There may be some tension in the New York Yankees front office, according to Andrew Marchand at ESPNNewYork.com:
Brian Cashman Against Soriano Deal [ESPN]
NEW YORK -- Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said he did not want to sign Rafael Soriano because he didn't feel paying closer money to the team's setup man made sense. And, in the end, Cashman said he did not participate in negotiations with Soriano's agent, Scott Boras.
"I didn't recommend [the deal]," Cashman said after the team officially introduced Soriano as its eighth-inning man in front of closer Mariano Rivera.
Cashman said his feelings have nothing to do with Soriano himself. The 31-year-old is a fine reliever, Cashman said, but as he tries to pare down the Yankees' $200 million payroll he would have preferred a more patient approach. The executives above Cashman disagreed.
Cashman felt he needed to be honest with how he felt about the move because he had made it known to many members of the media that he didn't think it would be wise to pay so much for an eighth-inning guy. The Yankees have had bad experiences with multiyear deals for Steve Karsay and Kyle Farnsworth, among others.Give credit to Brian Cashman for being honest, but things could get a little awkward after the season ends, as his contract expires at the end of this year and he will have to convince Hal and Hank Steinbrenner to renew his contract. Team president Randy Levine says there are no issues between Cashman and ownership. We'll see if that holds at the end of the season.
Brian Cashman Against Soriano Deal [ESPN]
Moonlighting as a blogger to pursue my interest and enjoyment of sports. Former high school and Division I athlete (now a "retired" family man) that loves watching and discussing all sports. Follow me on Twitter (@HoldoutSports) and like Holdout Sports on Facebook.
