The Ol' Ballfield

Advice for Brian Cashman

As we enter the 2006-07 offseason, I have one piece of advice for the Yankees' general manager: don't, don't, DON'T fall back on your old plan of hiring old Yankees, thinking they've all got some magic fairy dust that will lead New York back to the World Series (or at least a seven-gamer).

Not sure what I mean?

Here are some Yankees that played during their primes in the nineties and came back withered under Cashman's request in the 2000s, God knows why:

Tino Martinez
David Wells
Ramiro Mendoza
Mike Stanton
Jeff Nelson
Luis Sojo
Shane Spencer (never made team 2nd time)
Ruben Sierra
Miguel Cairo*
Orlando Hernandez
Karim Garcia*
Sterling Hitchcock
Gerald Williams
Dwight Gooden
Luis Polonia
Roberto Kelly
Jim Leyritz
Al Leiter**
Lee Mazzilli***

*first stint was also in 2000s.
**first stint was prior to 1994.
***just kidding.

Granted, Wells is an ageless wonder, and a lot of the guys towards the end did play in a Series winning year. But Cashman, buy some damn binoculars and take a look outside your video room that's stocked with film from the glory years. Be creative! Don't trade Alex Rodriguez!

posted by Carnival @ 10/16/2006