Here’s Mike Vaccaro, writing in today’s Post:
He is not a blood relative, so this wasn’t an inherited trait. And Brian Cashman is neither the bully nor the greedy back-page raconteur George Steinbrenner was in the prime of his career, a man willing to say and do just about anything to land that prime acreage of New York journalistic real estate.
But in some very real, and very important ways, Cashman has become the living legacy of the Best of the Boss.
Off with their Heads!
The important thing that Cash has learned in all this time is to remain silent until it's necessary to speak. Apparently he does his talking with the people who need to know (fellow GMs and VPs) and the results speak for themselves. He must have had that kind of influence on Hal as well, who seemingly remained outside of the interests of the Yankees until his father's health began to fail. Hank... well, I'm sure they love Hank.
The comparison to George doesn't comport with the facts. Its a little too narrow of a comparison to say that both wanted to win. Is there an owner or GM who doesn't?
I'd need to know more about the advice Cash received that led him to import the four duds and Granderson during the offseason, as well as some documentation about his relationship with cardboard Joe. What did Joe know about AJ and Joba from Eiland and what did he tell Cashman. And, how much does management now interfere with personell decisions? Yawkey wanted to win, too, but didn't know how to size up talent.
This was a seriously personalityless team, as were many of the teams of the 80's. So far as I know, none of the players lashed out at the GM or the ownership. Ask Goose or Reggie, both of whom seem to have their lips taped, or Dave Winfield about George's need to win. George may have been more consumed with keeping his shipping business afloat. The only reason the Yankees held on so long was that the American League East was not as strong as the writers and announcers said it was.