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Brian Cashman

New York Yankees News/Rumors: Is manager Aaron Boone a puppet? Here’s the answer

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For New York Yankees fans, this has been a disappointing season, losing the division and the postseason to the Tampa Bay Rays. Many fans have chosen to blame Yankee manager Aaron Boone for the loss. But at the same time, many fans have also wondered whether the decisions are his or if they come from General Manager Brian Cashman and the front office. Some say that Boone is just a puppet and doesn’t really manage the team.

Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman together spent a bit more than two hours speaking to the media and answering reporters’ questions.  During those Zoom calls, they spoke to many subjects, from their thoughts about why they had a failed season to questions about individual players like Gary Sanchez and his future going forward. A question was posed that asked if New York Yankees, manager Aaron Boone was making decisions on the day to day team or he was a puppet for the front office. Both Boone and Cashman responded to the question.

“It’s been asked several times about the manager being a puppet,” Cashman said. “None of that’s true.” “It’s a healthy discord,” Cashman said. “He’s going to have his reasonings, he’s going to share them, and then it’s my responsibility to accept those and appreciate the fact that he did the dissection and he took the time, and the patience and the care to really evaluate all aspects of it. Then we commit. If this is what he wants to do, even though it might be something that I thought we should go a different way, so be it. He’s got my support.”

Aaron Boone was a little less emphatic in his answer:

“I think people understand that I listen to coaches, I listen to front office personnel, especially when we’re doing something that I’m making a big decision or a big change or something that may be out of the box,” Boone said Wednesday. “I certainly consult with a lot of people, but I think our guys understand that ultimately it’s my decision.”

If you believe Aaron Boone when he says “ultimately it’s my decision,” then that should put the thought that he is a puppet out of discussion.  Much of the time in the news conference surrounded the decision to start game two of the ALCS with an opener instead of going with number two starter Masahiro Tanaka. The Athletic was told near the end of the season that the New York Yankees were toying with the idea of using opener in the postseason.

The plan to start game two with 21 year old Deivi Garcia was a bust when he was taken out after only one inning, and further botched by bringing in J.A. Happ and burning two starters in one game. Happ was frustrated after the game as he gave up four runs.  Cashman said that Happ was all in on the plan. But Happ contradicted that saying that he would rather start the game.  Happ has had 15 postseason appearances, all as a starter, the bottom line is that if the plan had worked it would have been praised as brilliant, but it failed and is thought to be the turning point in the series, with the Yankees losing their momentum.

 

Alex Rodriguez takes shot at Brian Cashman for meddling in game 2 plan

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New York Yankees, Yankees, Brian Cashman

Since the New York Yankees plowed through the Tampa Bay Rays in game one, they’ve lost two consecutive matchups in the ALDS.

Pitching remains the Yankees’ biggest weakness and most prevalent liability. Their inability to hold down teams has been apparent for the regular season, and that same streak has followed them into the postseason. In game 2, the Yankees took an odd approach that resulted in a devastating loss that completely shattered their positive momentum.

Former Yankee Alex Rodriguez had strong words for Brian Cashman, who clearly meddled in their game plan.

“I’m still scratching my head,” Rodriguez said. “You’re the New York Yankees. You’re the biggest, most successful franchise maybe in sports. You’re number one in payroll with $240 million. You have to play your game. You’ve done it for over 120 years. You have 27 championships. You’ve done it as an alpha. You’ve done it the old-fashioned way.

“You get to Game 1, you do it the old-fashioned way,” A-Rod went on. “Great starting pitching and you get nine outs from the bullpen. And then to Game 2, the front office wants to get involved and then you start getting gimmicky. To me, the Yankee roster has to bail out Brian Cashman and the front office. And they’ve done some wonderful things. Game 2 was a mistake, and it was a mistake for about 20 different reasons.

“The players start saying, ‘What are we doing?’ You start spending so much time trying to figure out how to outsmart the Ivy Leaguers over there. That’s not your game. Don’t play Jeopardy!, play baseball. Players win championships.”

