Both times Brian Cashman had a team that resembled his current one, he recommended being a seller. His bosses didn’t take the advice in 2013. They did in 2016.
Outside executives said that the Yankees general manager was inquiring on a variety of scenarios. As one rival described it, “Taking inventory of who would be interested in what.” So the potential was that Cashman could still buy, sell or both before Tuesday’s 6 p.m. trade deadline.
Like a lot of clubs, even 65 percent of the way through the schedule, the Yankees are not fully comfortable defining an identity — contender or pretender. What is different from most clubs is Cashman has a lot of experience to draw upon, notably as the team’s GM since 1998. He has stood at the deadline with similar teams — middling won-loss results with bad offenses and a graying of core pieces.
In his time as GM, the three worst OPS-plus a Cashman Yankee team has had was 88 in 2013, 91 in 2016 and 94 in 2014. His team had just a 94 in going 55-49 through 104 games this year, in last place and eight out in the AL East and 3 ¹/₂ back in the wild card entering Sunday.
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nypost.com]
