Yankees are buyers and Cashman “carefully” signs off on it

Well, there you have it. The Yankees are officially buyers as the trade deadline approaches. Few would have predicted otherwise, but when the boss says it, you know it’s true.

The Yankees have vacillated all season long as to what kind of a team they wanted to be in 2017. Very little thought was given to the next two or three years as that was a slam dunk with the team reaping the harvest from last year’s group of young players. But this season was always a mystery, until now.

True to form. However, Cashman did tell the Daily News that the Yankees would be engaged only in “careful” buying:

"“I think that our interest would be (as) buyers. But I think that we’re going to be careful buyers,” Cashman said Sunday on the YES Network before the Yankees faced the Brewers at the Stadium. “We have a long-term plan that I think people are seeing the excitement from. We’re definitely not going to deviate from that, but also, part of that long-term plan is in the short-term winning now and putting out the best effort possible. But not at the expense of what we feel can lead us to more championships, plural."

Obviously, “careful” is a subjective word, leaving the whole matter open to discussion and controversy among the two contingents of Yankees fans. One group wants the team to go all-out for a Championship this season, letting next year be a matter a matter for winter maneuvering. The other more conservative side sees this season as a “rebuilding” year with the promise of Championships to follow.

Does Brian Cashman still has some of that magic potion left in his bag of tricks, and he’ll be able to steal the rest of baseball blind again this season.

Having grown up in the culture of the Yankees, Cashman wants both, and he sees no reason why the team can’t have both – again – with the proviso that they move carefully. Cashman also told the News that he’s been in some discussions with teams already, revealing that:

"“So far, I can tell you the sticker prices are pretty high, and I’d like to think our fan base would be happy that we’re saying no to a lot of things that are currently being presented to us,” Cashman said “But you keep working through it.”"

Most recently, the rumor mill has the Yankees taking a serious interest in Marlin’s slugging first-baseman, Justin Bour, who will join Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez in the Home Run Derby competition tomorrow night.

While not commenting on that trade possibility and the intertwining effect it would have on the team, Cashman did speak directly to the situation regarding Greg Bird,  whose well-detailed ankle injury has kept him out of the lineup since April.

Cashman did not hesitate, telling the News:

"“He’s dealing with issues that were sending him everywhere possible to find a definitive answer to. He’s the best scenario."

But with nothing definitive regarding the status of Bird’s health, for this season or even next, Cashman will be tempted to pull the plug on Bird, making the trade for Bour. But again, are you playing for this year or next year?

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In the case of Bour, though, he would be under the Yankees control through 2020 with three arbitration years coming up, which pretty much negates the argument that the Team needs to stick with Bird for monetary considerations.

Pick your poison or remedy, whatever you want to call it, but to be sure, you have to pick one. Unless you believe, of course, that Brian Cashman still has some of that magic potion left in his bag of tricks, and he’ll be able to steal the rest of baseball blind again this season.

At this point, I’d go with the house bet that says he’ll break even. But, you never know.

Yankees Sunday update – not good

The Bombers missed a chance to win their first series in eight tries when Masahiro Tanaka inexplicably reverted to his old self by making two fatal mistakes that resulted in two home runs that led to four runs and a deficit the Yankees would never overcome.

Clint Frazier hit his third home in the last few days, a two-run shot that accomplishes one of two things. Either he’s solidified a place in the Yankees lineup, now or in the future. Or, he’s been masterfully showcased for a trade as the centerpiece prospect that teams are looking for.

I don’t know about you at this point in the Yankees season, but I’m ecstatic that we’ve reached the “break” putting the last few weeks in the books, with an opportunity to recharge the batteries,to come out strong again when play resumes next Friday at Fenway Park.