Out of all of Rodriguez‘s takes, this is a decent one. The Yankees tried to take a strange analytical approach that backfired significantly. Instead of taking the old fashion route that relied on their starting pitching, they injected young arm, Deivi Garcia, into a must-win game. His one run in the first inning gave the Rays momentum that allowed them to crush JA Happ immediately after.

“I’m sorry for ranting here, but we used to say, ‘If a manager can stay out of the game, that’ll be great.’ Now we have to say, ‘Front offices have to stay out of the game.’ Frustrating,” he said. “That last thing I’ll say is it’s unfortunate that Aaron Boone has to sit there and explain to the media what he’s doing.

“I would love the smart Ivy Leaguers to come down – the front office – and explain to us why that was a smart move for the New York Yankees and that fan base.”

While people will blame Aaron Boone for this mishap, this goes much deeper into the front office. The Yankees need to rely on their guns and listen to the people they evidently pay to make these decisions.

Cashman needs to stick to his job and begin looking at free agents to bolster the starting pitching rotation. With the Yankees down 1-2 in the series, game 4 is essential, and they are banking on Jordan Montgomery to bring his A-game.

Yankees’ Brian Cashman makes big Aaron Boone comparison

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New York Yankees, Aaron Boone, Brian Cashman

Since Aaron Boone became the New York Yankees’ field manager in 2018, the team has never dipped below a .500 win-loss record. In a regular season, not affected by COVID-19, the Yankees have earned 100 wins or more. This abbreviated campaign has posed significant challenges for players and their conditioning. Boone has done his best to supplement injuries and deficiencies across the board, but sometimes things are more strenuous for no apparent reason.

In 2019, the Yankees dealt with a number of injuries, setting records for the number of players that hit the injured list. Nonetheless, they still recorded 103 wins without Giancarlo Stanton for virtually the entire season and Aaron Judge for 60 games. That doesn’t even include the loss of Luis Severino and an inconsistent starting rotation. Nonetheless, Boone willed his team to victory on an everyday basis, finishing with a .636 win-loss percentage.

The Yankees fought their way to the AL divisional series, in which they lost to the Houston Astros, thanks to their cheating ways. While Boone didn’t earn coach of the year, he certainly helped his team more than any other could’ve imagined. That is why general manager Brian Cashman believes he is the long-term field manager for the Yankees and expects him to be around for a long time.

Jon Heyman, MLB Network report, spoke with Brian Cashman on “Big Time Baseball,” stating:

“We’re about trying to have great players and great people, so we’re lucky about Aaron Boone … Obviously, we have a club option for him and certainly hope that we can have him for a long time,” Cashman said. “I had a chance to work with Torre for 10 years, Girardi for 10 years, and I’d love to be in a position that Aaron Boone could be here for a similar type of timeframe. I’d say he has a more likely chance to last more than me, because 10 years is a lot longer for me, I guess,” Cashman added, with a chuckle.

Cashman, who has been under fire many times during his career, has done everything in his power to help the Yankees succeed. Spending boatloads of cash on premium level players, no one can argue that he hasn’t done enough to put the Yankees in a position to win. Untimely injuries and inconsistencies have been their downfall, something he simply cannot control. However, Cashman compared Boone to Joe Girardi, who spent ten seasons as the Yankee manager.

Girardi had an illustrious career with the Bombers, spending most of his 40s and his early 50s leading them. Over ten years, he only broke 100 wins once in 2009, something the Yankees have done twice in three seasons with Boone, so far. He earned three 1st place finishes in the division and never dipped below fourth. Winning the World Series back in 2009, that has been Girardi’s trademark, something Boone has yet to accomplish but has plenty of time left to do.

Early on, the return on Boone seems to be solid, and with growing experience, he should only improve along with his team. He has made plenty of mistakes along the way, but Cashman believes he is the long-term future of the franchise.

Report: Mets’ Steve Cohen could try and lure Brian Cashman from the Yankees

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New York Yankees, Yankees, Brian Cashman

Could the New York Yankees really lose GM Brian Cashman? Well, ESPN’s Senior MLB Reporter Buster Olney thins so but under specific circumstances.

