The Cashman/Levine Plan
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Published by Dugout GM on October 30, 2007 09:32 pm under GM Evaluation, Yankees
Yankees GM Brian Cashman and team president Randy Levine have been quoted as saying they are sticking with their minor league prospects and won’t deal them. Well, 2008 will give everyone a good look at those prospects as well as the Cashman/Levine effectiveness as a front office. Since applying “the Plan,” the Yankee GM and President have successfully developed home grown talent in the form of Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, and Ian Kennedy. Other development call-ups (Tyler Clippard, Chase Wright, Colter Bean, Shelly Duncan, and Matt DeSalvo) can’t be considered a success at this point.
Next season should reveal whether Cashman and Levine’s plan is effective. Some of their non-trade prospects from the group of Jose Tabata ($2M), Eric Duncan, Juan Miranda ($2M), Humberto Sanchez (DL), J. Brent Cox, Kevin Whelan, Brett Gardner, and Andrew Brackman ($6M and DL), need to show their value for Cashman and Levine to stay off the hook. The Yankees front office has the most resources in baseball, and they need to demonstrate they can efficiently and effectively use them.
Keys to the “Cashman/Levine Plan”:
- Develop more prospects – hitting prospects. They’ve spent an estimated $20M during the last two seasons on scouting the draft and signing players, and they’ve produced some good pitchers. Now they need to show they can produce some hitters.
- Pick the right staff. Last year the Boss was quoted as saying, “he’s on the hook” referring to Brian Cashman. Well, Torre and his staff got the front office off the hook by taking the fall. Now Girardi and Co. need to do the same by winning.
- Forget about the horizon. Promises, promises, promises. The Yankees have more money than any other team. With that payroll, they should be in the playoffs every year (barring catastrophic, unforeseen events), and they should be contending, not just competing. The time is now, and it’s always now for the Yankees.
