"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

Cashman part of round table discussion
Yankees GM was one of the featured speakers on unique pane

http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080105&content_id=2340090&vkey=news_nyy&fext=.jsp&c_id=nyy

Cashman-"I live in Connecticut," Cashman said. "It's not a far drive. I was asked if I would be interested in coming up and spending a little time here. So it was a lay-up. I hope everyone had a good time



"Mostly, especially in our big markets, you get challenged on the short-term stuff so much you can make a mistake if you get caught up in the winds of the pressure of making a [trade]," Cashman told the audience.

"Like right now, the Red Sox and Yankees, at least, are in the middle of this Johan Santana stuff. What's the right thing for the now? What's the right thing for the future? These are the wrestling matches that go on in the organizations and you have very spirited conversations about what's right and what's wrong."

Cashman said he still believes in a strong and productive farm system.

"At the end of the day, if you have an opportunity to build something and be a leader in that situation, you stick to it. It's your way and you find a way to stick to it, despite the media pressures, the ownership pressures, the fans' pressures and realize, 'You know what? I believe in what I'm doing and I'll stick to it as long as you give me the opportunity and then get judged on the results at the end of the day.'"

Everybody has their own style," Cashman said of the Steinbrenners. "And Hank has obviously taken charge on behalf of his father, along with his brother, Hal. They have different styles. Hal is more quiet and Hank is very available, but my job is to continue to line up the structure of the organization that can find the amateur talent."

On the eve of Clemens' interview on "60 Minutes," Cashman offered his perspective on what to expect from baseball going forward from the Mitchell Report.

"All of it's difficult," he said. "There's no doubt about that. It is what it is. The Mitchell Report came out and there was some shocking information that was in there, and now we're seeing it play out after the fact and what you have to do, unfortunately, is sit back and watch it unfold."

Peter Gammons said Cashman is weathering yet another storm in New York.

"Brian Cashman faced a lot because the Mitchell Report was so based on basically two sources, both out of New York. There were a lot of New York names in there," Gammons told reporters. "I think the more we have to deal with Clemens and Bonds under oath, it takes away [from baseball]."

Cashman told the hundreds of fans in attendance and media afterward that the most successful general managers stick to a game plan, in good times and bad.

"You're not going to always be right, but in the end you have to stick to your convictions and then you get judged on the results in the end, for better or for worse," he told the audience.

http://www.askmen.com/money/mafioso_60/67_mafia.html

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Everyone knows the saying, everyone likes to say it thinking they're Al Pacino, and almost everyone doesn't know what it really means. I say almost everyone because all the wise guys from Vegas to Rochester know that not knowing its meaning can result in a nice screwing where the sun don't shine. Catch my drift?

Keeping your enemies close doesn't eliminate the problem of having enemies in the first place (and if you're sitting there smiling like a clown thinking you don't have enemies because you're such a sweet guy, I've got news for you -- if you don't have enemies, it's because no one thinks you're significant enough to worry about). Any man with direction in his life will have enemies, but keeping them close can prevent an unexpected strike. It doesn't take Einstein to figure out that the toughest and most destructive blow comes when it's unexpected.
who is your enemy?
So before you keep close tabs on certain people, figure out who qualifies to be on your exclusive enemy list. If I were summing it up for a moron (are you listening Vincenzo?), I'd tell him that an enemy is anyone who doesn't support him.

It can be a friend, business partner or even family. An enemy is anyone who will give you the evil eye or who has even entertained the idea of how much fun it would be to put a voodoo curse on your head.

The more powerful you become, the bigger the list of nemeses because you become a bigger target or opponent for someone else, whether it's the suit in the cubicle next to you or a rival captain in your famiglia. It's a Catch-22 of success: The more successful you are, the more people there will be lining up with baseball bats earmarked for your head, and the harder you'll fall if you don't keep track of what your enemies are up to.

And take it from someone with experience: Just about everyone is a potential enemy or backstabber. In fact, the guy with the biggest smile and the largest slap on your back is usually the one with the sharpest knife.
why keep him close?
Now, let's be realistic. We can't all keep our enemies close. I don't see George W. Bush and Saddam Hussein having Sunday brunch together, no matter how much Bushie (that's what they call him in Washington) wants to know everything about Saddam, including how many hairs he has spurting out of his nose.

But most enemies (especially the ones that cause the most damage) come from your inner circle, so you can easily keep your eye on these guys. It's important that you don't break the lines of communication with them (I'm sounding like a freakin' sex therapist).