Olney stated that Mets’ new owner Steve Cohen could pursue Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman, but it would have to be for an elevated position, above general manager.

The standard operating procedure in Major League Baseball is that teams will allow their employees to interview for jobs with other clubs if the change represents a promotion of some kind. In theory, Cohen (or any other owner) could pursue Cashman by dangling a club presidency or vice presidency as part of the pitch (ESNP+).

Whether or not Cashman would be interested in that kind of overture remains to be seen, given that the Yankees are the only major league team he’s ever worked for. But the possible allure of Cashman for the Mets would be obvious: He is highly regarded among his peers for the way he has handled the inherent challenges of being a Yankees executive — the constant pressure to win and the outsized media inquiries while working for the Steinbrenners, most notably George, with whom Cashman frequently sparred.

Ex-Marlins President David Samson stated on his show, “Nothing Personal with David Samson,” that the report was bogus, and there was “zero chance” that Cashman would end up with the Mets, as reported by CBS.

“Mets fan, here’s the chances that Brian Cashman will be the new general manager of the New York Mets: zero. Brian Cashman has two years left on his deal with the Yankees,” Samson said. “If the Mets called the Yankees and say ‘may we have Brian Cashman? We’re going to promote him and make him president of the team,’ the Yankees would say ‘screw you.'”

You be the judge of this fluff, but the Mets stealing away Cashman is about as realistic as Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge playing an entire season. Cashman is currently in the middle of a five-year, $25 million deal, and considering the Bombers are the only team he’s ever worked with, I highly doubt this pipe dream for the Mets even comes up in a professional setting.

New York Yankees’ Clint Frazier has earned his spot

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New York Yankees, Clint Frazier

Back at the trade deadline in 2016, New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman decided to sell. He traded Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs and received Gleyber Torres. Cashman also traded Andrew Miller for Justus Sheffield and Clint Frazier.

While Sheffield was traded later for James Paxton, the Yankees have held onto Frazier. The former fifth overall pick in the MLB draft showed so much promise, and has always been known for his legendary bat speed. However, Frazier struggled to get a chance.

Anytime the Yankees were at full strength, Frazier would be behind the eight ball in the outfield. Despite many fans wanting the Yankees to give him the left field job over veteran Brett Gardner, Boone would keep Frazier on the bench or they’d keep him in AAA.

In 2019, Frazier really impressed many with his performance on the field. For the Yankees in 69 games, Frazier hit .267 with 12 home runs and 38 RBIs. However, his defense left a lot to be desired. Well, Frazier is finally blooming into the player many thought he could be in 2020.

The Yankees New Left Fielder

I can’t imagine the feelings that Clint Frazier was having when the Yankees told him this week that he’d continue to start. Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton were both coming back this week which in the past meant Frazier would be heading to the bench.

However, not this time. Instead, veteran Brett Gardner is the one that’s heading to the bench. The Yankees‘ Red Thunder is finally getting to start when the team is at full strength. This is something that couldn’t stop Frazier from smiling during his post-game interview yesterday.

“There was definitely a moment tonight when I was smiling under my mask in left field. To go out there with the team at full strength meant a lot to me,” Frazier said to the media. There is no doubt about it that Frazier has earned this spot.

Again, the Yankees have been talking about his offensive potential for the last couple of years, but his defense is what has really impressed me thus far. Although, his offensive numbers are tremendous this year. Clint Frazier is the starting left fielder for the New York Yankees, and that shouldn’t be changing anytime soon.

Things could be shaking behind scenes for Yankees as Brian Cashman travels to Buffalo to check in

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The one thing that couldn’t happen during this shortened season was to fall into a void of a long losing streak. The New York Yankees have figured out a way to do more than that. After starting the season with a strong 16-6 record, the Yankees have lost their last 12 out of 17 and are now 21-21.

After dropping the first two games of a three-game set to the Toronto Blue Jays, the Yankees have put themselves at real danger of falling out of playoff contention if they continue the way they are playing. They’re currently sitting in third place of the AL East, three games behind the Jays, and just one game up on the Baltimore Orioles.

