Yankees fans are frustrated by what they see on the field. Hope for change begins and ends with Brian Cashman. Here’s a plan to rid us of him.
Why did Yankees’ principal owner Hal Steinbrenner put a lock on the organization’s safe when he ordered Brian Cashman not to exceed this year’s $210 million payroll limit before the luxury tax kicks in?
He told us why, and this time he didn’t use misdirection. Steinbrenner tersely put the reason to all of the lost revenue he incurred last year with no fans in attendance.
For most of us, his defense came as no surprise as Steinbrenner has long been suspected of having only one purpose in life: to add millions to the Yankees’ coffers so fat checks can be mailed out yearly to his shareholders.
Now, we keep hearing and saying that baseball is a business, and it’s true.
Yankees: What George Got That Hal Doesn’t
But there is a huge difference between owning a ballclub and, as an example, the company that makes Glad garbage bags.
The difference is that buyers of Glad bags have no particular allegiance to Glad, and if another brand is on sale that week, most of us have no making the switch.
Yankees’ fans, however, do not make the switch to watch the Mets for a night or two; they stay with the Yankees through thick and thin.
Hal Steinbrenner’s dad got this. He understood the Yankees meant something to its fans, and this is why he always talked about bringing a championship “to the people of New York City,” an extension that even went beyond fans of the Yankees.
It goes without saying that George would be in the Yankees clubhouse every day talking to “the boys” and demanding more from them.
Hal is not George, we get that, and it’s the reason why Hal is stilled holed up in his bunker down in Tampa while the Yankees are trying to claw their way back into a pennant race that is fast eluding them.
What If We Could Awaken Hal?
If Hal could be awakened, what is it that most Yankees fans want him to do?
In a word, fire Brian Cashman.
Cashman has run out of gas on a highway where the speed limit is 80mph. All the talk about a “poorly constructed team” is on his shoulders as the architect.
As such, almost any move Cashman makes at the trade deadline this year is an open admittance that his previous moves were a failure.
To understand what makes Brian Cashman tick, remember this is the same guy who gets his picture in New York newspapers for scaling down a city skyscraper and sleeping with the homeless on a cold winter night on a city street.
Translation: Brian Cashman isn’t going anywhere of his own volition. He needs to be forced out, and Hal Steinbrenner is the only person who can do it.
If Yankees Attendance Stays Down, Hal Will Listen
So now the question becomes what will force Steinbrenner to take that action, with the understanding that doing so leaves him without a “Yes Man”?
There is probably nothing, but there is one thing Hal understands, and that’s revenue…good ole American-made dollars.
Now, so far this year, the Yankees rank 10th in attendance (38 games) with an average attendance of 14,162 “asses in the seats” for each game, as George used to say.
Last night, attendance jumped to 25,054, but I’ll bet my last dollar half of those fans came to see Shohei Ohtani play, not the Yankees.
Do you see where I’m going with this? To use the word “Boycott” isn’t necessary and probably wouldn’t be productive.
But if attendance were to stay down enough to keep the Yankees removed from their yearly 1-3 spots, revenue goes down, Steinbrenner takes notice, and it dawns on him, “Maybe I’d better do something here.”
Hitting Hal And The Yankees Where It Hurts
Pie in the sky like the rest of the Yankees’ season, maybe? I don’t know, but here’s something that is heresy for them.
Already, the Yankees have taken notice by announcing that single-game tickets will be on sale for the remainder of this season, including the coveted Subway Series with the Mets.
What if no one bought a single ticket, deciding instead to make a car payment rather than spending $400 or more and watching the game on TV with the family?
Wouldn’t that be a kick in Steinbrenner’s butt?
There’s a danger here, and you may see it as well.
Poor attendance can backfire if Steinbrenner puts forth the same claim of poverty next year by once again placing chains on the new GM.
But it’s Brian Cashman we want gone, and if that’s the price that must be paid, I’m all-in.
Here’s What Readers Are Saying…
Joshua Kaufman Yes! 
Ryan Ventura Opinions from out of towners don’t matter
Mario Adorno Long Over Due!
Steven Kenworthy Hal needs to have a serious pow-wow with Cash. George would have, a long time ago.
Michael Franklin Brian Cashman is a prime example of someone who I was making a living off of someone else’s hard work and that someone else is Gene Michael
Leo Holt I’m sure George is rolling in his grave right now. Hal needs a fire lit under him.
Jeff Dellolio Yup. Hitting Hal in the pocket where it hurts would be the only thing to wake him up to fire Cashman. That’s about it. Other than that he’ll continue to ride it out even with losing as long as the fans show up. Hal isn’t his father. It’s not about winning at all cost it’s about the almighty dollar
Frank Tedeschi Jeff Dellolio I think this is already happening. Attendance has been very poor so far and I don’t see it getting much better
Rocco Aceste Considering the level of play so far…and Boone’s only comment is ‘they are trying’…Boone and his coaching (staff) have to go…is there really a choice here!…come on…
David Keogh Reading this BS was a waste of my time. He’s not going anywhere. Stop the whining
Billy Touw If you get rid of Cashman you may not see a winning season for 1 to 3 years a new GM is going to dismantle and build the way he wants to look back at Boston a few years ago, Chicago and the Astros Author’s reply: Sounds good to me. Look where they are now.
Frank Rivera I agree wholeheartedly with getting rid of Cashman, but you got to get over Hal not letting Cashman spend more if with what he has been allowed to spend he couldn’t build a good TEAM, not a collection of a strikeout or HR guys, playing out of position another million won’t help. The only 3 worth keeping are DJ Judge. And Gio. They messed up Frazier and Andujar, Gleyber is no shortstop. Voit hits with power when not hurt. Sanchez has been good but definitely not a leadership catcher. Hicks is a lost cause
Closing Of Comments And Final Thoughts…
Again, the volume of comments has exceeded page space limits, and therefore is now closed.
If only we could sit down with Brian Cashman in our kitchen or living room, maybe he would get it then…
Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona. Not all holes, or games, are created equal.
