Faith in Cash will pay off

If you needed any proof that Hal and Hank Steinbrenner are not going to follow their father’s blueprint on how to run the Yankees, look no further than Brian Cashman’s new contract. In the old days, the Boss would have jettisoned his general manager a long time ago, needing to blame someone for the Yankees’ failures this season. By bringing Cashman back on a new three-year deal, the Steinbrenner sons have shown a belief in the GM’s rebuilding plan, even if it resulted in a season without playoffs in 2008. Why is Cashman the right man for the job? I’ve detailed my thoughts on his run here several times, explaining why I think he should be back. Once the Yankees decided not to deal for Johan Santana, Cashman should have gotten his contract extension right there and then. Cashman has taken a lot of heat for his decision not to deal for Santana, but of course, that’s all hindsight. When Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy combine for zero wins and Santana has an ... (link)