You know the club has hit a rough patch when fans have to check the score of the Orioles games each night.

General manager Brian Cashman made a rare trip up to Buffalo to watch the team take on the Blue Jays. Unfortunately, so far he hasn’t seen the best from his team.

Manager Aaron Boone has been on the hot seat as of recently because of the team’s drought. “I know we are better than that, but we have not played to our capabilities,” Boone said following Tuesday night’s loss against the Blue Jays. “Obviously the last couple weeks have been a rough stretch to get us to that point. So, we still have time here to turn this thing around and I’m confident we will.”

The Yankees are having major trouble with staying consistent. Every night it’s either they have a great offense and no pitching support, or vise versa. Some blame can be pointed to the team’s injuries, however the bullpen (except for the absence of Tommy Kahnle) is at full strength. The reality is, these high-leverage guys have not gotten the job done. The same goes for the lineup. The absence of Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Gio Urshela, are all major hits on the offense. However, DJ LeMahieu, Luke Voit, Gary Sanchez, and Gleyber Torres are all still in there.

The Yanks are going to need to turn things around immediately if they want a shot at a good seeding in the playoffs. The Tampa Bay Rays and the Blue Jays seem to not be slowing down anytime soon, so a quick turnaround for the Yanks is crucial.

New York Yankees: Brian Cashman steps in to fix what Aaron Boone has failed to do

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New York Yankees, Yankees, Brian Cashman

New York Yankees‘ general manager Brian Cashman addressed the team on Tuesday in a pregame meeting, as the club has collapsed to the point of struggling to hold on to a postseason spot in the last couple of weeks.

According to MLB.com’s beat writer for the Yankees Bryan Hoch, the message that Cashman wanted to deliver was that he trusts his players and still believes in them and what they have the ability to do on the baseball field.

“I thought it was a really good message…understanding that better days are ahead for us because of the people we have in that room,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said to SNY about what the general manager told the team.

A season to forget so far for the Yankees

Between injuries, ineffectiveness, bullpen mismanagement by Boone, slumping stars and an improved American League East division, the New York Yankees were from a surefire playoff team to a struggling club playing some surprisingly mediocre ball in a matter of weeks.

They are currently 21-20, two games behind the Toronto Blue Jays for the second spot in the East.

The players and the coaching staff probably needed a wakeup call, as the Yankees take the field in Buffalo tonight against the same Blue Jays that scored 10 runs in an inning in an ugly collapse for the Bombers.

As a fun fact, Cashman also had a similar “intervention” in the 2009 Yankees’ clubhouse. During a rough stretch that year, per Hoch, Cashman jetted to Atlanta and spoke to the team, and his words were viewed as a turning point in a season that ended with the Bombers lifting the World Series trophy.

Will this be what the Yankees need to turn their season around? Only time will tell, but it is clear that things need to start changing in the Bronx. Soon. Otherwise, they may be missing the postseason in a year they looked as clear-cut favorites to win it all in October.

The New York Yankees: When It Rains, It Pours

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New York Yankees, Aaron Boone

2020 was supposed to be the year that the New York Yankees took back their spot at the top of the mountain. They finally had the missing piece (Gerrit Cole) to winning a championship. They had the lineup, the pitching staff, and the bullpen.

The Yankees seemingly had everything you needed to win a championship. All they needed to do was stay healthy and play to their talent level. Well, with just a few weeks left in the season, neither one of those things has happened.

The Yankees have been dealt devastating injuries, and the players who have played haven’t played well outside of a couple exceptions. A team that seemed to be a World Series favorite, is now just 1.5 games ahead for the last playoff spot in the AL.

Keep in mind that the only reason the Yankees would make the playoffs is the COVID playoff expansion. If it wasn’t for that, the Yankees would pick up their ball and go home in a few weeks.

The Yankees crushing defeat

Last night, the Yankees hit a new low. Recently, the Yankees were surpassed by the Toronto Blue Jays for second place in the division. The majority of their remaining games come against Toronto.

