A Bronx Feud 

By Mike Rifkin

Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman has had an interesting start to his offseason. Last week at the General Manager’s meetings, Cashman was very annoyed during a media session where someone asked him about the Yankees being analytically driven. Cashman said, “No one is doing their deep dives; they’re just ammunition and bulls*** and accusing us of being run analytically… To be said we’re guided by analytics as a driver is a lie.” Whether the team is analytically driven is not the point, but it’s how Cashman got defensive about the situation. I am not 100 percent on board with analytics, but I realize it’s part of the game. There must still be a gut feeling from players and coaches, no matter the sport. 

Cashman also said, “I’m proud of our people, and I’m proud of our process. It doesn’t mean we’re firing on all cylinders, it doesn’t mean we’re the best in class. But I think we’re pretty f****ing good, personally.” The Yankees finished 2023 with a record of 82-80 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016. People can say the Yankees had injuries, which they did. But so did other teams. Hasn’t the Yankee goal always been to win the World Series? They haven’t done that since 2009; they haven’t been there since 2009. You know who’s been to a World Series more recently than the Yankees, the Kansas City Royals, a team that lost 106 games this season. 

Brian Cashman on Monday said this about Yankees DH Giancarlo Stanton: “I’m not going to tell you he’s going to play every game next year because he’s not. He’s going to wind up getting hurt again, more likely than not, because it seems to be a part of his game.”  Stanton managed to play 101 games this season but hit an abysmal .191 with 24 homers and 60 RBI. Over the last three seasons, Stanton has played in 351 out of 486 games. But the Yankees need Stanton, who has four years and 88 million dollars left on his contract. But who acquired the contract from then Marlins President Derek Jeter, Brian Cashman, so Cashman calls out a player he knows he cannot move because the guy’s contract is too big? Also, what team will acquire a guy when his GM calls him out?  

Stanton’s agent, Joel Wolfe, responded today, “It’s a good reminder for all free agents considering signing in New York to play for that team: you must be made of Teflon.” Wolfe also represents 25-year-old Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, coming to the United States this offseason. 

Over the last few years, Yankee fans have gotten fed up with Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner because the Yankees have failed. With the recent quotes of Cashman, one has to wonder if the pressure is getting to him or if he is as frustrated as the fans. But we know one thing: the team with the most pressure to win next year is the New York Yankees because it’s the same thing every year.