Carl Pavano, Gary Sheffield, Kevin Brown, Randy Johnson, the trade of Javier Vazquez, the use of IPK and Hughes to start the 2008 season, his utter and complete refusal to develop a good bench, Damaso Marte.
On the other hand:
The trade of Gary Sheffield, the trade for ARod, the trade for Swisher (Betemit), the recruitment of CC and Tex (Tex especially, man that was slick), the trade for Abreu, the decision not to offer arbie to the NY FAs in the winter of 08, bullpen construction (generally speaking), the revival of the farm system and the refusal to trade Hughes.
So, it seems to me that he's good and wheeling and dealing, picking up bargains where there are bargains to be had. But a few things vex me - he's bad at evaluating pitchers, he will not develop a bench even when there are incredible bargains to be had (for god's sake, Grudz is still a FA), he gives out contracts that are too long, etc. Typical complaints.
My biggest problem with him is that in the NY media he has somehow convinced everyone that when something goes wrong or turns out bad, its the Steinbrenner's fault. And when it goes well, it's on him. ARod is the biggest example. After the steroid shit broke we all heard about how it was aaaaall Hank's fault and Cashman didn't want ARod but Hank forced him. Oh really, motherfucker? You resign as GM, get a new 3 year deal, and you have no control over the largest contract given out in team history?
Bullshit. But the man is Teflon, and that's why he still has a job.
"Specifically, they overpaid. They spent many millions more than other teams would have paid for guys who clearly preferred, all things being equal, to be somewhere else. Teixeira probably wanted to be in his hometown of Baltimore. Sabathia would have liked to go back to Milwaukee or home to the West Coast, but definitely in the National League, where he’d get to hit. Burnett, he’s a guy all of baseball knows would rather play in a low-intensity/small-market environment like Toronto.
They all made a show of preferring some other situation before quietly, somberly almost, taking the big money and going to New York. Basically, Brian Cashman hired a team full of Brian Cashmans"
is total bullshit. I think its pretty self-evident why.
"all other things being equal" - couldn't that also mean money? if the O's had the money to hand out a similar contract, do you think Tex would be there instead?
(1) Tex is a Baltimore kid but grew up a Yankees fan, so it wasn't exactly his lifelong dream to play for the Orioles.
(2) The O's lowballed him in a SERIOUS way. We're talking 40-50M below Yanks/Red Sox
(3) The Nats offered more years and more money than anyone, yankees included.
All things are never equal. The Yankees offered the best combination of money, a good team, good location, etc. So the idea that he glumly accepted their dollars because they offered the most, but meanwhile his heart is in Baltimore, is a myth propagated by the Orioles ownership (Red Sox too), in order to generate sympathy. In other words: bullshit.
Mixed feelings on MoneyCashHoes. On one hand:
ReplyDeleteCarl Pavano, Gary Sheffield, Kevin Brown, Randy Johnson, the trade of Javier Vazquez, the use of IPK and Hughes to start the 2008 season, his utter and complete refusal to develop a good bench, Damaso Marte.
On the other hand:
The trade of Gary Sheffield, the trade for ARod, the trade for Swisher (Betemit), the recruitment of CC and Tex (Tex especially, man that was slick), the trade for Abreu, the decision not to offer arbie to the NY FAs in the winter of 08, bullpen construction (generally speaking), the revival of the farm system and the refusal to trade Hughes.
So, it seems to me that he's good and wheeling and dealing, picking up bargains where there are bargains to be had. But a few things vex me - he's bad at evaluating pitchers, he will not develop a bench even when there are incredible bargains to be had (for god's sake, Grudz is still a FA), he gives out contracts that are too long, etc. Typical complaints.
My biggest problem with him is that in the NY media he has somehow convinced everyone that when something goes wrong or turns out bad, its the Steinbrenner's fault. And when it goes well, it's on him. ARod is the biggest example. After the steroid shit broke we all heard about how it was aaaaall Hank's fault and Cashman didn't want ARod but Hank forced him. Oh really, motherfucker? You resign as GM, get a new 3 year deal, and you have no control over the largest contract given out in team history?
Bullshit. But the man is Teflon, and that's why he still has a job.
That should say:
ReplyDelete"you re-sign", not "resign". I'm referring to the fact that he minted a new deal and then signed ARod.
But this, from the author:
ReplyDelete"Specifically, they overpaid. They spent many millions more than other teams would have paid for guys who clearly preferred, all things being equal, to be somewhere else. Teixeira probably wanted to be in his hometown of Baltimore. Sabathia would have liked to go back to Milwaukee or home to the West Coast, but definitely in the National League, where he’d get to hit. Burnett, he’s a guy all of baseball knows would rather play in a low-intensity/small-market environment like Toronto.
They all made a show of preferring some other situation before quietly, somberly almost, taking the big money and going to New York. Basically, Brian Cashman hired a team full of Brian Cashmans"
is total bullshit. I think its pretty self-evident why.
"all other things being equal" - couldn't that also mean money? if the O's had the money to hand out a similar contract, do you think Tex would be there instead?
ReplyDeleteWell, a few things in response -
ReplyDelete(1) Tex is a Baltimore kid but grew up a Yankees fan, so it wasn't exactly his lifelong dream to play for the Orioles.
(2) The O's lowballed him in a SERIOUS way. We're talking 40-50M below Yanks/Red Sox
(3) The Nats offered more years and more money than anyone, yankees included.
All things are never equal. The Yankees offered the best combination of money, a good team, good location, etc. So the idea that he glumly accepted their dollars because they offered the most, but meanwhile his heart is in Baltimore, is a myth propagated by the Orioles ownership (Red Sox too), in order to generate sympathy. In other words: bullshit.