Thursday, December 8, 2022

Once Again, Cashie Got Played.

 

SNY was reporting last night that Aaron Judge and his wife being "caught" visiting San Francisco a week ago was apparently a "staged" incident—staged for the benefit of you-know-who.

The network also reported that the Yankees are highly suspicious about the timing of the Time (the timing of the Time?) article, in which Judge expressed his (mild) displeasure about Cashman deciding to negotiate in the media last spring, in order to put more pressure on him. 

In that piece, of course, Judge also remembered fondly his old dreams of playing for the Giants and living in their native, Northern California with his then college sweetheart (and now wife).

There was also, of course, his sudden visit, swooping in to listen to San Diego's offer—an offer he swiftly rejected, even though it was reportedly the highest on the table.

Huh. What a surprise. Brian Cashman, Master Negotiator, General Manager for Life—Cooperstown Cashman—got played once again by a Yankee great. 

The last time, of course, was when Derek Jeter, in his short tenure as Marlins GM, deftly placed the millstone known as Giancarlo Stanton around his neck, even as Cashie was bragging all over the press box about what a great deal he had pulled off, and what an incompetent boob Jeter was.

At least, this time Coops was played for "good," by a ballplayer who was willing to leave money on the table to return to New York. I know, I know: signing a contract for $360 million is not exactly a sterling example of selflessness. But it WAS one more indication that he wanted to be here, which is a nice shout out to the fans. Some anchorwoman on the local, CBS News was practically chirping with delight over the fact that Judge—and Samantha, his wife—wanted to be in New York.

Have we really got that desperate?  

But never mind. What Judge's maneuverings spoke to were, once again the street smarts of a player who has always seemed smart as hell on the field, as well as a rock of emotional stability under the white-hot glare of the New York spotlight.

So a bunch of rich idiots in their playoff seats booed him. So what? Judge was smart enough and mature enough to know that wasn't New York. 

He was also able to figure out that while San Francisco has a lovely ballyard, it isn't built for right-handed sluggers, and that while he would have been part of a new, Murderers' Row down in San Diego, a park named after a pet food company—and a town, nice as it seems, where the leading cultural attraction is the aquarium—isn't really the proper stage for a legend in the making.  

All to the good. There are, of course, no guarantees as to how Judge or the Yankees will actually fare over the next nine years. There's no pre-determination in baseball. 

But again, it bodes well that Judge was canny enough and stable enough—in a time of Kyrie Irvings and Aaron Rodgerses—to keep his temper, keep his wits, and help not only himself but the organization he wanted to play for. That speaks well of him, not only as a competitor, but a teammate.

Chances are, Brian Cashman will never understand just how much tsuris Judge spared him over the rest of his life. And no doubt, Hal Steinbrenner will go on thinking he's hit a triple, after being born on third base. 

Who cares? We got Judge! The real talent, and the real man, on the New York Yankees.


 



 



9 comments:

  1. We got played because Genius Cashman is a fool!

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  2. If Ca$hman doesn't get more players to support Judge, expect Judge to be more vocal in his displeasure with the FO. After all, that's 9 years GUARANTEED and he will be "The Captain"...couldn't get rid of that salary so easily huh Ca$h?

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  3. So explain to me how this deal changes anything. You have a team that still strikes out pretty much every other at bat. You have 2 decent starters and a 3rd one that will be on the DL by May. A bullpen headed by a one-hit wonder. 100+ million dollars owed to 3 players over the next 4-5 years. But they are A lock for the WC round and the press will say what a great job Cashman did.

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  4. Lovely word smithing Hoss.

    Also, a very keen eye (not to be confused with Dziga Vertov's Kino-Eye although you are most welcome to confuse the two)

    Please carry on . . .

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  5. Amen, Hoss! I would only add that the tarring and feathering of Cashman by soon to be team Captain Judge was amusing and enjoyable to watch. Cashman: the new Village Idiot! Yeah, that's him standing in the corner with the dunce cap!

    The question now is whether that other asshole HAL will unleash the wallet and make some intelligent decisions. The early returns are not promising, to say the least.

    The Red Sox already signed that Japanese player, the lefty hitting outfielder, that we had talked about. The Yankees? We signed Tommy Kahnle.

    What is it about Cashman bringing back guys for the second or third time? What is the fascination with players who desperately need sports psychologists? If I remember Tommy Kahnle, he's the reliever who pitched like his jock strap was too tight, the reliever who needed a reliever almost every time he pitched. Why do we always have to be the experimental Cuckoo's Nest for ballplayers who need shrinks?

    It does not speak well for the Yankees's scouting department. Seriously, out of all the available short relievers out there, they could not find a younger & better reliever than Tommy Kahnle? We have to bring back this guy who seemed to have nervous breakdowns whenever somebody got on base?

    Why not also bring back Dellin Betances also? One of my all time favorite arsonists. One of the best leaders of our Arson Squad. Betances belongs in the Short Relievers Arsonists Hall of Fame. It's not easy to make it into that Hall. You've got to throw 100mph. You have to have had one or two "immaculate" innings with three strikeouts on nine pitches. You have cause fans to vomit every other time that you pitch. You have to be capable of rendering baseball scorecards illegible with twelve batters coming up in your one inning of relief. You've got to be able to throw wild pitches/passed balls, walks, and hit-by-pitches, and allow hordes of stolen bases. Yeah, I'm just waiting for that Betances signing.

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  6. Hammer,
    That was hilarious.

    But also painfully true.

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  7. To your point Celerino, we have changed nothing so far. The team is a year older, a year slower, and is still a dead ringer for the team that cratered in August and was embarrassed by the Astros in October. There is no overarching plan in place. Sure, we'll pick up some scraps unearthed by the foraging rat Cashman, maybe even a former big name or two. But committed, wholesale change, a sworn dedication to winning? Don't make me laugh/

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  8. Pretty damned funny, Hammer.

    And yeah, I thought the same thing: how the hell did we get beat out for the Japanese guy?

    Meanwhile, the Mets gave Nimmo $160 mill for 8 years, which seems crazy, but hey, he's a leadoff man.

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  9. If they don't make Judge captain immediately and if they don't pick up more pitching and hitting, what does it matter?

    Oh yeah, if they don't improve the farm system in such a way that is beyond the ken of Cash the Cantaloupe, if they don't get real coaches and trainers in there, if they don't stop Boone from setting foot in the stadium and if they don't get rid of Stanton, Hicks and Donaldson, what does it matter?

    The bell tolls for us all.

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