MLB radio duo share rare plaudit for under-fire Yankees GM Brian Cashman

If the New York Yankees could earn a nickel every time someone in their fanbase said something negative about Brian Cashman over the last decade, that alone would be enough for the club to finance a deal for Shohei Ohtani this trade window.

The under-fire General Manager has been held responsible for the lion’s share of what’s gone wrong with the Yankees since their last World Series crown in 2009. As the Yankees struggle to simply make the playoffs this year, that sentiment has only escalated among the Bronx faithful.

Already the longest-tenured GM in Yankees history, he signed a new contract last December that takes him through the 2026 season. He replaced Bob Watson before the 1998 campaign and has steered the Yankees into the postseason in 21 of his 25 seasons.

Despite the Yankees’ lack of success over the past decade, there is a serious case to be made for Cashman’s future presence in the National Baseball Hall of Fame based on his overall reign. MLB radio duo Brandon Tierney and Sal Licata, better known as BT and Sal, believe that Cashman has done enough to warrant a place among the greats in Cooperstown.

"You’ve gotta be fair...I know [Bob] Watson and Stick Michael, how that team was constructed, but when you’re the general manager, and you win all those championships and get back there…you’re a Hall of Famer. You gotta be fair.” - Brandon Tierney

“Just because you want to move on from a guy and think it’s time for a change, it doesn’t mean he sucks as a general manager...It doesn’t mean the Yankees need to move on because he sucks. The track record shows that it doesn’t…I think it’s time for a new vision atop the Yankees organization, but it doesn’t mean Brian Cashman is not a Hall of Fame general manager.” - Sal Licata

New York Yankees banking on old formula to deliver new success

There seems to be a shift in philosophy at the New York Yankees. Having changed hitting coaches earlier this month, the club has now hired fan-favorite left-hander Andy Pettitte as an advisor to Aaron Boone and his pitching staff. The moves suggest a newly heightened focus on experience over analytical proficiency.

Pettitte was a prominent figure during the team's golden era and a key member of the revered "Core Four" alongside Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera.

Casey is a three-time All-Star who slashed .302/.367/.447 with 130 home runs and 735 RBIs for Cleveland, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Detroit and Boston between 1997 and 2008.

Only time will tell how far will this new approach take the Bronx Bombers in their desperate quest to make the playoffs. They remain 2.5 games behind in the race for the final AL wild card spot.