Brian Cashman's Winter Meetings update shows Yankees are in danger of stagnation

Whether the problem is the Yankees Tax or Indecision, Brian Cashman certainly doesn't sound much closer to meaningfully improving the Yankees' roster than he was before the Winter Meetings began.

Cashman isn't alone in that plight, of course. Unless you're bringing back a beloved slugger like the Phillies, buying the universe like the Dodgers, or exploring multiple surging trade avenues like the Red Sox (with the game's most fertile farm), there isn't much out there for the game's dealmakers this time around.

Last year, the Yankees were spiraling and putting together a Plan B. This year, they're apparently putting out feelers, receiving a whole bunch of other feelers they hate, and are coming dangerously close to calling it an Orlando trip.

According to Cashman's Wednesday morning message, he's attempting to stay engaged, as well as provide Aaron Boone with more right-handed bats to aid in his platoon choices. Unfortunately, he's not liking the requests that are coming his way, and no one seems to be enjoying what he's throwing out there. Either his voice is falling on deafer ears than usual as the rest of MLB raises their trade standards for the Yankees and only the Yankees, or there ... just isn't a lot of willingness to deal desirable pieces across the board.

Somehow, the Yankees — with a wealth of young pitching and some outfield pop — can't find a way to move the needle yet in their quest to reshape their roster. Any hope for an overhaul is, of course, long gone. But can we at least get a retool?

Yankees' trade prices aren't lining up for Brian Cashman at Winter Meetings

Nobody wants Cashman to pay through the nose unnecessarily. No one wants him to jump the line in a market where nothing much has happened, to this point. Yankee fans just want confirmation of a sense of urgency befitting where this roster actually stands, as opposed to how the Yankees have been communicating about it.

The bullpen doesn't get talked about nearly enough. It's frightening. Platoon partners are an essential part of roster creation, but — in terms of this roster — so is a genuine shortstop. High-upside rotation arms don't hurt. This should be a seller's market for the Yankees, given the upper-minors pitching depth they have to work with, and some tantalizing outfield tools they can shop. For now, Cashman seems to be misaligned with that market. It's not a problem yet, but the issues are billowing over a bit more by the day.