CHICAGO -- The confetti from their championship parade not fully cleaned up, the Yankees are not yet prepared to address their offseason moves."I don't see anything happening here in Chicago," general manager Brian Cashman said Monday after checking in to the Hilton Chicago O'Hare Airport for baseball's GM Meetings. "I have the feeling we'll be a little bit more cautious than anxious."
And Cashman made it clear that just because Hideki Matsui was MVP of the World Series does not make it more important for the Yankees to keep him. In fact, the Yankees probably prefer not to have a player who can only DH, as seems to be the case with Matsui because of his knee problems.
"Over the last few years," Cashman said, "we've tried to improve how we go about decision-making. Part of that is sample size.
"He's a great player. I know exactly what type of player he is. Whether he performed well in the World Series or not doesn't change what type of player he is."
Cashman said he doubts the Yankees could re-sign any of their top free agents -- Matsui, Johnny Damon and Andy Pettitte -- before Nov. 20, when players can begin negotiating salary and signing with other teams. Cashman said he has not started discussions on contracts with any players.Instead, Cashman wants to gauge other teams' positions and meet with his pro scouts and ownership before setting a game plan for the winter.
"We'll be in catch-up mode," Cashman said. "We have not had any internal discussions. ... There's been no movement in terms of business. I really want to make sure I take our time -- sit down, have discussions with all our personnel."
Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Although it's typical for the Yankees to get rid of their 40 yr old players, Brian Cashman will only solidify the fact that he knows nothing about baseball by letting Andy Pattite and Hideki Matsui get away from the NY Yankees line up. Johnny Damon is a very good; no, excellent player, but he knows the deal and he just hit the 40 mark, so if the Yanks think he must hit the road in search of better pastures, or pastures that look promising enough for him, then so be it. I'm sure whomever picks him up will be the better for it. But for them to think they'll return to defend in 2010 without Hideki and Andy, they're lacking and the person most responsible if it goes that way would be Cashman. Granted this guy is a general manager with the team, but that doesn't mean anything. He's good at the table, he knows nothing about player performance, and he should stay in the porch when it comes to playing with those big dogs. The Yankees will have a chance only if they bring this year's line up for 2010, or improve it with new, top of the line players without giving up their best in MLB veterans. Next thing Brian will be stating is that Jeter is no longer necessary to captain the gloved staff of the club. Laughable.... By no means do Andy and Matsui make the line up what it is, but they make a secure part along with ARod, Jeter, Mariano, CC, Posada, and though he did hit that invisible limit age, Damon [after all who else can keep up with base-stealing Gardner's speed?]. Whom else would care for the left field like he does? For that matter, I don't see anyone caring for 3rd, SS, relief/close & opening pitch, catch like the people mentioned. The line up compiled with these guys, Texeira on 1st, Swisher in R-field and Gardner @ center [if only for his flash speed]. It's been an excellent year and it'll be a better year with a return to defend the pennant with the same line up...... I'd love to see it..............
GO YANKEES!!!
I HATE CASHMAN FROM DAY ONE ! HE S SO STUPID !HE DOESNT KNOW HOW TO GET A GOOD BALL PLAYERS !! STEINBRENNER'S FORCE HIM TO GET ALL PITCHING LAST YEAR FINALLY WON WORLD SERIES, BUT THE OFFENSIVE WASNT GOOD ENOUGH WITH CLUTCH HITTINGS, FOR AN EXAMPLE, NICK SWISHER, HE SUCK!, TEXIERIA WITH HIGH MONEY, HE DIDNT NOTHING IN WORLD SERIES, REMING ME OF JASON GIAMBI ! WILL SEE TEX SHOW UP NEXT POSTSEASON, CANO, HE S BUCKING HERK OFF ! BRETT GARNER CANT HIT AND CANT BUNT EITHER !! GET RID OF MOLINA! USE CERVELLI , PENA AND GUZMAN, HE S A GOOOODER! BRING 2 MORE GOOD STARTER PITCHING AND GET 2 MORE GOOOD HITTER AND KEEP MATSUI ! DAMON CANT PLAY OUTFIELD ANYMORE DEAD ARMS AND LOSING SPEED TOO! CABAREA IS GOOD ON BENCH, BUT NOT STEADY EVERYDAY TO PLAY, NEED A GOOD PLAYERS ! COME ON, WAKE UP SMELL COFFEE, IM HEARING PHILLIES FAN STILL CRYING, IM CLOSE IN PHILADELPHIA !
Hey Coney, welcome to america. Now learn our language, it's English!
u didnt respect me coz i dont talk very well, you re such an - hole okay, everyone know, ! i know about sports and stuff, what do u care, !! but im smart than you , you got something to say me, then say something, !! herk
Bryan is an excellent gm and he will do what is right for the Yankees. He brought us a world series championshiop and he is set to do it agin. yes he has the money but any moron knows it takes more than money to win championship. The yankees give so much more to baseball than they receive-----they may be god's gift to man.
Ok let's set this strate , Damon can go, You all forget we have X-Nady coming back, Pettitt it's not up to Cashman, it's Pettitt's call as to weather he retires or not< His Words> Now as for Matsui, wear else can you find a DH with his number's today, Hit's lefties and righties the same, Did we forget Edgar Martinez the perfect DH.
