[新聞] YANKS MOVE ON

[leddy (耿秋)]

YANKS MOVE ON
BOSS WILL LET CASHMAN & TORRE RETOOL
By GEORGE KING
from nypost.com

October 15, 2006 -- In the aftermath of George Steinbrenner bringing Joe
Torre back this week, questions surfaced as to how involved The Boss was in
the decision-making. Did Steinbrenner push GM Brian Cashman to the curb in
making the call on Torre? What happened to extended control the Boss gave
Cashman last October when Cashman re-upped for three years? Was the Boss
back? Would he again listen to the Bronx Backstabbers in Tampa?

To the people closest to the Boss, the questions were without merit because
Steinbrenner owns the club and therefore makes big decisions. Yes, the Boss
no longer fires managers, pitching coaches and players on impulse. But is the
Boss back? To his Inner Circle, Steinbrenner couldn't come back because he
never went away.

"George Steinbrenner never left," club president Randy Levine said. "George
Steinbrenner has been The Boss and will always be the Boss. He relies on his
executives who he believes can help him accomplish his goals. That has been
the case and continues to be the case. The Yankees are being run much like
any other company, like News Corp. or The New York Post. Whenever decisions
are made, he has the final decision and relies on the advice of his
executives."

The old Boss likely would have canned Torre immediately after the Yankees
were eliminated by the Tigers in Game 4 of the ALDS. In an emotional moment,
Steinbrenner would have been driven by his anger instead of taking a step
back and looking at it.

Now 76, Steinbrenner's desire to win hasn't waned. Nor is the Yankees'
universe a democracy. Yet, he does listen. If he hadn't given Cashman a forum
on the Torre situation, Torre would have been gone. But the Boss listened to
his GM, who deeply believed Torre was the best man to lead the 2007 Yankees.

"Nothing has changed," general partner said Steve Swindal, Steinbrenner's
son-in-law. "We all make recommendations to the Boss and he makes the
decisions."

Cashman couldn't be reached for comment on this subject. One area that has
changed is that Cashman has taken over the Tampa operation. He has gelded
Bill Emslie and Billy Connors, who used to have

Steinbrenner's ear. No longer does the GM have to run every move by the Boss.

And not that long ago, Cashman would have been instructed to give the
Phillies stud pitching prospect Philip Hughes for Bobby Abreu. Instead,
Steinbrenner listened to Cashman tell him that Hughes was untouchable and
Abreu was acquired, with the late Cory Lidle, for four minor leaguers, three
of whom are babies.

Steinbrenner's public persona has changed as well. Many believe his health is
in decline, something that Steinbrenner refutes. Most of his comments are
filtered through PR guru Howard Rubenstein or delivered on the run entering
and leaving Yankee Stadium. "In the past I would have shot off and it would
have been spread all over

the front page and headlines all over the city," the Boss said via

Rubenstein. "I decided a few years ago to cool it. I wanted to be more
reserved in my public responses." That's true, but Steinbrenner is still a
load when he gets his Inner Circle on the phone. And when a season ends like
this one did, the words are loud. Yet, for anybody to believe that
Steinbrenner wasn't going to make the final

call on Torre, whom he would have paid $7 million not to manage and a man who
is easily the most popular non-playing person in New York's sports landscape,
is ludicrous.

"This was 100-percent George Steinbrenner's decision," Cashman said after
Torre was brought back this week. With a lot more input than in the past.
That input will continue this offseason, when the Yankees will entertain
offers for Alex Rodriguez and attempt to upgrade their pitching. As for
dealing A-Rod, it's 50/50 at this point. First, they would have to get an
offer that would deliver high-end pitching that is under financial control or
eventual replacements for Mariano Rivera and/or Jorge Posada. Then, they
would need a third baseman who wouldn't have to hit 35 homers and

drive in 120 runs but would have to contribute. Then A-Rod, who has insisted
repeatedly he won't waive his no-trade clause, would have to give his
blessings to the deal.

When it comes to pitching, the old Boss would have thrown an ocean of money
at Barry Zito simply because the lefty will be the best free-agent chucker
available. This time Cashman will present Steinbrenner with other options.
One could be moving Scott Proctor into the rotation to fall in behind
Chien-Ming Wang, Randy Johnson and Mike Mussina (who will likely return).

Second-tier free agents Mark Redman and Gil Meche could fill the back end of
the rotation. Ted Lilly will likely get a tumble from his former team. The
Yankees didn't like Jason Schmidt two years ago nor this summer and aren't
likely to pay him as a free agent.

They do have interest in Japanese righty Daisuke Matsuzaka, but might not be
willing to match the Mariners in the blind bid to the Seibu Lions for his
negotiating rights.

Should Proctor be put in the rotation, the bullpen is in need of an

overhaul. Jettisoning Kyle Farnsworth should be considered. How about him for
Houston's Brad Lidge in a change-of-scenery deal? If the Yankees don't
believe Ron Villone is worth bringing back, how about fellow lefty Scott
Schoeneweis? The Braves hold an option on Danys Baez they have to pick up
before Nov. 15 or he can become a free agent.

[e-mail]


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◆ From: 220.132.198.21
→ leddy:將Proctor拉回先發似乎也可以, 他原來是當先發養的
推 YANKS:記得去年"Boss"就說要放權給他女婿管理洋基,不知何時成真?
→ YANKS:也不知他女婿能力如何?
推 HuangJS:竟然是小放松土反強求雞頭
※ 編輯: leddy           來自: 220.132.198.21       (10/16 00:00)
推 george730405:George King的文章一向都只是嘴砲吧...