Some Quotes From Cash

There were some very interesting quotes from GM Brian Cashman in this article from The Register Citizen that I wanted to pass along. First regarding Jeter, Rivera and Girardi's contracts:

“The industry the last two free agent markets seems to be going downward and the player’s ages are going upward,” Cashman said. “It makes more sense to be patient. My attitude is if this is the place you want to be, you will make it happen. Johnny Damon professed his love for the Yankees, wanted to be here and was given every chance to be here. He’s not here anymore and I don’t feel that is the Yankees’ fault. They have to reconcile why they are not here, not me.

“If people want to be here and be a part of something, then find a way to work it out. Of course we want (Jeter, Rivera and Girardi) back, but we choose to delay that until the end of the year.”

And Damon:

“I told (Damon and Boras), ‘I don’t know if Hal (Steinbrenner, the team’s part owner) would approve it, but I’m not going to fight for it unless we know you will do it,’” Cashman said. “Scott Boras said, ‘Bobby Abreu’s (new) contract is $9 million a year right now on the table so why would we do that? So I expect to see a Bobby Abreu contract.’ ... I hope he does not sign for something less than our offer. That means he should have been a Yankee and that’s not our fault.”

...

“If you ask everyone in the room if they would rather not have Curtis Granderson because he costs X amount of dollars and Andy Pettitte because he costs X amount, that gives you more money to sign the left fielder who is dear to your heart in Johnny Damon,” Cashman said. “If you ask most people right now, what would you rather have moving forward, I think they would say they need Andy Pettitte for the rotation and Curtis Granderson because he’s an all-star center fielder who hit 30 homers at Comerica Park last year, who steals bases and is (7) years younger. You can’t have everything.”

All I have to say is I completely agree with Cash on everything he said.

The entire article is worth a read. He talks about how talks about Curtis Gradnerson started during last year's World Series, what it takes to be a big league GM, and having Granderson instead of Damon, Andy Pettitte's contract, Jeter's future contract negotiations, and the 2010 Yankees as a whole.