The Yankees reminded the baseball world Thursday afternoon about their new mantra – patience and common sense.
Gone are the days when “The Boss” pulled the trigger and overpaid on a big deal.
Now it is win for the long haul.
GM Brian Cashman basically stated it during his post-trade deadline address to the media. The Yankees weren’t going to overspend to presumably get the starting pitcher or they needed.
They didn’t look to further solidify their bullpen either.
They weren’t going to top pitching prospect Deivi Garcia or the presumed Hall of Fame
Glayber Torres. We all knew that. You can wonder why Clint Frazier – who obviously doesn’t fit in the future plans – wasn’t dealt in a package.
In Cashman’s defense, you have to trust him. He arguably is one of the best — if not the best in the baseball business. Remember, he has been in charge for 21 years. Cashman was trusted as he took over at the ripe age of 31.
It will come down to the return of Luis Severino to see if he can at least be an opener for the postseason.
Behind Masahiro Tanaka, take your pick among Domingo German, J.A. Happ, and James Paxton.
German is the wild card, and the one likely why a deal wasn’t done. Don’t count on CC Sabathia unless he is another opener.
But the real stinger was Houston acquiring Zach Greinke from Arizona, who was in New York for the past two days before his trade from the Diamondbacks. Houston gave up four prospects and presumably has a staff to lock down the American League pennant.
If there is any consolation, Greinke wouldn’t have worked in New York with his personality, and the Astros have had trouble winning in Yankee Stadium.
I have used “presumably” three times in the column, and it is for a reason.
It is presumed the Yankees did the wrong thing by not acquiring a starting pitcher or adding to their bullpen. We don’t know that for sure.
The calls of not giving starter Patrick Corbin an extra year on a potential deal and avoiding signing free agent Dallas Keuchle have begun.
It’s time to let the rest of the season play itself out and see what happens.
Relax. The Yankees have one of the best bullpens in the game and Luis Severino will be back soon.
It is a matter of the current players each raising their bars. The talent is there. Stay the course and stay patient. Trust Brian Cashman.
The hunt for October still has some ways to go.