Cashman for President

Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed Brian Cashman's incredible ability to be "forced" to do exactly—and only—what he wanted to do in the first place?

This is a trademark of highly effective presidents.  FDR, who in my humble opinion was our greatest chief executive, was adept at this.  He used to tell visitors to the White House, "FORCE me to do this."

That is, 'Create enough outside pressure so I can get the political leverage to push something through.'

Brian Cashman, my friends, has this quality by the bushelful, which is why he is wasted running a mere baseball team.

Several of us—I think Tom Parr, and apoorplayer—have made the very valid points that the McCutcheon trade may well work out fine.  That we don't seem to have given up so much for him, and that Cutch may well prove to be a useful rental, and we have to do something.

I was about to reply that what I hated was Cashman's usual failure to anticipate and plan.  How if he was going to go after Cutch, he probably should have done so a month earlier.  Why waste weeks with Shane Robinson and Neil Walker in the outfield?

For that matter, as I've brayed before, why not realize we are still rebuilding, and devote much of this season to letting the likes of Drury, Wade, McKinney, Austin, Sheffield, and others battle it out to see if THEY could fill the holes we are now springing quicker than the good ship Guppy?

What a dummy that Cashman is, huh?

But like so many Rooseveltian opponents over the years, I suddenly find myself realizing that I am the sucker at the table.

This is what Brian Cashman wanted to do all along.  This is the only thing Brian Cashman has ever been comfortable—or successful—doing in his long career:  acquiring experienced players, NOT carefully molding and nurturing a continually successful farm system.

Yes, I know some terrific prospects have managed to make it over the Bronx equivalent of the Berlin Wall this year, machine gun bullets kicking up concrete by their faces.  That will happen, even with the best prospect squanderer (or squasher), though Cashie did his utmost to ensure they were buried back in Scranton.

Of course, with the attention Coops gives to mentoring and instruction in this organization, El Matador and El Conquistador are as likely to end up imploding, Bird and Sanchez style, as becoming the superstars some have predicted.

For that matter, Sevvy already seems to be deteriorating rapidly, and no other young pitcher has stepped forward.  And then there's that .204 road average that Judge was sporting before his devastating bone injury, and how even those farm players who aren't peddled off for rentals and junk heaps—such as our CF of the Indefinite Future, Estevan Florial—end up suddenly moving in reverse.

For all the assertions that the Yankees' farm system is taking a breather because it has produced so much, right now we are talking maybe 4 real success stories, all of which seem to be teetering on a razor's edge, ready to split right into painful mediocrity.

So what to do?

Why, pick up Cutch, and Happ, and Lynn, and Britton, of course!  Go out and sign a brace of free agents to outrageous contracts next winter, of course!

What else CAN the Yankees do?

I mean, we can't let the great start to this season just slip away, can we??

I mean, we're practically a 100-win team, and all it will take is one hot streak by us, a week or two of exhaustion and mediocrity by Boston (and Houston or Cleveland, and probably the Cubs, but never mind!) and we're sipping champagne, and burnishing that Cooperstown plaque for you-know-who.

And hey, if it doesn't work out this year?  Why, once we are FORCED to sign Manny and Bryce ad Corbin, we could easily match Cashman's track record of one world championship every 20 years or so (with teams he actually built).

So yeah, I for one am excited—or at least, sort of relieved, aren't they same thing?—to see Cutch take over right field from Shane Robinson.  Aren't you?  I can't wait to see Manny Machado move into Neil Walker's locker, and Bryce Harper take Gardner's, and Corbin take over Sonny Gray's spot in the (road) rotation.

I'm all aboard the Pennant Express!  We HAVE to have the veterans!  We HAVE to crush the running dogs in Eurasia!  I mean, Eastasia!

As I said:  Cash's talents are wasted on mere baseball.