Actually, back in the day, I had a lot to say in terms of “Beware!” for those going after Pavano:

http://www.netshrine.com/vbulletin2/showthread.php?t=16185

I see where you are getting at and I can respect your assumptions. Point taken. My point is that I have been reading this blog for a while, you have placed Cashman front and center for this season issues along with past seasons issues since he took the mantle of “GM.” And I can see where you would place blame on him for some things but not everything u say, because of the lack of evidence and the lack of actually ownership he had that came with the GM. I like you blog I just wish you where more careful with your words when placing blame on ppl… I mean seriously seriously, did anyone say that Pavano is made of glass and would be injured for 3 yrs nonstop, prior to his signing.

Cashman went out and signed Pavano all on his own – that’s been well documented. So, if he made the case to bring in Pavano, he could have made the case to bring back Lilly, if he wanted to…

Steve, how do we know Cashman had authority any of these decisions prior to 2006? Last time I checked Cashman did not have the authority a normal GM has until 2006. He was simply on of Stein’s advisor. Did he admit it was his idea not to sign Ted Lilly? Is there a report proving this? If so then yes he missed on not signing Ted Lilly. But he never had the say in this matters that gm’s for Minnesota, etc. had. Every time you post something about Cashman past 2006 I will continue to point this out.

Actually, I have answered that in the past.

See:

http://waswatching.com/2008/08/01/same-ol-cashman/

and look for the comment I made on August 1st, 2008 @ 12:40 pm

For the same package, I would have preferred Bay. Problem is, Bay can’t play RF next year if necessary. Nady can. So there’s no way they acquire Bay to have three LF’s/DH’s on the 2009 roster. Sure, then maybe you trade one, but they had another option – Nady. And Marte looked like the best reliever on the trade market while giving the Yankee pen a lefty arm.

Yeah, Cashman has been a slow learner. But there’s no doubt he’s learned. Why set him free to have someone else benefit from that training? And who replaces him? Those are the questions Steve has never answered

Just like with Weaver and Vazquez and even Unit and Brown, you just have to remember this point. Cashman is just like you or me, and with the availability of stats today even moreso, and can’t see the future.
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Agree 100% with that statement.

I’ve never been a big Nady fan…always seen him as just an average player. Therefore, I’m not big on trading big-time prospects for average MLB players. But it’s done and at least the move was defensible, which is all it really has to be.

“Although the Nady trade was a pretty good one”

Just like with Weaver and Vazquez and even Unit and Brown, you just have to remember this point. Cashman is just like you or me, and with the availability of stats today even moreso, and can’t see the future. Judge him today, and move on. Look back in five years.

Besides, I was worried about the future of Bobby Kelly…

Then he goes and makes the Nady and Pudge trades. The former was with mostly worthless prospects (save Tabata) and the latter was with a worthless piece.
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The Pudge trade was great in that they dumped Farnsworth and got an upgrade over Molina in one move.

Although the Nady trade was a pretty good one, I’m still a bit worried from the standpoint that the Yanks sold super-duper low on Tabata and gave up young arms to get 1.5 years of career-league average Nady and a piece of garbage just as bad as Farnsworth.