The Yankees have struggled mightily over the last few weeks entering last night 5-13 in their previous 18 games. The Yankees came out of the gates hot with a couple of home runs. They took a 6-2 lead into the sixth inning.

The Yankees had it setup perfectly for their best bullpen arms to close it out. You had a feeling that this could be the game that turns it around. However, the Blue Jays scored an astonishing ten runs in one inning to deal a knockout blow to the bombers.

I couldn’t hardly believe what I was watching. The Blue Jays scored ten runs off Chad Green and Adam Ottavino before the Yankees recorded two outs. There is horrific performances, then there’s what we witnessed last night.

Granted, the blame cannot go completely to the Yankees relievers. With the bases loaded, Luke Voit got a ground ball right to him which would have recorded the second out of the inning. He booted the ball, and the onslaught continued. The Yankees lost the game 12-7.

Where to go from here

Just when you think it can’t get worse for the Yankees, it does. When they get great outings from their pitchers, the offense can’t generate more than a run or two. Whenever their offense gives them a lead, the bullpen can’t hold it.

At this point, I’m not even sure I would feel comfortable if the Yankees were winning a game 10-0. That’s how bad it has truly become. This team can turn it around, but I’m not sure anyone believes that they will at this point.

There has to be some heat on Brian Cashman. The Yankees were spiraling out of control last week and Cashman did nothing at the deadline. No reinforcements for the bombers, just praying they get better.

Unfortunately for Cashman, not only have the problems continued, they’ve become worse. If the boss were still alive and running the team, I would not want to be anyone in the Yankees organization. I’m not sure what the answer is, but it’s truly dark times in the Bronx.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman just doesn’t get it

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New York Yankees, Brian Cashman

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.

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.

 

The trade deadline passes, and the Yankees do nothing

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New York Yankees, Yankees, Brian Cashman

There was a lot of chatter over the past week on what the New York Yankees would do at the trade deadline. The team has been decimated by injuries thus far and is performing below expectations. The Yankees are currently 3.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays.

There were rumors that the Yankees were making calls on starting pitchers, relievers, and outfielders to bolster their chances for a 28th World Series. Well, today’s trade deadline has come and passed, and for the second straight year, Brian Cashman didn’t make a move.

Pressure on Yankees GM Brian Cashman

Last year, the Yankees made no moves at the deadline. Despite being engaged in talks on multiple fronts, the team did nothing. The lack of a move ended up being one of their downfalls in the ALCS.

The Yankees had an exhausted bullpen and it showed. The lack of a move even prompted Zack Britton to point out that the Yankees were depleted in that series against the Astros last year.

Cashman with the Steinbrenner’s money went out and signed Gerrit Cole to a record deal in the offseason. Cole has been as advertised, but he’s not a miracle worker. The team still has massive holes this year due to injuries.

The Yankees bullpen has been shaky, their starting rotation has been shaky, and their offense has struggled massively over the past couple of weeks. This team desperately needed something to get them energized.

Deadline Moves

The Yankees were said to have had conversations regarding: Mike Clevinger, Taijuan Walker, Archie Bradley, Robbie Ray, Mychal Givens, Starling Marte, and Jonathan Villar. All of those players were dealt prior to the deadline, but the Yankees didn’t get anyone.

I’m sure Cashman will come out and state that the prices were just too high. Outside of the Clevinger deal, the Yankees could have acquired any of those players without hurting their farm system significantly.

Cashman has developed a reputation over the past few years as a severe prospect hugger. Deadlines like the last couple haven’t helped that reputation. Remember Cashman wouldn’t trade for Gerrit Cole a couple of years ago because the Pirates wanted Andujar and Chance Adams.

The pressure has to be turned way up on Brian Cashman and the Yankees. Cashman has had the Yankees financial resources and the team has made one World Series since the beginning of the 2004 season. That’s astonishingly bad.

At some point, the finger has to be pointed at the guy behind the controls. I don’t believe that Brian Cashman is a bad GM, but at some point he needs to be held accountable for the lack of success from the Yankees.