Cashman: We Are Done

At a fundraiser yesterday, Brian Cashman was asked about the Yankees possibly pursuing Manny Ramirez. His response was a bit disturbing:

“We respect his abilities, there’s no doubt about it, but we’re now in the non-roster-invite mode. … We’ve secured the areas of need and hopefully put ourselves in a better position. We’re not playing on any Major League free agents, other than non-roster invites.”…..He pointed to Fernando Tatis, who resurrected his career last season with the Mets, as an example of the type of player the Yankees are seeking.

“You see guys that take two or three years and don’t seem to be a fit,” Cashman said. “You put them in a new environment. It’s kind of like Kurt Warner [of the Arizona Cardinals]. You put them in a new offensive scheme, and it’s like, ‘Boom!’ Sometimes some of these Major League guys who don’t look like they fit can be godsends.”

(MLB.com)

This statement is bothersome on a few levels. Most obviously, it seems that it will be the same old story in regard to the bench, as they search among the rejects and retreads for diamonds in the rough, rather than actively searching for already effective players. Why not go out and sign one of the available free agents at a bargain basement price, rather than just pick up some trash and cross your fingers? It is not like that strategy has produced any positive results over the last few seasons. Cashman is once again showing blindness as to the importance of the bench. Of course, Bubba Crosby was going to start in center and there was no way that he would sign both CC and Tex, so it may be necessary to take anything Brian says with a grain of salt. However, if he continues on this course, and players such as Posada and Matsui get hurt, he is leaving himself open to plenty of blame and criticism.

Furthermore, comparing Kurt Warner to Fernando Tatis? Seriously?

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