Today was for Alex Rodriguez, but the last two weeks were Brian Cashman’s time to shine.
With Alex Rodriguez release announced today, the Yankee general manager completed maybe the best two week period he had on the job, since the Yankees were winning World Series back when another Clinton was in office.
It was smooth and smart and all that was missing was a baptism, while he was settling all the Yankee business.
In total, there are 10 new prospects in their farm system, including three or four that can be considered beauties and then, after the deadline was over, and after Carlos Beltran, Adrolis Chapman, and Andrew Miller, were settled into other uniforms, Cashman with Hal Steinbrenner took the other two large questions off the table in Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira.
“Clearly, there is a transition going on right now,” Cashman said. “This roster has been getting younger the last few years. It’s by intent. It’s stated publicly. It’s something that’s necessary and I think it’s an exciting time because there is some young blood that’s coming in here and they have big dreams and big hopes.”
Look it’s not easy getting religion, especially if you are a team like the Yankees. They are built on star power and charge Tiffany prices in their ballpark. They need stars to market, however when they are not producing it’s time for something new.
And here we are with the Yankees – let’s not say rebuilding – but rebooting so they can contend in 2018 and beyond.
Understand, this is a young man’s game now. When baseball outlawed performance enhancing drugs and amphetamines, it shortened many careers. Players started to break down earlier and production fell off the cliff.
It hurt the Yankees the hardest, since they were built on long term contracts and keeping their stars in the spotlight. But all teams were affected. Just ask a third baseman across town and you will get the drift.
And because an increase in national television money meant many teams were keeping their home grown players, the Bombers couldn’t put a Band-Aid on an aging roster by buying another free agent.
The Yankees knew that and Co-Chairman Hank Steinbrenner said back in June, “We have to keep developing our pitching in the minors. Pitching and position players, whatever. The big thing with pitching, it’s the most important part of the game, as you know. It gets very expensive when it comes to arm trouble to do with free agency and big contracts. So if the farm system is for anything, it’s most important for pitching. That’s what we are trying to do.”
So yeah, the team knew it, but an owner’s job is difficult, especially when you want to sell tickets. There’s no doubt the Yankee brass saw Citi Field before last year and the last thing they wanted were empty seats.
But to win these days, pain has to be endured. Cashman knew this and perfectly identified a seller’s market and used his assets to his advantage.
Then this week, by having Teixeira announce his retirement and letting A-Rod out of his contract, all questions were put to rest.
For years, the Yankees had the advantage because they had the most money. Heck, rules were put in to slow them down. Today, we learned that having money has another advantage. They could cut bait with A-Rod and make this about the future.
Now the Yankees finally move on and fans will get to enjoy some of the future with Gary Sanchez and possibly Aaron Judge and Tyler Austin.
Next year, Greg Bird will be back and maybe kids like this Clint Frazier will be ready.
Believe it or not, it’s an exciting time in the Bronx.
And all in the Yankee family has Cashman to thank.
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