3 Brian Cashman replacements Yankees must explore this offseason

1. Theo Epstein

For decades, Epstein has made his hay ending droughts. Though he’s currently with the home office helping to dictate policy with MLB, one might wonder if he could spare a little of his drought-breaking magic for the once-proud New York Yankees. Sir! Sir, it’s been 13 years, sir! Have some compassion! Have some mercy!

Sarcasm aside, the Yankees aren’t typically the 48-year-old Epstein’s M.O. He’s joined hands with the league for a reason. Speculation has placed him in any number of unfamiliar situations in need of a turnaround in recent years, from the NFL’s Browns to the NBA’s Knicks to Congress. He’s the innovator of the form, a master rehabilitator who’s gotten both the Red Sox and Cubs to the promised land. His Hall of Fame plaque has already been minted.

Basically, if you can scare him into joining your operation, you’ll be set for a decade.

Sadly, though, this feels almost as impossible as the Red Sox’ 2002 overtures to Billy Beane. Boston tried to get Beane to defect; the A’s architect passed, and the Sox people responded by claiming they’d find a way to imitate him.

They did. It was Epstein. It worked pretty well.

The Yankees should be on the run trying to overturn stones and find the next Epstein. If they can somehow manage to finagle the original source — even as just a consultant in the search — that would be a pretty big win.

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