http://goo.gl/Z8qzLn
BALTIMORE - Yankees fans hoping for change at the top this offseason likely
were disappointed Friday afternoon when the club announced a new three-year
deal for general manager Brian Cashman.
The Yankees missed the playoffs for a second straight season in 2014 but
managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner did not hold Cashman, the team's GM
since 1998 whose three-year, $9-million deal was set to expire at the end of
the month, responsible.
The move comes as no surprise.
Back in early August when it became apparent the Yankees, on their way to an
84-78 finish, were not of playoff timber, word emerged from team insiders
that Cashman's job was safe.
The primary culprit in the club missing the postseason was an underperforming
offense and holding Cashman solely responsible for that was a difficult sell.
A source confirmed both hitting coach Kevin Long and first-base coach Mick
Kelleher will not return to the team for the 2015 season.
Cashman's moves to sign big-money free agents such as Carlos Beltran and
Brian McCann last winter earned almost unanimous praise, but both veterans,
for a variety of reasons, had down years.
Minor moves such as bringing on Brian Roberts and Kelly Johnson to shore up
the infield did not work, but several in-season moves by Cashman, unpopular
at the time, ended up helping the club stay in contention.
The first of those came on July 6 when Cashman acquired righthander Brandon
McCarthy from the Diamondbacks, with whom he was 3-10 with a 5.01 ERA. The
righthander, a free agent whom the Yankees have an interest in retaining,
went 7-5 with a 2.89 ERA in 14 starts for the Bombers.
Chase Headley arrived from the Padres July 22 and helped solidify a
struggling infield, contributing at third base and, on occasion, first. The
30-year-old Headley is a free agent and the club has an interest in bringing
him back as well.
Cashman, who will oversee the Yankees' pro scouting meetings that start
Monday, has plenty on his plate this offseason. Chief among them: finding a
shortstop to replace Derek Jeter, insurance at third base as there is doubt
the 39-year-old Alex Rodriguez will be up for the rigors of being a full-time
player as he comes off the suspended list, and deciding if free-agent-to-be
closer David Robertson is worth a big-money deal.
Cashman拿到三年延長合約
打教Kevin Long、一壘教練Mick Kelleher被開除