Brian Cashman was kind enough to sit down with the handful of New York media out here. Nothing explosive, but a few interesting thoughts:
As first reported here, the Yankees have signed Sergio Mitre to a preimilnary, minor-league contract. Mitre, 27, underwent Tommy John surgery this past June, so he may or may not make it back to the major leagues in 2009. Mitre pitched for Joe Girardi's Marlins in 2006.
Cashman acknowledged something obvious, but since he's so hesitant to admit even the obvious, I found it newsworthy: The Yankees are looking for multiple, big-time starting pitchers this offseason.
"I just know that we need starting pitching, and it’s not just one," he said. "We’re not going to be one and done. We need multiple. If not, we’ll have to continue to have it come from within." That sound you just head was the agents for CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett high-fiving each other.
He considers his starting rotation to be just two deep right now: Chien-Ming Wang and Joba Chamberlain. Wang, rehabbing from his freak right foot injury, will probably have a "slow start" in spring training, Cashman said; but stressed the right-hander should be ready for the start of the season.
As for Chamberlain and his innings limit, "I’m going to worry about it when it comes," Cashman said. "Our plan is to have him in the rotation but obviously protect him at the same time. How we do that remains to be seen."
On how the lineup will cope with the seemingly likely departures of Jason Giambi and Bobby Abreu: "We’ll see. We obviously have Johnny (Damon) and Xavier (Nady). I believe Robby (Cano) is going to come back. But there’s no doubt if you lose Bobby and Jason, those are tough guys to replace. Obviously our two most selective hitters. We shall see how it plays out.
"At the same time, it’s hard to predict this early in the process how things are going to shake out. It doesn’t change the fact that pitching is obviously the key to the kingdom. If we have to worry about the offense at a later time, we’ll worry at the offense at a later time. But pitching is what we have to solve, or we’ll never get to where we want to be."
Cano will DH in Dominican winter ball from Nov. 22 to Dec. 22, so that he can work on the swing he adapted late in the regular season. Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long will work with Cano before and during most of that time.
Ian Kennedy will pitch in Puerto Rico in order to get work. He'll make his first start on Friday.
Cashman thinks he has centerfield covered, with Brett Gardner, Melky Cabrera and possibly Johnny Damon. But he stressed of Damon, "Optimally, he’s our leadoff hitter and leftfielder."
He has begun reaching out to agents of other teams' free agents, he said, and while he wouldn't identify anyone, he said, "In most cases, it’s very obvious." In other words, Greg Genske (Sabathia), Scott Boras (Mark Teixeira, Manny Ramirez) and Darek Braunecker (A.J. Burnett).
As for Colletti, the Dodgers' GM, he'll likely have a dialogue in earnest with Boras this week concerning Manny. The Dodgers haven't yet made an offer to Manny, Colletti stressed. But the widespread belief is they'll offer a deal long on dollars ($20 million per year or more) and short on years (two).
In another concession that was obvious but newsworthy nonetheless, Colletti said the Dodgers couldn't afford both Manny and Sabathia.
Bob Tufts asked earlier today whether I'd be providing a list of the five worst GMs. The answer is no. Primarily because I'm a coward. But also because most bad GMs don't stick around long enough to be really bad GMs. And then we have a crop of inexperienced GMs, and they're mostly not so much bad as they are too inexperienced to fully judge, if that makes sense.
Thanks to this site for the Colletti photo.
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Comments (8)
Ken - the thought of a worst list was not a demand, just a nod to the departure from this mortal coil of Mr. Blackwell.
I think it is safe to say that the teams with poor ownership that do not have some business and baseball plan make their GM's look poor.
Base on the comments made by Cashman, its good news for free agents (aka Sabathia, Burnett, Teixeira etc.) and bad news for people like JMH who want the Yanks to go with youth instead of going out and spend on free agents.
Ken, since your at the GM meetings, are you going to used a absentee ballot for tomorrow's presdiental election?
Yes, Dennis, absentee ballot for me.
Excellent posting, Ken. Excellent. Great information here. I hope it doesn't play out exactly as Cashman's comments indicate it might, but it's still fascinating to read about. I like the idea of Cano playing ball for a month and of Long working with him during that time. I hope either Giambi and Abreu don't come back. Why don't I trust Cashman on definitively cutting ties with both.
Ken, good info on the Cashman front. I guess they'll let Joba start. I thought they were only going to let him pitch against righties in Oakland the first two months of the year.
As for Beane, I do agree with you. He has gotten a lot and probably more out of a small market team than anyone else ever. So I have no prob with you putting him at #1. Theo gets my vote bc of the rings and the way he handles Francona. Though like you said, he has a huge safety net.
I find it funny that Manny is going to get 40 mil for two years, just like he would have in Boston. Only he'll have no safety net as the Green Monster, the DH and he'll have no more World Series rings.
Oh and as for your cowardness...I dont blame you. No reason to go out of your way to knock someone when you dont have to. Though you show no Hankenstein fear.
Ken - Dana Point sounds like a beautiful spot. Don't worry about me...Secaucus is very nice in November !
Cashman finally figured out that he needs pitching. Well there's home for him yet.
Changing gears a bit, what do you think of Peter Gammons' idea of moving the WS to neutral (warm weather) sites...?
Gerry, I'm going to assume you're wrong and Peter Gammons didn't say that. And if you send me a link with what he said, I'm going to cover my ears and eyes and scream..."LALALALALALALALALALALALLALALA...." because I dont want a HOF broadcaster who is so widely respected to have such a stupid idea as that!!!