For over a century, the New York Yankees have been the most iconic team in North American sports. Whether it’s the iconic players like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, etc.. Or playing in one of the most iconic venues in Yankee Stadium. Or the fact they have won 27 championships, something every Yankees fan reminds you of when you meet them.
Going into this year’s trade deadline, however, the Yankees were at a crossroads. They were in last place in the American League East, but only three and a half games behind the final wild-card spot. There was a legitimate argument to be had about whether they should buy or sell. Because they could go all in and try to make a playoff push. Or they could sell off some pieces and go more for a retool. Both were good realistic paths they could’ve gone down. However, instead, the Yankees did neither. They stood pat at the deadline, only acquiring a middling reliever in Keynan Middleton. This cemented the Yankees as a shell of what they once were. This has been something that has been brewing for years, and there are several factors that lead to the Yankees becoming this.
Hal Doesn’t Run the Yankees As George Did
Although controversial, George Steinbrenner is one of the most famous owners in MLB history. Nobody wanted to win more than him. He would do whatever it took to win a World Series. In fact, he considers any season that didn’t end in a championship a failure. There was no trade too large, no contract too big. If he felt that the player they were getting was going to help them win a title, he would stop at nothing to get him.
When George passed away in 2010, Yankees fans hope that his son, Hal Steinbrenner, would continue his dad’s legacy. That he would run the Yankees just like his dad did. However, that has not been the case. Unlike George, Hal isn’t focused on winning championships. Instead, he is only focused on the bottom line. Treating the Yankees as a cash cow, rather than a championship-chasing baseball team. This can be seen in two major decisions.
Unwillingness to Spend
The first one has been the unwillingness to go over the luxury tax. When George ran the Yankees, there was no budget. In fact, the luxury tax was created to try and keep George’s spending under control. However, with Hal, there is a clear budget. The Yankees don’t spend like they use to. Fans were begging for Carlos Correa two offseasons ago, but Hal wasn’t willing to give him a $250+ million contract. And this was before all the injury stuff with Correa. This has been the case for many big-name free agents since Hal has taken over.
Putting Advertisement on the Jersey
The other major decision was putting an advertisement on the Yankees jersey. The Yankees jersey is one of the most famous in sports. When you say the pinstripes, everyone knows you’re talking about the Yankees home jersey. It’s almost as iconic as the players who have worn it. However, Hal sold out and put the logo for STARR Insurance on the jersey. Thus cheapening the jersey and taking away the iconic feel it once had.
Brian Cashman Has Become Complacent
When you look at his resume, Brian Cashman is one of the most successful general managers in baseball. Cashman has overseen four World Series winners and six American League Pennant winners. He has made some of the biggest trades in MLB history like trading for Alex Rodriguez or trading for Roger Clemens. He has also made some major free-agent signings. Signing guys like CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira. All things considered, Cashman’s tenure in New York has been very successful.
However, the issue with Cashman now is how long he’s been general manager. Cashman took over as General Manager in 1998, but that wasn’t when he entered the Yankees organization. He first joined as an intern in 1986, working his way up to the assistant general manager in 1992. Cashman has been in a major decision-making role for the Yankees, for over 30 years. That’s a long time for anyone to be running a team, regardless of how much success they have had. It’s very normal for people to become complacent when in power for that long. This can be seen in Cashman’s roster building and in what he hasn’t done.
Cashman Unwillingness to Bring in a Shortstop
Last offseason Cashman said he doesn’t need to go after a big-time shortstop, because they have two young prospects waiting. No disrespect to Anthony Volpe or Oswald Peraza, but the Yankees were supposed to be contenders. Contenders don’t bank on prospects to fill holes. If they have a glaring hole on their roster, they go out and either sign or trade for an established big leaguer. But Cashman didn’t want to do that. He didn’t want to shake the roster up, because he knew that the roster could make the playoffs. Which is all Cashman cares about. Why do a major shakeup to the roster, when it could backfire, and possibly hurt his legacy? He knows the roster can make the playoffs, and give him another notch in his belt so why change?
Keeping Aaron Boone
Not wanting to shake things up is the same reason Aaron Boone is still the manager. Boone should’ve been fired last season when the Yankees were down three games to none in the ALCS, and he was showing the team 2004 Red Sox highlights. That is the worst moment in Yankees history, and you’re using it as motivation. That’s an extremely bad look. Not to mention it did nothing and the Yankees got swept in an embarrassing fashion. Yet nothing was done because Boone is good enough to make the postseason. Why bring in a manager that might not be as good as Boone? It’s this type of thinking that has made Cashman become complacent and put the Yankees in this spot.
Can the Yankees Be Fixed?
Now no one will ever admit this, because the Yankees brand is so big. But the Yankees are very dysfunctional right now. With all this being said, the question has to be asked, can the Yankees be fixed? The answer is yes, but major changes will have to be made. Now the thing that would bring the most is if Hal sold the team, and a new owner came in and acted more like George. This will not happen however, Hal has too much pride in being the Yankees owner. He’s not going to sell what his dad cherished so much.
The most realistic option is if the Yankees completely clean house. That means firing both Brian Cashman and Aaron Boone. Now it’s nothing against Cashman or what he has done. It’s just because he’s been in the organization for so long. His ideas have become stale. It’s time to bring someone in with fresh and new ideas on how to improve the team. The same goes for Boone. His message has clearly become stale as well. With new guys running the show, the Yankees might be able to recapture what they had in the 90s and be able to return to the top of the baseball world.
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