Cashman Oh Jeter and Jorge

Brain Cashman spoke to the media today about various topics. Here are some of the highlights via Marc Carig:

On Derek Jeter's two-homer performance against the Rangers yesterday...

Desperately what we needed yesterday, I think we tried to do everything we could to put ourselves in a position to not win, but derek said no way jose.


Did Jeter need it to detract the attention?

Yeah, probably. Do I think he personally needs it? No. Do I think it changes the focus for a time, absolutely. We've got about five guys in that lineup that are struggling, but he's taking a lot of the questions and has been for the first month but in fairness we've had a bit of an offensive epidemic although we're one of the better offenses. We just haven't been firing on all cylinders yet.

His name just hasn't given other aspects of the offense some cover.


On whether he sees Jeter as one of the best hitters in the lineup, and thus, deserving to lead off...

I am a firm believer that your best hitters should get the most at-bats, period. That's how you should construct a lineup. And Joe, I talked to him about what the lineup should be and I think over time that's what maximizes the value on your offense.

We're currently trying to determine and decipher where one through nine we need to be offensively. (Manager Joe Girardi) is ultimately finding who he should and shouldn't be mixing and matching with.

I'm happy we're in first place, I think we're there despite a number of things that either ailes us or we haven't maximized our potential yet. Not really focused on individual stuff as well as collective.

I just don't think we've reached our potential yet in some areas, and other areas over time when available I'll have to try and tinker.


On whether he worried about Jeter or saw a change that prompted Sunday's performance...

To be honest, no, I think we've gotten out of the gate with some guys that were hot and now are cold. Alex was hot and now he's cold, Derek was cold now he's the one getting hot.

It's just the ebbs and flows of the game. Gardner was cold, now he's one of our better hitters. Teixeira got out of the gate hot, cold, I just think everybody is trying to find their consistency groove. We basically have had everybody go through those ups and downs.

...


On Jorge Posada's struggles at the plate...

I expected Jorge to struggle coming out of the gate because his history as a DH was never really strong, he's learning something completely different, new and very difficult so he needs the time to make the adjustment to that so we're giving him the time.

It has more to do with routine, playing the mental game. He's frustrated...he wants to be as good of a player as he possibly can be. It's hard to struggle early in a new role then think about it.

The talent, the ability to hit is still there. I just think it's fighting the mental disappointments of not helping the team as much as he used to and adjusting to a new role, and we understand that in the position we're in.