THE George Steinbrenner Yankees of our memories will not vanish. The Boss’ first three decades as an owner were so over-the-top pro-active and star-driven that even now our first reaction to Chien-Ming Wang being lost until September is to begin mentally fitting C.C. Sabathia’s bulky frame for extra large pinstripes.
But at some point we do have to pay attention to the past 36-plus months, when the Yanks have reached down way more than they have reached out to fix problems, especially when acting during a season. In that timeframe, they get linked to huge names and generally act (Aaron) Small.
The Yanks were a mess in late April of 2005 and Steinbrenner finally gave Brian Cashman power to do what he wanted, though the GM’s contract was expiring at the end of the season (just like now). Cashman responded by promoting Wang and Robinson Cano, and making minor acquisitions such as Al Leiter and Shawn Chacon.
The only major in-season deal the Yanks have made since 2005 was for Bobby Abreu. And Cashman waited two months, until the price dropped from Phil Hughes to a bunch of non-entities and the Phillies agreed to throw in Cory Lidle, too. Last year, despite a yearning need for a set-up man to Mariano Rivera, the Yanks refused the Rangers’ requests for Melky Cabrera and Ian Kennedy although it meant Eric Gagne would go to Boston.
In the old days, Steinbrenner simply would have overruled his GM and Gagne would have been a Yankee.
The Gagne non-deal is instructive to how the Yanks are likely to act now. Like Gagne last year, Sabathia is in his walk year. The asking price for a top, one-inning reliever – even in his walk year – was Cabrera and Kennedy. So anybody dreaming up trades should recognize how much greater the demand is going to be for the defending Cy Young winner.
Cashman advised not to go after Johan Santana in the offseason and my suspicion is he is going to advise not to go after Sabathia for the same reasons: He will consider the price in prospects and dollars too large, since the only way to justify surrendering a huge prospect basket is if the Yanks extend Sabathia long-term. And the Yanks will have to convince themselves Sabathia is the current David Wells – a lefty who is durable despite an oversized physique – to even pursue him as a free agent after the season when it would only cost dollars.
Remember that when the Yanks did not land Gagne, they looked within, turning Joba Chamberlain from a starter to set-up man. The Yanks do not have anybody of that pedigree to call as a starter now, so they will give reliever-turned-starter Dan Giese the first shot. Privately, the Yanks feel Giese’s lack of a third pitch will limit him as a starter. But when the choice is Giese or the mojo-negating Kei Igawa, the Yanks will go with Giese.
Did anyone imagine a Yankees season hinging on a rotation that had Giese and Darrell Rasner in it? But no one imagined the Yanks winning the AL East with a rotation that had Chacon and Small in it in 2005. That has merely empowered Cashman to follow his philosophy to search internally before using assets externally. So if Giese does not succeed, you might see the Yanks churn through farm options such as Igawa, Daniel McCutchen, Alan Horne, Jeff Marquez or Alfredo Aceves. They will pray some combination keeps them afloat while hoping Ian Kennedy (in July), Phil Hughes (in August) and Wang (in September) come back from injury to help later in the year.
They are the Yanks, which means they definitely will check the trade market to see what the true cost is for Sabathia or Ben Sheets or Rich Harden. But my guess is they are more likely – if they feel desperate – to make an Abreu-type deal for an overpriced starter such as Kansas City’s Gil Meche, Seattle’s Jarrod Washburn or Cincinnati’s Bronson Arroyo if their current teams drop demands significantly to just get rid of future money owed.
This is how the Yanks have been operating for more than three years now. These aren’t Hank Steinbrenner’s father’s Yankees any more.