Via Mark Feinsand -
With the trade deadline looming a week from Thursday, the Yankees’ brain trust will gather Thursday in Tampa to discuss potential moves.
The meeting will include co-chairmen Hank and Hal Steinbrenner, president Randy Levine, general manager Brian Cashman, special adviser Gene Michael, pro scouting director Billy Eppler and senior VP Felix Lopez. Manager Joe Girardi isn’t expected to be at the meeting, but he is expected to have some input.
A source with knowledge of the situation said that the Steinbrenner brothers have been pleased with the team’s recent play, so they want to show the players that they are committed to winning this year by making moves to bolster the roster.
“They’re ready to do whatever they need to do at the deadline,” the source said. “They want to make a run this year.”
During last week’s All-Star break, the source said, Hal Steinbrenner instructed Cashman to make whatever moves were necessary before the deadline, even if it meant dealing some of the organization’s highly touted prospects.
This is an interesting report. So, now, if the Yankees do not make a deal to help their big league team, should that be seen as a failure on Brian Cashman’s part?
10 Responses to “Yanks Ready To Make A Deal”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
July 23rd, 2008 at 9:53 am
So, now, if the Yankees do not make a deal to help their big league team, should that be seen as a failure on Brian Cashman’s part?
———————————-
Why would it be a failure on Cashman’s part? What if no deal emerges? What if the asking price for mediocre players is too high? What if Cashman has a deal in place that the rest of the “brain trust” overrules?
You’re looking for any possible way to frame Cashman as a failure, aren’t you?
July 23rd, 2008 at 10:11 am
Well, if you can believe the “source,” this is how I would view it, if I were the GM…
My boss, the owners of the team, comes to me and says:
“We have been pleased with the team’s recent play and want to show the players that we are committed to winning this year by making moves to bolster the roster. So, make whatever moves are necessary before the deadline, even if it means dealing some of our highly touted prospects.”
Then, if it’s me, I’m hearing this as “make whatever moves are necessary before the deadline.” And, therefore, my charge is to MAKE something “emerge” and not to sit back and HOPE that something “emerges.” And, if I don’t make it happen, then I have failed.
July 23rd, 2008 at 10:33 am
Then, if it’s me, I’m hearing this as “make whatever moves are necessary before the deadline.” And, therefore, my charge is to MAKE something “emerge” and not to sit back and HOPE that something “emerges.” And, if I don’t make it happen, then I have failed.
——————-
There’s a balance between making something happen and hoping something happen. Making a deal because you feel you need to make something happen isn’t the best course of action to take.
Given that they’re still trying to rehab Posada & Matsui, and Bonds hasn’t gotten so much as a look, says much more than the Tampa pow-wow does.
July 23rd, 2008 at 11:01 am
The problem with that logic Steve is that trading, like dancing or f*cking, requires two people (at least).
If the Yanks don’t like what people are selling, or conversely, other teams don’t like what the Yanks are offering, then a deal can’t get done.
I think the Yankees probably will find something they like, and make a good offer on it, but trading the farm to make a deal for dealmaking’s sake is a bad, bad idea.
July 23rd, 2008 at 11:20 am
Cashman’s m.o. for years has been to offer garbage packages to other teams as a way of covering himself to ownership for his unwillingness to make a deal. Other GMs have complained that he routinely overvalues his own prospects in trade discussions. This is a tactic he uses so that he can go to the Steinbrenners and say “See, they tried to hold me up and I stood firm.” It has the dual benefit of appealing to the Steinbrenners’ macho mentality and protecting Cashman from ever having to do anything to significantly improve the club.
July 23rd, 2008 at 11:34 am
Other GMs have complained that he routinely overvalues his own prospects in trade discussions.
————————————-
Most GMs do that. It’s called negotiation. You don’t want to give it away when you can make someone pay for it.
July 23rd, 2008 at 11:58 am
Cashman’s m.o. for years has been to offer garbage packages to other teams as a way of covering himself to ownership for his unwillingness to make a deal.
——————
Maybe there just isn’t a deal to be made.
That we have players like Rodriguez, Betemit, Abreu, Molina, Britton, etc, etc, etc says that Cashman is willing to make a deal when necessary.
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:33 pm
agreed. it takes two people to tango, so Cashman isnt just selling prospects or adding payroll, but he needs someone to offer up what he wants or what he feels the team needs.
then, he has to justify the move by bringing in a player who fits a team need and compare it to what he gave up in prospects.
bc if there is one thing i’m sure of, if Cashman took this permission from the Steinbrenner family and turned Austin Jackson, Ian Kennedy, and crew into a flawed player who bombs in LF or a pitcher who stinks in the playoffs, people like Steve here would be sure to blame Cashman for not spending or trading wisely.
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:35 pm
“I think the Yankees probably will find something they like, and make a good offer on it, but trading the farm to make a deal for dealmaking’s sake is a bad, bad idea.”
i agree. i believe there is a deal here to be made that Cashman will like, and he’ll pull the trigger.
but i also think the deal will be smart in the sense that if he trades prospects, he’ll make sure he’s getting back in return a slam dunk, or players who will be team and cost controlled for a certain length of time past this season.
July 24th, 2008 at 3:36 am
Here’s to Abreu, aka Mr. Softee, aka Mr. -17, having a great salary drive for FA in August and September. You go boy!
And Farnsworth too.