Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman addressed recent criticism from two of the franchise’s legendary figures, Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter, during a Thursday interview on WFAN Sports Radio’s “Evan & Tiki” show. Their comments came after the Yankees’ disappointing exit from the ALDS against the Toronto Blue Jays, where both former players pointed fingers at the front office for the team’s struggles.
Jeter and Rodriguez suggested that the Yankees’ managing strategies were undermined by the front office, particularly highlighting interference in manager Aaron Boone’s decision-making during games. Cashman, who has held the GM position since 1998, strongly refuted these claims.
“It’s not true, clearly,” Cashman stated emphatically, reacting to Jeter’s suggestion implying that Boone was not entirely responsible for the in-game decisions. He noted that Jeter admitted to lacking inside knowledge when making his comments. “They don’t know… I don’t know what he meant by it,” Cashman added, expressing his concerns about former players making assumptions without proper insight into the organization.
During a postgame discussion on Fox Sports following Game 4 of the ALDS, Jeter remarked on Boone’s commitment to his players, suggesting that Boone might not be the one calling all the shots during games. Rodriguez concurred, labeling Boone as “the one guy I would circle that is least to blame,” while criticizing the overall roster construction, which he described as “one of the worst” he had seen, emphasizing the challenges Boone faced.
Cashman expressed frustration regarding outside opinions, even from former icons, regarding his influence over Boone’s strategies. “That’s the bugaboo that people get to throw out there when they’ve got nothing else to throw,” he remarked. He insisted that during his nearly three-decade tenure, he has never interfered with managerial decisions, emphasizing the autonomy that managers have over game-day choices.
Reiterating his long-standing position, Cashman said, “I’ve never picked the lineup… We don’t tell him who to play. We don’t tell him who to pitch.” He concluded by stating that it’s disheartening when inaccurate remarks are made by those who may not fully understand the inner workings of the team.
This exchange highlights the ongoing dialogue surrounding the Yankees’ management and roster decisions, underscoring the complexities of balancing analytics and intuition in baseball management. As the Yankees look to regroup and improve for the next season, Cashman’s commitment to empowering his managerial staff could be a pivotal factor in addressing the criticisms voiced by Jeter and Rodriguez.