Keep tabs on your enemies. Staying in touch, talking with them (even briefly) and reading their body language are some of the ways you can get a sense of the cafones' true intentions. Any information is potential ammo for me.

Salute your enemies... Next >>

http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/01/05/cashman-my-job-has-changed/#comments


Brian Cashman made an appearance at Fenway Park today for the annual Hot Stove/Cool Music Roundtable. It’s a fundraiser for Theo Epstein’s charitable foundation.

For the first time in public, Cashman admitted what has become increasingly evident: That his job has changed since the Steinbrenner sons took control of the team.

“Things have changed here in the third year,” he said. “I’m learning as I go along, too. But it is different. But one thing is that I’ve been with this family, the Steinbrenner family, for well over 20 years. So I’m focused fully on doing everything I possibly can to assist them in their emergence now as decision makers.”

Cashman’s contract runs out in October. Asked whether he wanted to return, he didn’t answer directly.

“Because of all the work that gets involved with doing the job, it kind of prevents me from really looking ahead past this year,” he said. “I’m just doing everything I possibly can to assist the transition with the new manager, the new owners, with the involvement now with the Steinbrenner sons. And then the rest will take care of itself at another time.”

Cashman nearly left the Yankees after the 2005 season before agreeing to a three-year deal that included widespread control over baseball decisions. It’s clear that Cashman’s power has eroded since Hank and Hal Steinbrenner came to power. At the moment, there is an internal struggle over whether to pursue Johan Santana.

“Right now, the Red Sox and Yankees, at least, are in the middle of this Johan Santana stuff,” Cashman said. “What’s the right thing for the now? What’s the right thing for the future? These are the wrestling matches that go on in the organizations and you have very spirited conversations about what’s right and what’s wrong.”

Cashman and Epstein were joined by Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi, agent Scott Boras and Red Sox analyst Bill James. That’s an impressive group.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/transactions

Named Bill Masse manager of San Antonio of the Texas League (AA), Shane Spencer hitting coach of Lake Elsinore of the California League (A) and Darrell Sherman hitting coach of Eugene of the Northwest League (A).

LetsGOMets

Anyone else feeling this way?

Trade Reyes and others for Santana = Santana blows his arm out on opening day, Reyes is AL MVP.

Gomez, F Mart, Heilman, Pelfrey and Humber = Santana's arm falls off in year two, Heilman becomes elite closer, Pelfrey thru Gomez sparkle.

Omar sticks to reasonable package, Yankee's swoop in at 11th hour, trade whomever for him...they're busts and Santana wins 5 Cy Youngs in pinstripes.

johnnypark wrote:

I can see it now:

From ESPN Home Video: The Bronx Is Burning...The Return!, starring Michael Madsen as Hank Steinbrenner and Steve Buscemi as Brian Cashman. Own it on DVD now!


Spoiler: Brian Chasman gets killed in the movie Very Happy

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2008/01/06/2008-01-06_brian_cashman_three_written_in_for_pen-2.html



Sunday, January 6th 2008, 4:00 AM

By Brian Cashman's estimation, only three relievers are assured of slots in the Yankee bullpen - Mariano Rivera, Kyle Farnsworth and LaTroy Hawkins. The rest of the pen, Cashman says, is likely to come from the team's pool of young pitchers, who offer the Yanks more affordable options than the relievers remaining on the free agent market.

"The pen is a work in progress," Cashman said. "We'll have a lot of competition in spring training. As long as you have quality competing for those spots, that's good. We have guys with a lot of potential. If they're ready now or later, we'll have to see.

"For the most part, we like the talent we have against the market at the prices the market is demanding."

Cashman said prized prospects such as Jeff Marquez and Alan Horne might be in the bullpen mix, along with Ross Ohlendorf, Edwar Ramirez, Jose Veras, Steven White, Jeff Karstens, Brian Bruney, Chris Britton and Jonathan Albaladejo. Lefties Kei Igawa, Sean Henn and Chase Wright will vie for pen spots, Cashman said.

Joba Chamberlain still projects as a starter but one bullpen slot likely will be taken by either Ian Kennedy or Mike Mussina, depending on who wins the fifth spot in the rotation. Roles could change quickly if the Yankees trade for Johan Santana.

The Yanks are leery of signing middle relievers to multiyear contracts - they signed Hawkins for one year - in a winter where relievers have been getting three and four years for around $4 million per season.