So you offer Matsui a 2 yr deal at % mill per yr. He will take it...it's just that SIMPLE
Nady is a free agent
lol i dont really care. Hideki Matsui IS kinda old. Theres ALOT of young and fast runners that are MUCH, MUCH better than him.
Keep Pettit, a clutch pitcher. Sign one or two starters, including Lackey, if possible. Sign Matsui for one year,Damon for one year with a vested option. If you only take one ofthe latter, take Damon. He still can run and is a very good offensive player. Look how manyrunshe scores year after year. Get a power hitting outfielder.Swisher is nomore than a reserve; can't run, throw much nor cover ground. He doesn't hit often enough.Use Chamberlin as a reliever. If Hughes spends another year in the bullpen, thatwouldn't be bad either.Thereare free agent starters out there. Or, toreall think big, trade for Halladay, which would alsohelp A.J. Burnett.
I think that all of you are forgetting Wang. He was a 19 game winner 2 years in a row. Unless this injury he has is career threatening, he's your #3 starter. Would love to have Petitte back as a #4 Then all you need is Hughes and/or Chamberlain.
Damon can go. Matsui should stay. The Yanks need a dependable DH, and someone on the bench who is a banger. Nady is probably done, so yanks will need an outfielder. Molina should go and Cervelli will replace him. Yanks have more catchers in the minors that are almost ready. Put Chamberlain and hughes in the pen and get rid of the dead wood like Bruney. Wang will be back and so will Kennedy. Gaudin should stay as a longman.
WOW! Coneyloveme are you bipolar/manic depressive? You sure sound like it. You sound like all the other callers on 24/7 talk show sports AM radio in New York. I would love for my Yankees to keep Matsui, Pettitte, and Damon. Here's the problem, they age, get over the hill, and need to be replaced. I'm a big Mickey Mantle fan but he's dead and gone. I think the Yankees should take a look at signing Jason Bay as he's gold glove caliber outfielder and he's a free agent as he talked about leaving the Red Sox. Posada needs to become a DH at least for 2010. After that, Jeter needs to become a DH so they shouldn't sign Matsui and Damon for that position. Either that or Jeter needs to play right field. Ramiro Pena looks like he'll make a solid shortstop as you have to have range and fresh feet and legs to play that position. Yes I'm a Yankee fan who lives in Miami but I see just about every game on TV.
FYI Nady's 2008 numbers 305 avarage 25 hr's
97 rbi's...Why look elswhere if he's healthy give him a shot. Pickup another strong arm and we're reloaded....why wait for 28
Damon is only 36...
I watched just about every game and to me the Yankees weakness is very obvious. No strong arms in the outfield, and other than gardner no one to realy go a get the ball. Therefore we need a good hitting outfielder. Bay or Halliday would be my choices.
Secondly we need another arm in the rotation. Andy was great no doubt, but for sure he is at or very near the end. Hughes and Jaba have shown no indication they are starters, although I feel Hughes given time and confidence with make the better starter. I feel Jaba best suited as Rivera's replacement, sometime in 2025 LOL the guy seems to be able to go on forever.I'd go after either Eric Baddard or Lackey.As for Damon I think he would be better suited for the DH, at least when he get on theres speed and more options available to the team.
Matsui was great, but I think the time has come to say sianara.
Well, after reading all the comments on how to make the Yankees a better team all I can say is I'm glad that all you arm chair GM's are just that, arm chair GM's. The Yankee's will do just fine, even if they don't take all your "professional" advice. They always seem to find a way to GET R DONE. Yankees are the best sports team in history, always have been always will be. GO YANKEES
I hope they keep Matsui he has played amazing.
I also hope they keep Damon too.
I mean what do I know I am only a woman....................
you can all give your advice,but choke time came to all, the 1st time in ws and that`s when experience took over and won it all .NO CLUTCH HITTING. VERY LITTLE
SHUT THE DOOR PITCHING BETWEEN 5TH AND 7TH
but with time all will get better or then you trade or release or pickup thats the way to go.
Cashman is a smart guy. The Yanks will probably sit free agency out this year because this class stinks. They'll definitely resign Pettite. I'd rather them let Damon go but he can play the outfield ( mediocre but still ) and Posada's nearing full time DH status ... unless Lackey wants Burnett money and the chance to win every year its likely gonna be Mike Cameron who can still glove it and some relief pitching. They'll get Wang back eventually , figure out what to do with Hughes and Chamberlain and wait for Carl Crawford and Austin Jackson.
Keep Damon for two years, if he'll accept that. Boras is a fraud, asking for four years. If Damon listens to Boras, he's a phoney, too. If we can't get Damon, go hard for Holliday. Second,go hard for Lackey. If we can't get neither Damon nor Holliday, go hard for Figgins. We need at least one real good additional starter plus Pettit. If only we could rid ourselves of Posada, which we can't. To not return Damon so Posada can be used as a DH is a mistake. Posada is a very overrated player by this time. His four year contract was a big mistake.