Cashman Discusses His Big Winter

From Dom Amore:

"We've won the winter," Cashman told the crowd, "but that doesn't mean you're going to win the summer when it counts. ... When you win it's because of [ George Steinbrenner's] money; when you lose it's your fault, and the truth is somewhere in between."

When he was asked about how much time it would take for Sabathia, Burnett and Teixeira to the adjust to New York he had this to say:

"We have to take the heat off them as much as possible," Cashman said, "and make sure they understand that how the team does will determine success or failure. It's a new environment for them, the first year will be a transition period for them, some growing pains associated with it. The players who were with the Yankees already will have to step up and help them."

On the Teixeira signing:

"Teixeira's free agency came at the perfect time, with Giambi's contract running out," Cashman said. "We looked at the potential free agents next year and the year after and we felt, if we could get Teixeira now, we'd be better off."

On the Red Sox:

"The Red Sox were in a better position than we were going into the free agent market," Cashman said. "They weren't in a position where they really had to do anything. We had to get pitching, we had to replace players who had left."

It also doesn't sound like the Yankees will be making anymore free agent splashes this year:

Regarding the current Yankees, Cashman said he was looking only to sign some nonroster invitees to spring training, and did not expect any major moves between now and the beginning of camp.

“I fully expect to go to spring training with what we’ve got,” he said. “And that’s a good thing.”

Cashman took a question about why he was not pursuing Ramírez, and he said that he simply could not afford it after spending so freely during the off-season.

“People expect us to get in on Manny, but it’s not going to happen,” Cashman said. “We’re in the nonroster invitee mode.”

He added, “He’s a great player, but when you look at our payroll, we’re tapped.”

It looks like the Yankees will in fact come in under last year's $209 million. Hard to believe you could spend a half a billion dollars in one offseason and actually save money.