"We've engaged the market," Cashman said. "We'll look at trades, free agents, as always. But right now, what we have is what is going to be competing in spring training."

The Yankees also are unlikely to look outside the organization for help at first base, Cashman said. "We have (Jason) Giambi, Shelley (Duncan) and Wilson Betemit and (Juan) Miranda is coming off a terrific Double-A season," Cashman said.

Miranda, 24, batted .265 with a .350 on-base percentage and .471 slugging percentage in 122 minor-league games last season, 55 in Double-A. He had 16 homers and 96 RBI.

TRABER IN: The Yankees signed lefty Billy Traber to a minor-league contract, according to Baseball America's Web site. Traber, the Mets' No. 1 pick (16th overall) in 2000, was 2-2 with a 4.76 ERA in 28 games for the Nationals last season. The Yankees also signed righty Scott Strickland, lefty Heath Phillips and catcher Jason Brown, according to BA. ... Former Yankee Andy Phillips signed a minor-league contract with the Reds. Phillips batted .292 with two homers and 25 RBI in 61 games for the Yanks last season. ... Righty Matt DeSalvo, who was 1-3 in seven games (six starts) for the Yanks last season, signed with the Br

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hockey/rangers/2008/01/06/2008-01-06_rangers_tie_it_late_fall_in_shootout.html?page=1

D Marek Malik reacted angrily to learning two hours before game time that he would be scratched. Malik stormed out of the locker room, donned his overcoat and headed out of the building. He returned just before the opening faceoff. . . . Shanahan returned after sitting out Thursday night's game at Vancouver because of muscle spasms in his neck. He had a scary center-ice collision with Edmonton's Dustin Penner 9:01 into the third period on which he said he suffered a bruised knee. After writhing on the ice, Shanahan attempted to walk it off in the hallway between the benches and then took a brief skate before heading to the dressing room. Shanahan was hobbled the rest of the game, but was scheduled to go forth in the shootout. . . . The Rangers said Straka suffered a stinger after slamming into the backboards 1:10 into overtime.

Page 3 of 5 --

Boddicker: "I tell you right now, I've seen Roger Clemens get injected with a B-12 vitamin shot. I was in the trainer's room back in Boston when the trainer injected him. Unless B-12 is illegal, I'm believing Roger. If it's this guy's word against Roger, I'll go with Roger every time. I had a locker right next to him in Boston and I can tell you this was the most dedicated athlete I've ever been around. The reason he had to take the B-12 was because he overworked himself. People say he's still performing past 40 and he must be doing something. Well, Nolan Ryan did it."
more stories like this

Law: "I think the burden of proof now is squarely on Clemens. [Andy] Pettitte's admission, such as it was, gives a large boost to McNamee's credibility. It's almost impossible to prove a negative, but if Clemens can prove that McNamee lied about anything he said to Mitchell, it would do just as much or more to undermine McNamee's credibility and shift the burden back to the trainer."

Gossage gives us the score on hits and eras

A few questions for Goose Gossage, who stands a very good chance of being elected to the Hall of Fame Tuesday:

Is Jim Rice a Hall of Famer?

GG: "Absolutely. Are you kidding me? There weren't many hitters that I feared when I came into the game, but when Jimmy stepped to the plate, he was as close as I came to being scared. And for a power hitter, he could really hit. That's very rare. I can't think of too many people I respected more in the game. If I could go into Cooperstown with Jimmy, even though we were rivals and he was a Red Sox and I was a Yankee, I couldn't be more proud of that."

Why do you think he hasn't gotten in?

GG: "I wish I knew. I mean, look at Kirby Puckett, God rest his soul. If Jimmy had played at the Metrodome, they'd have had to rebuild that place because he would have torn it down. It's a lot easier to hit now than it was then. People talk about Manny Ramírez. If Jimmy played in this era, his numbers would be through the roof. The reason I say it's easier to hit is because the hitter is protected so much. A pitcher can't scare a hitter anymore or he'll get thrown out of the game. The strike zone is the size of a postage stamp. Hitters are wearing all that armor, the ball is livelier, the ballparks are smaller. I don't have the respect for Manny as I did for Jimmy. If Manny did that stuff when we were playing, he'd get dusted every time up. He could never get away with that."Continued...

