Cashman’s Dilemma
by Jon Shields ~ July 26th, 2008
When the Philadelphia Phillies were rumored to be interested in Erik Bedard a couple of weeks ago it put Phillies GM Pat Gillick in a bit of a moral dilemma. There had been rumors that Gillick could be Seattle bound after season’s end, meaning he’d be in control of the players he would have jettisoned in a trade. Trading with Seattle this year became a conflict of interest. He could have overpaid for Bedard, effectively screwing his Phillies, then jumped ship to reap the benefits with the Mariners a year later.
That’s what some people were saying, anyway.
Isn’t Brian Cashman in that same situation right now? There have been just about as many Cashman-to-Seattle rumors as there has been for Gillick. If Cashman gives up big talent for Jarrod Washburn, enough to be called an overpayment by some, then he is effectively taking his name out of the hat for the Seattle GM opening. He’d have to, wouldn’t he, to protect his integrity?
I’m not sure if any of that has anything to do with why these trade negotiations are being held up, but it’s something to think about.
3 Responses to Cashman’s Dilemma
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1 July 27th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
I’m impressed the Mariners are playing hardball with the Mets, Yanks and Twins. Perhaps we are asking for too much… but if we poke hard enough we might just find a soft underbelly with these rival GMs. Why isn’t there talk of packaging Rhodes and Ibanez to the Mets? Are the Yankees the only team interested in Washburn anymore?
Does anyone else think Cashman is being cheap?
2 July 27th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
I don’t think Cashman is being cheap at all. Washburn doesn’t have a lot of value, no matter how good he’s been pitching of late. Cashman is doing what our recent GMs didn’t do (protect the farm and be smart about deals). Maybe we can get Cashman to flinch and give up more than he wants to, but it’s not like the Yankees don’t have other options.
3 July 29th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Never thought of this before.
I feel so deprived of good GMing, it’s surreal to think of someone smart like Brian Cashman coming in.