About the Off-Season: Time For a Reality Check

About the Off-Season: Time For a Reality Check

By Tim Kabel

November 6, 2023

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Many Yankees’ fans, myself included, wanted to see some big changes in the structure of the Yankees this offseason. In other words, we wanted a new general manager, a new manager, and some new coaches. The Yankees have not made any official announcements thus far regarding the status of Aaron Boone or Brian Cashman. There have been strong hints that Cashman will return and suggestions that Boone may as well. It is time to face reality.

Today is November 6th. It is the first day teams can sign free agents. Tomorrow, November 7th, marks the beginning of the General Managers’ meetings in Scottsdale Arizona. November 14th is the deadline to finalize 40-man rosters prior to the Rule 5 draft. The annual winter meetings will take place from December 3rd to the 6th in Nashville Tennessee. Things are underway. The Yankees already started making moves to their roster last week.

As much as many of us would like to see a new general manager, it's not going to happen. In fact, I have to say that if it did happen at this point, it could have negative consequences for the Yankees. Think about it. Whoever they hired would need time to get to know the organization and the players and to get settled into the job. There is no time for that. If the Yankees hired a new general manager tomorrow, they would probably lose out on free agent signings and possibly trades. They would not be open for business, because it would take time for the new general manager to get ready to make moves. Hal Steinbrenner is not going to make moves without Brian Cashman or someone else to guide him. He has relied on Brian Cashman forever. He has never worked with another general manager. That's not to say that he won't replace Cashman at some point but, if you expect Hal to function as the de facto general manager while the new person is settling in, it's not going to happen.

The reality is that Brian Cashman will be the general manager of the New York Yankees for the 2024 season. If he is ever replaced, it will have to be during the season or immediately upon the conclusion of the season. That would give his successor time to get up to speed before the offseason

However, it's not too late to replace Aaron Boone. It is not essential that he be retained for the General Managers’ meetings or the date when free agents can be signed. Ideally, players who are interested in signing for the Yankees would like to know who the manager will be but, they could make a managerial change while negotiating with free agents. Who knows, it could be a selling point. They do not have a lot of time, but they have some time. If the Yankees replaced Boone within the next two weeks, it would not adversely affect the team as far as rebuilding it for next year. The same cannot be said about Brian Cashman.

So, as much as many of us like to complain about Cashman and hope that he will be replaced, he will not be. At least not this year. The fact that he is still on the job on November 6th indicates that very clearly. As I noted above, it would be a bad move to fire him now because the Yankees, desperately need to make a lot of moves and they would be getting off to a late start with a new GM. It would be as if they started their Christmas shopping on December 24th. So, let's all face the facts: Cashman will be here. What we can hope is that he will do things differently. He did show a willingness to change his approach when he brought up several young players at the end of last season.

If Cashman can continue to make adjustments, then we may be able to reach the World Series with him as general manager. I certainly do not have the same level of confidence regarding Aaron Boone. When I see Boone in the dugout blowing bubbles and looking confused, I feel as if I'm about to climb Mount Everest and find out then my Sherpa is visually impaired and afraid of heights. Hopefully, we will enter 2024 with Cashman as general manager but someone else as manager. Time, which is quickly running out, will tell.