Page 4 of 5 --

Who resembles Goose Gossage the most of today's closers?
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GG: "Don't forget, it's so much different now than it was when I pitched. I was the middle man, setup, and closer all rolled into one. If I pitched one inning, I felt guilty. But in terms of style, I'd say [Jonathan] Papelbon. He's got that high riding fastball that can dominate a hitter. That's the way I was taught. The only thing I don't like about Papelbon is that fist-pumping he does at the end. We were taught to never show up the hitter, and I never did."

You hear that Mariano Rivera is the greatest closer ever. What do you think?

GG: "You need to say he's the greatest modern-day closer. Right now, it's like comparing apples to oranges when you compare Mariano and Eck to the way we were used as closers. When I came up, they'd throw all the guys who couldn't start into the bullpen, like we were the scrap heap or something."

Etc.

Touching the bases
Apropos of nothing: 1. Great fit: Matt Clement resuming his career with Dave Duncan in St. Louis; 2. Chad Cordero, Shawn Hill, John Patterson, Jon Rauch, and Nick Johnson are the last Montreal Expos still with the Washington Nationals; 3. A Wade Boggs hunting show is in the works; 4. Mariners manager John McLaren just bought an optical business for his wife in Arizona. Umpires get a discount; 5. "Watch his body language when he answers tough questions," one baseball sage remarked about tonight's Roger Clemens interview on "60 Minutes."

Swishing on a star
One intangible factor in Nick Swisher being acquired by the White Sox is how Swisher's fun-loving personality fits well with manager Ozzie Guillen. Other things will be more measurable, such as how he'll improve the White Sox' on-base percentage (he'll probably bat second behind Orlando Cabrera) and add a patient bat to the lineup, as well as the 26 homers and 82 RBIs he's averaged. He should be a major benefit. But one scout told me, "He's not really a center fielder. He can play there [57 games last year], but he's not going to track the ball down like a really good center fielder." US Cellular Field has one of the smallest outfields in baseball, which should help. It was also a pretty good move by Oakland to acquire lefthander Gio Gonzalez and righthander Fautino De Los Santos, Chicago's top two prospects, in the deal. With the proposed Cisco Field in Fremont still perhaps three years away, A's general manager Billy Beane figured he might as well rebuild (don't forget the Dan Haren deal) toward that day.Continued...

Page 5 of 5 --

Scouts' honors
One of the most rewarding offseason events is Dennis Gilbert's "In the Spirit of the Game" dinner in Los Angeles, now in its fifth year. Proceeds from the Jan. 19 event go to scouts who have fallen on hard times. Gilbert, founder of the Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation, was a longtime player agent whose client list included Barry Bonds, Jose Canseco, George Brett, and Curt Schilling. He was also Tony Conigliaro's roommate in the minor leagues with the Red Sox and today he is special assistant to White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. Gilbert will honor Eddie Bockman and Ralph Avila with the George Genovese Lifetime Achievement Award in scouting. Also being honored are Joe Lewis, Al LaMacchia, Tom Giordano, Joe DiCarlo, Stan Benjamin, Bill Bartholomay, Tony Gwynn, the Buddy Bell family (receiving the Ray Boone Family Award), Bobby Cox, and Tito Fuentes.
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Patterned Sox
The Dodgers' minor league system has become a Who's Who of former Red Sox: Mike Easler (Las Vegas, Triple A) and John Valentin (Inland Empire, Single A) are hitting coaches. Mike Brumley (Ogden, Single A) and Juan Bustabad (Great Lakes, Single A) are managing. And the pitching coach at Great Lakes is Danny Darwin, old Double-D.

Plan is to rebound
Mariners manager John McLaren is hoping to get Richie Sexson back to what he was before the horrible 2007 season, when he batted just .205 with a .295 on-base percentage. "I've talked a little bit to him this winter, and by the time spring training rolls around, we're going to work out some kind of a plan," said McLaren. "If he needs at-bats, we'll find a way to get him a bunch of at-bats between major league and minor league games if we have to. If he can come back, it would take a lot of pressure off Adam Jones, our young outfielder who is basically going to be taking Jose Guillen's spot. Richie is a real key to our offense moving forward."

Mariners have sprung some leaks
The Mariners are still in desperate need of another front-line starter, even after the Carlos Silva signing. Setup man Brandon Morrow, who could be major trade bait, has been stretched out to 90 pitches in Venezuela and could be in the rotation if he's not dealt. Another trade bait possibility is catching prospect Jeff Clement, who is still working on his receiving but can really hit. With Kenji Johjima and Jamie Burke, the Mariners are already pretty solid behind the plate.

