Looking Back At The “Yanks MVP” 5 Years Later
From a Chris Smith feature published in NY Mag entitled “The Yankees’ Most Valuable Player” on August 9, 2004:
After weeks of dead-end trade proposals Brian Cashman finally has a live one. It’s July 31, the last day of Major League Baseball’s midsummer trading period. Cashman was awakened in Darien at six this morning by his 1-year-old son, and watching The Wiggles with Teddy seemed like the only fun Cashman would have all day. What the 37-year-old general manager of the Yankees has to look forward to, mostly, is being quizzed by his boss, George Steinbrenner, as other teams announce deals: Why’d the Marlins get him? Why don’t we want him?
Now, with one hour to go before the trading deadline, in his narrow office above home plate at Yankee Stadium, where the walls are lined with the color-coded names of every big-league player, Cashman finds himself on the verge of moving erratic pitcher Jose Contreras to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for right-hander Esteban Loaiza.
Just before hustling downstairs to the clubhouse to talk to Contreras—whose contract gives him the right to block the deal—Cashman makes another call on his BlackBerry. It’s to one of his best friends in baseball, San Diego Padres general manager Kevin Towers. “What’s up, dude?” Cashman asks, constantly panning for useful information. “I’m talking to the White Sox,” Towers says, “about getting Loaiza and spinning him off to Boston to get us Derek Lowe.”
Uh-oh. Losing out on Loaiza would be disappointing, but not fatal. Losing him to the Red Sox, on the other hand—in Steinbrenner’s world, that’s a hanging offense. Cashman hangs up, speed-dials Kenny Williams. The White Sox general manager says Contreras remains his first choice. Hmmm.
Contreras signs off on the trade, and with one minute to go before the deadline, Anthony Flynn, a Yankees aide, faxes in the official documents. “Conversation, man, that’s key,” Cashman says. “Just stay communicating; you might get lucky. It’s that old principle: One man’s shit is another man’s ice cream.”
Oh, if only the Red Sox had been able to trade Derek Lowe for Esteban Loaiza back in July of 2004…
Dumping Conteras didn’t bother me (he was maddeningy inconsistent) and getting Loaiza didn’t do anything for me (he was what he was…a mediocre arm). But imagine if the Red Sox had pulled this move off.
Theo is a very, very good GM but he’s been pretty lucky over the years as well. This one would’ve been a boneheaded move, just like th Lugo/Renteria signings and some other gaffes. Lucky for him and RSN, none of his blunders have totally blown up in his face.
I can just imagine a conversation betwen Theo Epstein and Kevin Towers – where Theo says to Kevin “Can you believe the Yankees are stupid enough to want Esteban Loaiza? Hey, Kev, do me a solid. Call Cashman and tell him that we want him too – and we’re going to work it through you – make anything up…just make sure it sounds like we’re really hot for the guy…to ensure that Cashman runs out there and pulls the trigger in a hurry. If you do this, I’ll tell you what…I’ll give you Dave Roberts at the end of the year and you can dump Jay Payton on me….”
Then the mistake was compounded by signing Wright instead of Loaiza.
I would’ve rather Contreras stayed, but I understand the reasoning behind the trade.
Lost in the ALCS debacle was Loaiza having a pretty good postseason.
Raf wrote:
and pavano…but im not so sure signing loaiza instead of wright would have been any less of a mistake…i’d say that probably ends up a push
FWIW, I’m of the camp that says you cannot blame Cashman for Wright – and that was a “Tampa move.” However, ask me about letting Lieber go…which led to the Wright signing…and that I’m willing to pin on Cashman (for not judging the market and then having the Benson signing led to Fats going to Philly).
Don’t think I can fault Cashman for the Benson signing. If another GM wants to sign a player to a deal, that’s on them. Like the Ibanez signing, for instance; that the Phils signed him to that contract does not justify Abreu getting an equal contract (had he returned to the Yanks). I also cant fault Lieber for making a money grab; I would’ve done the same thing in his position. Same with Marte, had he done the same after Cashman declined his option.
Regarding Loaiza vs Wright, I wouldn’t have taken either, but if I had to choose, I would’ve taken Loaiza over Wright.