
Bronx, NY:- Brian Cashman was blunt. His Yankees team is in a struggle and it has been showing with their anemic offense.
So Tuesday night, prior to his team routing the Angels 11-5, the GM said “We suck right now as bad as we can be. This is not an Aaron Boone problem and this is not a coaching staff problem,”
The media on a hot and humid Yankee Stadium field heard those words. It was unprecedented from a Yankees GM. And then the clock struck 7:08 PM. The Yankees made a statement early in their half of the first inning.
That anemic offense made Cashman eat his words. An, yes this is not a problem of the manager, (Boone) or his coaching staff. Suddenly those names in the lineup were not listed on mailboxes a half mile away at the main post office in the Bronx the Yankees have resembled.
These were the Yankees that were expected and not a team that Cashman put together that has underperformed. They snapped a four-game losing streak and 11-runs was their season high. Though they would not comment about the GM and his assessment, the Yankees had other ways.
They hit with authority. They jumped to an early lead in the first inning. The Yankees hit home runs to left, center. Gary Sanchez, Aaron Judge, Miguel Andujar were all-stars again.
This was the way it was supposed to be. But the GM spoke and the bats made him eat his words.
“This was a good one, ”Judge said on the postgame ZOOM call.”Not being the first team to score puts a little pressure on you. You feel like you’re clawing back the whole game trying to fight back. It feels good to get that first blow and then you’re kind of in the flow of the game.”
Judge said the lineup was locked in. With the exception of Giancarlo Stanton and Brett Gardner, a combined five walks, this was a lineup locked in. Brain Cashman could be eating his words Wednesday morning. The Yankees lineup up and down combined for 11-hits, a plan Cashman and his manager envisioned coming out of spring training.
However, inconsistency will not win ballgames and the issue of course has been the anemic bats of an all-star lineup. And the Yankees are playing well below .500 ball within teams in their division as the standings are a reflection against the Red Sox, Tampa Bay, and Blue Jays.
“Honestly looking at the team we have, it was just a matter of time for us to get going.” Andujar said through an interpreter.
But that matter of time is now. The Yankees need to win a lot and see that consistency from a lineup that scored their most runs since April 30. And Gleyber Torres had his best production in three weeks with a 2-for-4 night and driving in a run.
So back to Brian Cashman. And from this perspective the GM should not worry about his job security. The players on the Yankees roster need to be concerned if the consistency and wins fail to come prior to the All-Star break and after.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again,” said Cashman. “They’re doing what they need to do, but we’re not getting results we need. They’ve got my support.. We’re in this together.”
So for one night ,Brian Cashman ate his words. And Cashman offered no indication about pulling a major trade or two prior to the non-waiver deadline in late July.
But you have to admire Brian Cashman and his assessment. This is his team and this all-star roster with a sluggish offense has been a major disappointment with one of the top four payrolls in baseball.
But hand it to the Yankees as they responded Tuesday night. they did not comment about their GM accepting the blame.
“That’s those guys right there,” Boone said. “That’s the heaviness I’m talking about.”
And in all probability the offensive spurt had nothing to do with those words from the GM. Baseball is played everyday and the remedy is fighting the inconsistencies. The Yankees look to continue the consistent at bats Wednesday night when they look at the mound and see Shohei Ohtani.
Ohtani could make this a brief one-game winning streak and likely will take his turns at bat after a two-home night that gave him a MLB leading 28.
Boone said the runs were big. We will never know if he spoke to his team about the comments of his GM, and all that mattered was a Yankees offense that finally showed some life.
“I think they’ve identified some things and are working behind the scenes to unlock them. When you’re going through a tough time shaking hands is a good thing,” Boone said.
And Brian Cashman ate his words. Perhaps we will never know if that sparked the offense. But this was a blowout win and something the Yankees need to build on.
Comment: Twitter@Ring786 Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso
