Living and Dye-ing with the Boss

Bob Klapisch reports here that the Yankees turned down a deal for Kansas City outfielder Jermaine Dye. Desperate for a bat to prop up the Yanks sagging offense, GM Brian Cashman nevertheless deemed the price–second baseman Alfonso Soriano and AAA first baseman Nick Johnson–too steep.

The Yankees have won the World Series each of Brian Cashman’s three years in the GM chair. Leaving aside for the moment the fact that other members of the Yankee brass have a significant input into his job, the fact that Cashman doesn’t have a contract beyond this year speaks volumes about what it’s like to work for The Man from Tampa. Still, Cashman refused to pull the trigger on a deal that has ramifications he may not be around to see.

“[N]o matter what happens to me, I don’t want to be remembered as the Yankee general manager who sold the future of the franchise down the river, just for the sake of one more championship,” says Cashman.

Privately, according to Klapisch, the Yanks brass has acknowledged that 2001 is a transitional year. Next year, shed of Paul O’Neill and Tino Martinez, and probably others, the future is brighter. But it is probably premature to expect the Infield of Tomorrow–Nick Johnson, Soriano, Derek Jeter, and Drew Henson–to be in place by next Opening Day. Still, the Yanks have a strong home-grown nucleus to build around.

Neither Cashman nor Manager Joe Torre have contracts yet for next year. Even if the Yanks don’t win it all this year, both of them have track records and commitments to the long-term health of the organization which should be rewarded with extensions. Not to mention the fact that both have lasted longer and held up better under the strains of working for the Boss than anybody ever thought possible. Now that the Man from Tampa has wrapped up his TV plans, he should take care of these fine leaders.