Minor progress
Here's another reason why the Red Sox should be hesitant to make a Johan Santana deal. Baseball America revealed in an online chat that the Sox will be ranked second behind Tampa Bay in its 2008 evaluation of all 30 farm systems. The Sox rankings over the years: 2002: 28; 2003: 27; 2004: 23; 2005: 21; 2006: 8; 2007: 9.

Extra bases
A few quick things: Babe Dahlgren broke in with the Sox in 1935 and was the man who replaced Lou Gehrig at first base for the Yankees in 1939. In a new book about his grandfather's life, "Rumor in Town," Matt Dahlgren explains how his grandfather was the first major leaguer to ever take a drug test, volunteering after rumors came out that he smoked marijuana. The random tests all came back negative, but Matt writes how the rumors "affected the last half of Babe's career but more importantly agonized him the last half of his life." . . . Former Red Sox executive Peter Woodfork, currently assistant GM for the Diamondbacks, was married Friday in Maui. Sox executives Craig Shipley and Ben Cherington attended the ceremony . . . A prince of a man, Dick Berardino, will be honored with the Judge Emil Fuchs Award for long and meritorious service to baseball at the Jan. 17 Boston Baseball Writers dinner . . . Happy 30th birthday, Casey Fossum.

Nick Cafardo can be reached at cafardo@globe.com
© Copyright 2008 Globe Newspaper Company.

http://riveraveblues.com/2008/01/06/cashman-yankee-organization-has-a-new-power-structure-1935/
As a follow up on my post from Friday about the shifting organizational structure in the Yankees Front Office, Yanks GM Brian Cashman has confirmed what we’ve known for a while. The Steinbrenner brothers are taking a more active role in running the team, and Cashman’s autonomy, granted to him by George in 2005, is waning.

Speaking at a Boston fundraising on Saturday, Cashman gave the media some insight into his current role in the organization. MLB.com’s PeteAbe has the word from Cash:

“The dynamics are changing with us. When I signed up with this current three-year deal, and this is the last year of it, it was with full authority to run the entire program. George had given me that. But things have changed in this third year now with the emergence of Hal and Hank Steinbrenner and that started this winter,” he said, “I’m learning as I go along, too. But it is different. But one thing is that I’ve been with this family, the Steinbrenner family, for well over 20 years. So I’m focused fully on doing everything I possibly can to assist them in their emergence now as decision makers.”

Meanwhile, an article on MLB.com has a bit more from Cash and his relationship with the Steinbrenners. “Everybody has their own style,” Cashman said. “And Hank has obviously taken charge on behalf of his father, along with his brother, Hal. They have different styles. Hal is more quiet and Hank is very available, but my job is to continue to line up the structure of the organization that can find the amateur talent.”

On Friday, I wrote about how the new relationships affect the Santana deal. Today, we can extend that look to the entire organization. Right now, Hank talks a lot — maybe too much — and Hal is the quiet, behind-the-scenes guys. While Brian Cashman knows and understand that he doesn’t have the same unilateral power that he had during the waning days of George Steinbrenner’s reign, he stills has a very influential position of power within the Yankee organization.

From his comments, it’s clear that he is the de facto leader of any sort of transitional organizational team in place ensuring that the Yankees continue down the solid path they’ve built up of developing young players and making smart free agent signings to fill in the holes. While George got away from that plan earlier this decade, the younger Steinbrenners are seemingly much more willing to let this plan unfold.

Sure, they may be in on Santana, but right now, Hank has listened to Cashman and Hal, the two anti-trade forces in the organization. Because of that, Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy and Melky Cabrera are both still on the Yankees and slated for pinstripes in 2008. While some of Hank’s more outspoken critics may not like what Cashman is saying, the Yanks haven’t made any off-season mistakes yet this year, and I’m willing to believe that the Steinbrenners are letting Cashman do his job. He did say after all that his job is to “assist them in their emergence now as decision makers.”

Make as much of that as you will, but in the end, that’s the General Manager’s job. Every signing, every contract, every trade in baseball will always have the seal of the team’s owner’s approval. The Yankees — even with Cashman’s so-called autonomy — were no different the last few years, and they will be no different going forward. The difference instead lies in the mental health and acuity of the men at the top, and the younger Steinbrenners seem prepared to build up a fiscally strong and talented Yankee team with the help of a top-notch General Manager. I can’t argue with that one.