What I Would Do If I Were the Steinbrenners

by EJ Fagan

November 2, 2024

***

NOTE: The following comes from EJ Fagan's substack page and is shared with permission. This was published a few days ago so the stats don't include the last few games.

Please check out EJ's substack page for more great articles.

***

It is going to be very tempting to see the 2024 season as one where the Yankees did almost everything right. They did make it to the World Series. But I think that would be a mistake. The Yankees made it that far because of historic performances from Judge and Soto, and a crazy playoffs from Giancarlo Stanton. The rest of the team underperformed. You can’t count on those good events all happening again.

We’ll talk about lots of player moves as the offseason progresses, but that’s not the owner’s job. The Yankees have a lot of work to do this offseason. But there are some ownership things to do first.

Step One: Fire Brian Cashman

I’ve written a lot about how I think Cashman is the problem. His big moves have a surprisingly low hit rate. He’s been saved by Aaron Judge’s emergence, but has otherwise had a rough few years. The Yankees can do better.

I wish I had more information about the inner workings of the Yankee bureaucracy. We do see what happens on the field. We see the players they bring in. We don’t see all the little things that happen behind the scenes that also matter. Here is my sense of what needs fixing:

• Player development for hitters. The Yankees have done a reasonable job of bringing big time talent to the majors recently (1st round picks Volpe and Wells, top IFA Dominguez), but little else. Good teams bring up players from the middle rounds all the time. The Yankees haven’t had a full time non-first round player since Brett Gardner.

• Advanced scouting and game planning. I don’t have a lot of evidence here, but it sure feels like the Yankees get worked over by other teams a lot. Judge made some comments last year to make me believe that the players recognized this as a problem.

• Roster construction. Every year, the Yankees play with an incomplete roster. In 2024, they lacked a right-handed left fielder, a third baseman for half the year, and anyone off the bench. The story was the same but at different positions in 2021 and 2022 and 2023.

• Overall focus and compete levels. It is shocking to listen to Posada, Jeter, Girardi and others talk and compare it to how most of the Yankee players, coaches and front office talk. You get a sense of urgency from the older guys that is not present today. That all comes from the top. Cashman, probably by virtue of being around for so long, does not project that sense of pain when the Yankees lose.

  
  

Who should replace Brian Cashman? Maybe this is crazy, but I want the Yankees to hire Derek Jeter as president of baseball operations, assisted by a general manager. Jeter might not make the day-to-day decisions, but I’m confident that he would instill into the organization the sense of competitiveness and urgency that you see bursting out of him every day.

Step Two: Fire Aaron Boone

I talked about Aaron Boone in my immediate reaction, so I won’t repeat myself too much. The lack of attention to detail of the Boone Era Yankees was so incredibly evident during the 2024 playoffs. The team made so many baserunning and fielding mistakes that it was tough to watch at times. Managers and coaches can’t magically make players more athletic, but they can drill them to focus and not make dumb mistakes.

A few other problems with Aaron Boone:

• Overreliance on veterans. Oswaldo Cabrera and Jasson Dominguez sat on the bench during the entire playoffs. Dominguez was never given a chance to succeed, resulting in a limp Verdugo for the entire playoffs.

• Twitchy bullpen decisions. Boone (maybe the Cashman regime in general) has a habit of pulling relief pitchers or starters too early to get the perfect matchup. Relievers never get clean innings. I don’t think bullpen tactics are Boone’s worst weakness, but they aren’t a strength either.

  
  

I don’t have any names in mind to replace Boone. There isn’t an obvious AJ Hinch or someone out there to jump on. I’m sure there’s a bench coach on the Astros or Guardians or Dodgers or whatever who could do a great job.

Keep Matt Blake forever. He rules.

Step Three: Pay Up for Juan Soto

Owners don’t make most personnel decisions, but they make the big ones. No one knows what is inside Soto’s head, but the vibe I get is that he had a ton of fun in New York. He thrived in New York, and seems to get along great with Judge et al. The only question is how much will it cost.

Soto is such a safe bet that I don’t think there is a 15-year contract that can be too big. His talents should age incredibly well. He might even get better as he ages. Maybe he can do a Bryce Harper and slide over to first base in a few years.

If the Yankees do not resign Soto, things get pretty dark pretty quickly. Aaron Judge looks all alone again. The team might be able to bring in some big free agent hitter like Pete Alonso or Alex Bregman, but those guys are already entering their decline years. If the Yankees want to win the World Series with Judge and Cole still at the top of their games, Juan Soto is essential.