Executive's Brian Cashman roast reveals how rivals really feel about Yankees GM

Inherently, if a player is being widely dangled in trade talks, it's safe to assume there's something wrong. It doesn't have to be an injury or a long-term hindrance, but the player wouldn't be dealt if they fit perfectly, a fact that anyone who lived through the Yankees' dual Joey Gallo trades knows all too well.

Excepting the Luka Doncic deal, where the concerns that fueled it weren't shared by a single human being except the ones in charge, an athlete usually doesn't wind up on the block unless the team's evaluation of them has begun to shift pessimistically. Maybe the talent doesn't match the hype. Maybe they're a star, but nobody in the building believes they're going to stay long-term. Maybe the problem is festering with the franchise itself, and the leadership group simply needs a reset. Regardless, if a player winds up changing hands, it means their current team balked for a reason, and someone external believes in them more.

Still ... even accepting that baseline reality ... doesn't it seem jarring how often Brian Cashman seems to deal prospects who peter out? Michael King aside (and Drew Thorpe still pending), most of Cashman's recent prospect packages have been chock full of players he correctly bet against.

That's good for the Yankees' record of "winning" trades or drawing even, but it certainly makes other executives trepidatious about dealing with them. What does Cashman know that we don't?

Partially, the "Yankees Tax" — where New York is asked to overpay in trade talks because no one has any interest in helping them — is because of the franchise's history of success. Partially, though? It could be because teams are sick of receiving pebbles and dust, as one Angels employee recently told Joel Sherman on the subject of a Luis Rengifo trade.

LA Angels wary of dealing with Yankees, who never trade any "good players"

Maybe Cashman and Co. read a few too many fan-generated trade ideas led by Clint Frazier and Miguel Andújar and started to believe it themselves? Or maybe it's just time for Cashman to try to "lose" a few more trades long-term in order to improve the current roster to the fullest extent of his ability.

After all, Soto was a painful swing, but it worked; the Yankees made the World Series, and had one of the game's most ridiculous bats to cover for Aaron Judge in October and paper over their many additional weaknesses.

Plus, is desperately trying to win every trade really helping much in the meantime? A risk management win gets the softest of claps while Frankie Montas and Josh Donaldson are earning well-deserved puke noises. Come on, Brian. Live a little.