Yankees GM Brian Cashman has been adamant all along that while he’d like to add a pitcher to the club, he won’t trade away super prospects to do so.
On Thursday afternoon, Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman appeared on MLB Network’s “High Heat” to discuss the currency of the day, high-end prospects. It seems everyone wants one, but only a few teams have the type of young players who can truly redefine an organization — the way certain members of the Chicago Cubs did.
Cashman admitted that in today’s marketplace it takes A-list Minor League talent to pull-off Earth-shattering trades and that by “everyone’s evaluation,” the Yankees possess said talent to do just that. It just doesn’t mean Cashman and crew are ready to pull the trigger on any particular deal — which dispels any truth to the rumors of the Yankees engaging the White Sox for both Jose Quintana and David Robertson for a treasure trove of highly sought-after prospects.
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“I think we’ll stay engaged in the marketplace, and over time if we do match-up favorably with somebody where we can get what we want and they get what they want, then yes, we’ll try to get something,” Cashman stated. “But we’re very protective of the work we’ve done thus far, and we don’t want to do anything at the expense of a short-term gain. We want to make sure it’s for long-term efforts as well. And as we’ve seen since last winter, the price of doing business trade-wise is extremely high. We’ll continue to evaluate and stay engaged in the marketplace, but we’re prepared to start spring training with what we have if need be.”
Some have questioned Cashman intentions since he seems so gung-ho about an out and out rebuild, yet went ahead and signed injury-prone 36-year-old DH Matt Holliday for one year, and former Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman to the largest contract for a reliever in baseball history.
While I’ve gone on the record defending these moves, stating that they should speed up the rebuilding process because they effectively address positions of need right now, I can understand how skeptics feel underwhelmed that the Yankees spent a lot of money yet are still predicted to finish in the middle of the pack in the ultra-competitive AL East. It’s OK to be aware of both sides of the coin, though — because it’s a long season, and should Holliday play above expectations, and Chapman be his normal stellar self, the Yankees could find themselves creeping up the standings if any number of the Baby Bombers introduce themselves in a big way, as seen in 2016.
“I serve at the direction of ownership,” Cashman told “Hot Stove.” “We’re certainly not ever going to be in a position — at least intentionally — to drive off the cliff and live to fight four or five years later. There are a lot of Yankees fan worldwide supporting this club, and they pay a lot of money to see a good product. So we’re obviously trying to do the rebuild while at the same time competing, and I’m really happy about the trajectory that we are on. If everything goes right and we stay healthy, we’re going to be a contending team.”
I for one am glad the Yankees stay committed to not only winning, but giving the fans a product on the field they can be proud to root for, and more importantly, spend their hard-earned money to do so. This is why I was against a Quintana trade for a boatload of prospects from the get, and I’ll continue to be until the Yankees prove ready to compete for a division crown.
Rebuilds don’t happen overnight, but if the Yankees stay the course and trust the process, a team ready for October baseball could happen a whole lot sooner than any of us suspected — which means trusting Cashman’s judgment.
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