Carroll’s Column: The Yankee Way

Image Credit: Doubleday Publishing/Penguin Random House

NEW YORK — Major League Baseball’s Trade Deadline came to an ultimate end last Tuesday, July 30, with several teams looking to improve their roster for a potential trip to the postseason this October, and others opting to sell off. 

The New York Yankees bolstered their roster at the trade deadline by acquiring infielder-outfielder Jazz Chisholm from the Miami Marlins. Chisholm has power, expected for any Yankees position player, but also possesses speed, an offensive weapon they rarely have. He immediately provided dividends for Yankees general manager Brian Cashman by hitting four home runs aa a Yankee against the Philadelphia Phillies in three games at Citizens Bank Park.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, who has taken his share of slings and arrows from fans and the media in recent years, looks like he has made a winning deal. 

The Yankee Way: The Untold Inside Story of the Brian Cashman Era, by Andy Martino out now

If you are curious about how baseball teams make personnel decisions, you will enjoy reading “The Yankee Way” (Doubleday), the latest book from SNY baseball analyst Andy Martino. Brian Cashman, because of his longevity in the Yankees corporate suite, gets most of the focus here, but Martino credits former Yankees executive Bill Livesey for creating a manual for how to properly value offense and defense at each non-pitching position. 

While Martino is not purporting to write a linear Yankees history here, he does share some fun stories. A good example is how pitcher Tommy John ran up to George Steinbrenner’s office in his uniform wanting to punch him out because he put his wife in the upper deck for a game he was pitching.

Martino expresses his admiration for the late Gene Michael, who he fortuitously interviewed shortly before his unexpected passing. It was Michael who had the temerity to stand up to Steinbrenner when few others would. He also ended the Yankees’ habit of trading blue-chip prospects for over-the-hill veterans. It was Michael who pulled the trigger on the surprising 1992 trade with the Cincinnati Reds which sent Roberto Kelly to the Queen City in exchange for Paul O’Neill. That trade set the basis for the Yankees’ 1990s dynasty.     

The key to Brian Cashman’s longevity as the corporate face of the Yankees can be traced to twenty years ago. His contract was up, and his major demand to remain with the Bronx Bombers was to have oversight of the team’s Tampa satellite office. While Tampa was the center for player development, Cashman saw it as a shadow operation which tried to undermine him at times. Since the mercurial George Steinbrenner spent most of his time in Tampa, Cashman had good reason to centralize control with him being the final arbiter.      

Andy Martino also gets both Brian Cashman and Derek Jeter to recall the acrimonious 2010 negotiations when “The Captain” became a free agent for the first time in his career. Hard feelings lasted until Jeter became a minority owner of the Miami Marlins, and learned what it was like to be on the opposite side of the negotiating table. The two buried the hatchet at Jeter’s 2021 Hall of Fame induction ceremony.      

Fun Tidbits on YES Network and more from the Booth

YES network Yankees play-by-play voice Michael Kay had fun with his mea culpa last Tuesday night when he said on the air the previous night that Benjamin Franklin invented the printing press. It was invented centuries earlier by Johannes Gutenberg in Germany. “Everyone let me know of my error, including my high school history teachers, on social media,” Kay said with a self-effacing chuckle.     

It was smart of YES to have Joe Girardi serve as Kay’s sidekick during last week’s three game Yankees-Phillies series since he served as manager of both teams. Girardi also worked Friday night’s Blue Jays-Yankees game in which Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres dawdled in the batter’s box admiring a long drive which he thought was a home run. When the ball hit against the wall and remained in play, Torres had to hustle to get to first base.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone pulled him out of the game to send a message that lackadaisical play will not be tolerated. “Sometimes you need to have those unpleasant conversations with a player,” Girardi said.     

Sal Licata, of SNY and WFAN, at it again with Mets fans

SNY and WFAN personality Sal Licata knows how to enrage Mets fans with his predictions on social media. Just after Memorial Day two years ago, he declared the National League East race over with the Mets as the champs. Of course, they fell apart in September and were overtaken by the Atlanta Braves. Last month, Licata declared the Mets would be the top NL Wild Card team. Within an hour of that tweet, Mets ace Kodai Senga injured his left leg and would be lost for the rest of the 2024 season. The Mets were demolished by the Braves in the two games following that unwelcome news.    

Mets set to hold blood drive Monday, August 12, at Citi Field 

This Monday, August 12, the Mets will hold a blood drive at the Piazza Club in Citi Field. Parking will be available in Lot G. Blood donors will receive a voucher for a pair of tickets for select weekday Mets home games this season.    

Yankees enter licensing agreement with Mo Willems, New Era, and OT Sports

Baseball teams are always seeking new merchandising opportunities. They are especially excited to team with children’s brands because it helps create lifetime customers. The Yankees have entered into a licensing agreement with author and illustrator Mo Willems to have Yankees branded caps and t-shirts from his “Elephant and Piggie” series of books.d

New Era and OT Sports will manufacture the caps and t-shirts, respectively.     

McDonald’s partners with New York Jets 

New York metropolitan area McDonald’s restaurants will allow patrons who use the fast-food giant’s app to get a free Big Mac with any other $2 purchase if a Jets defensive play sacks the opposing team’s quarterback.

Given the Jets’ historic futility in this area, McDonald’s operators should not have to worry about dishing out too many bargain burgers. The training camp holdout of newly acquired linebacker Hasan Reddick is not going to help matters.    

Red Bulls Mascot REDD 

I like sports mascots as much as the next guy, but Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls should have rethought their Teletubby lookalike, REDD.   

First-ever Fanatics Fest at Javits Center August 16-18

The first-ever Fanatics Fest, which will be held August 16-18 at Javits Center, can be thought of as New York Comic Con for sports fans. In addition to autographing sessions with sports legends and memorabilia booths, there will be numerous panels.

One of the more intriguing ones will be a reunion of the cast of Fox Sports 1’s old signature sports and comedy program, “The Best Damn Sports Show.” 

Mariah Carey’s annual Christmas concert on December 17 at Barclays Center

The weather may still be steamy, but one sign of colder weather on the horizon is Mariah Carey’s annual Christmas concert tour. She will be performing at the UBS Arena on December 15, and at Barclays Center on December 17.   

Aerosmith cancels all upcoming shows 

While Mariah Carey is still going strong, it is the end of the line for Rock & Roll Hall of Famers, Aerosmith. Lead singer Steven Tyler announced over the weekend he can no longer sing the way up to his standards because of cumulative throat and vocal issues. The band has canceled all its scheduled shows. It makes one appreciate what the energetic Mick Jagger does at age 81 when he is on stage leading the Rolling Stones.

You can read more of Lloyd Carroll’s columns posted weekly on The Queens Chronicle.