In case there was any doubt, Brian Cashman proved yesterday that he was, indeed, the Machiavelli of the front office.
Don’t put baby in a corner. Facing what promised to be the most desperate day of his (apparently endless) Yankees career, a 9/9 Old Timers’ Game featuring Derek Jeter and the entire, 1998,Greatest Team That Ever Was, complete with endless choruses of “Fi-re Cash-man” and “Hi-re Jet-er”…The Brain got going.
Cashman’s “solution” was what we have seen this week: throwing the kids into the breech. Up comes Everson Pereira, Austin Wells—and even The Martian. Hell, before it’s all over, we might even see Estevan Florial released from Scranton, like some show-trialed Soviet general brought back from the gulag by Stalin when the Wehrmacht was closing on Moscow.
Should the kids be brought up now? I dunno.
I tend to agree with Doug that it’s better now than later, especially considering how expert Cashie’s little analytic minions are at wrecking young ballplayers. If they’re flash-in-the-pans, better they flash up in the Bronx than in Dunder Mifflin land.
But how can we really know? After all, less than two months ago, The Martian was flailing at Double-A pitching. Is he really ready for the majors? Or will a premature promotion kill his confidence, and permanently hobble him?
We’ll find out. But what we already know is what a cynical, self-centered individual Brian Cashman is.
I’m not just talking his usual incompetence at baseball. I mean that he stands revealed once again as a bad guy and all-around schmuck.
The promotions of Pereira, Wells, and Marvin Martian have nothing to do with whether they’re ready or not. They have to do with Brian Cashman doing everything he can to ensure that that 9/9 crowd is inclined to be happily cheering the future on—rather than calling for his head.
Will he get away with it? Most likely. If, by chance, any of the rooks hit a home run or even a solid fly ball, the Knights of the Press Box will write about how sunny the future looks, and how Cashman is about to launch a whole new dynasty, just like the one he inheritedmade.
I’m sure Hal, at least, will believe them.
Hoss,
ReplyDeleteFor some reason, your article made me think of this song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHPOzQzk9Qo
Maybe Boonie can sing it at all of his post game pressers.
Roofus,
ReplyDeleteAa has an interesting story to tell about the Pythons.
ReplyDeleteYe Gods
https://twitter.com/AP_Sports/status/1697359724784574480
I can save Hal a lot of money (which is all he seems to care about) by giving him a couple of pieces of advice
Stop signing players with a lengthy injury history and expect them to play an entire season for the Yankees without falling to pieces
Anyone over the age of 31 does not get a 5/6 year deal I don't care what the analytics say it will turn out to be a bad contract
ReplyDeleteAnd this analytics malarkey correct me if I am wrong but isn't that Cashman's job?
Does he not have a cavern full of stats guys telling us what a certain player hits on the night of a full moon when away from home?
Should an outside agency be used then he must sack the said incompetent wallopers that have been running the team as they clearly have been proven to be useless at their job (bullpen arms excepted credit where credit is due)
ReplyDeleteOh, and this might be controversial but I think Yankee Stadium through its three iterations may well have been built for left-handed hitters and it would be nice if the team had some decent ones in the lineup.
Then again I am from Scotland What do I know compared to these Ivy League educated brainiacs?
AA, You have my email. Do tell.
ReplyDeleteScottish Fan,
You are en fuego this evening. I vote for you to be the new analytics guy in the Yankee front office. Your job will be to put everything in the shredder for a seven figure salary, until they figure out that it was all bull shit from the beginning.
Oh, and drink all of HAL's best scotch.
And Donaldson signs with the Brewers. Well, God bless.
ReplyDeleteAnother highlight from "not a winning ballplayer" Torres. Meanwhile, Volpe has a 3.4 WAR, not to mention a 20/20 season. I would have taken that back in April, especially given the age at which he was being thrown into the fire. Of course Starlin Castro looked to have a great career at that age, so I'll curb my enthusiasm at this point.
ReplyDelete