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2019 MLB Season: The AL East’s best GM in 2019? Not him

By Bill Felber

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 09: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) General Manager Brian Cashman and Manager Aaron Boone #17 of the New York Yankees during batting practice before Game Four of the American League Division Series against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on October 9, 2018 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Red Sox defeated the Yankees 4-3. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 09: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) General Manager Brian Cashman and Manager Aaron Boone #17 of the New York Yankees during batting practice before Game Four of the American League Division Series against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on October 9, 2018 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Red Sox defeated the Yankees 4-3. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /
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2019 MLB Season: The AL East’s best GM

Brian Cashman, New York Yankees

Cashman’s Yankees flew to the AL East pennant, they won 14 of 19 from the Red Sox, New York took the division by seven games, and pre-season pickups such as D.J. LeMahieu and Mike Tauchman starred. What’s to criticize?

A few things, as it turns out.

Cashman’s acquisition of LeMahieu, as innocuous as it seemed at the time, turned out to be genius when virtually his entire infield came up sore. Playing at least 40 games at first, second and third bases, LeMahieu batted .327 to finish second in the American League batting race. Mike Tauchman, obtained in what appeared to be an inconsequential trade with the Colorado Rockies, generated the offense’s third-highest WAA.

Overall Cashman signed or re-signed 13 players prior to or during the season, and they produced a combined 9.5 WAA. A full half dozen netted a half-game or better to the New York cause.

Yet the facts provide a more neutral assessment of Cashman’s season. As good as he was at acquiring talent, he also let a lot of talent leave town. A lot of talent. Begin with Sonny Gray, who following his January trade to Cincinnati for nothing, in particular, produced an 11-8, 2.87 season for the Reds that translated to 4.1 WAA out the door.

Cashman released Lance Lynn, who went to Texas and generated a 16-11 record, a 3.67 ERA and a 5.7 WAA. He took a training camp look at Gio Gonzalez, said no thanks, and Gonzalez produced a 3.50 ERA in 17 starts for Milwaukee.

The departures more than offset all the talent Cashman brought into the organization, resulting in a modest -2.0 short-term assessment of his moves. What saved Cashman and the Yankees was what always saves them: their long-term core. That core of previously signed players improved New York by more than 13 games. That’s standard procedure in the Bronx, and it’s also why they won the AL East.

Short-term acquisitions: +2.9

Short-term trade losses: -3.9

Short-term free agent signings: +9.5

Short-term free agent losses: -7.1

Short-term rookie production: -3.4

Short-term total: -2.0

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