes, we’ve seen prospects like Aaron Judge and Luis Severino come up and become stars for the team, but the Yankees haven’t won anything. Cashman refuses to do anything where he might have to look back and go, “I probably shouldn’t have done that deal.”
Of course trading good prospects is risky. But at the end of the day, great general managers take risks to get their team a World Series. Brian Cashman has had the Yankees resources and the team has been to one World Series in 17 years.
As long as Brian Cashman remains conservative, you’re going to see years like this. The Yankees are drowning right now, and instead of making a deadline deal for someone who could help save the club, Cashman has clung to the lifeboat praying that everyone can come back healthy.
Winning the World Series is about taking action to improve the team, and not living on a prayer. The Yankees are in deep trouble right now, and maybe one day Hal Steinbrenner will finally intervene the way that George used to.