Everything happens for a reason. And, if he wants to claim ‘bad luck’ – which personally I don’t believe in…as luck is the residue or design – then at least say that.
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And sometime, it IS just luck. Well, partly, just luck:

Cano, 2007 – LD/GB/FB%: 16.9/52.2/30.9; .303/.356/.488

Cano, 2008 – LD/GB/FB%:
19.4/47.4/33.2; .271/.305/.410

2% more fly balls, 3% more line drives…a 32-point drop in BAVG, and massively decreased power. Some of it was poorer play, and some of it was bad luck.

Here’s another one: Grant Balfour, reliever for the Rays, had a 1.26 ERA last year. His BABIP against was about .210. Anyone wanna bet that doesn’t go up to at least .270, with an ERA of at least 2.75, even if he’s “just as good” in 2009?
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If I were the GM, and someone asked me why my young player flopped, even if I knew exactly why, I almost certainly wouldn’t say it publicly.

1) If it’s systematic, that is, part of his physical weaknesses as a player, I wouldn’t publicize the reason why, especially if I were thinking about trading him down the road.

2) If it’s character, I certainly wouldn’t wash that laundry in public. Nothing good can come from that. Nothing.

In fact, if I were a GM, and I wanted to disagree with writers, or keep the real truth from them, or knock them off the premise of their question without overtly knocking them or looking like I’m Manginian, I probably be saying “I don’t know” to those guys and gals all the frappin’ time.

luck is the residue or design
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…and the gods help those who help themselves.

Except it’s not and they don’t. But it’s all very American Dreamy.

Sometimes, things happen, and there’s not really anything you could do about it. For example, we can complain about how Jorge Posada is old and they ought to have a better backup than Jose Molina. But, frankly, Jose Molina is a pretty good backup. And they traded for Pudge midseason. Who promptly sucked. So Jorge getting hurt is just bad luck.

Or we can talk about how Jeter is old and might get hurt, so they ought to have a better backup than Angel Berroa. Except that maybe better options weren’t really available for a reasonable price, and of course we wouldn’t rather be spending so much money on backups that they can’t afford someone like Teixeira. So Jeter getting hurt would just be bad luck.

What is Chien Ming Wang getting hurt running the bases if not bad luck? What is Robinson Cano having his worst season by far if not bad luck? For that matter, what was Aaron Small all of a sudden becoming unhittable all those years ago if not good luck?

Of course, I suppose the Yankees could build a bunch of robots who do the same thing every play. And then there would be no question of luck. But it would be pretty boring. Luck is what makes things interesting, after all.

Really, did you google:
Brian Cashman “I don’t know”

it does turn up a number of news stories, no?
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I’m sure it does. What’s the context?

“If that’s the reason, then why does he say “I don’t know?”

—

verbal crutch? some people say “um” alot, or “you follow” when explaining a situation like in class, or whatever. seems like Brian Cashman says “i don’t know” alot.

again, let me just point out another instance here where maybe being literal larry here kind of hurts the enjoyability of visiting WW.

go ahead and criticize Cashman for moves he’s made, or hasnt made, or deals that went awry or plans that went wrong, all fair game.

but to burn him on his use of a verbal crutch, or like newguy said, in an instance where he isnt exactly ready to spill the beans on his own organizations specific player development scouting reports to some joe schmoe reporter is a little silly.

Well stated, newguy

If that’s the reason, then why does he say “I don’t know?”
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It’s an expression or a mode of speaking. You’re being far to literal here.

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I agree. I assume this is a verbal conversation he was having with someone and not a highly researched, documented, footnoted, presentation on the “State of the Yankees.” If we was talking to Hal and Randy and said “well, guys, I just don’t know what’s going wrong,” then I would be worried.

And is it wrong to be somewhat perplexed as to why Jeter had a bad year? Or is it wrong to ‘not know’ why so many people got injured? If you want to take him literally, I don’t really have a problem with him not knowing those things.

Steve, I assume you are a voting man. I also assume you realize that Cashman is a political man in his position. Do you want him to call out Jeter? That would not be a good move. Do you want him to call out Cano? I’m sure its already clear to Cano how much he needs to improve this year. Do you want him to say Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy suck? It seems pretty obvious he is acknowledging his lack of faith in them by not having them in his rotation plans (maybe Hughes for 5th starter, but even that is tenuous at best.)

Cashman (generally) knows whats wrong. Simply because he doesn’t want to completely elaborate with Anthony McCarron isn’t a reason to get all apoplectic.

If that’s the reason, then why does he say “I don’t know?”
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It’s an expression or a mode of speaking. You’re being far to literal here.

~~We had a number of different guys going through things~~

If that’s the reason, then why does he say “I don’t know?”

~~I think it’s just you.~~

Really, did you google:
Brian Cashman “I don’t know”

it does turn up a number of news stories, no?