WHAT CASHMAN WAS REALLY SAYING

So, I am sure many of you have read the interview Yankees GM Brian Cashman gave to ESPN's Andrew Marchand. If you haven't, read it here. Cashman fired off a few quotes that had Yankee fans and Yankee beat writers taking note. Here are a few that stood out for me and were the most revealing:

"AJ Burnett is having his typical terrible August. For whatever reason, he can't pitch in August, I don't know why. It is what it is."

I actually think Cashman was being kind calling AJ's August performances only "terrible". How about atrocious! Yankee fans, in his three seasons with the Yankees, AJ has won 1 game for us in August according to ESPN.com and Baseball Reference. Now, I don't want to hear Burnett cry about not getting run support because in his 15 career starts for the Bronx Bombers in August his ERA is 7.62.

Then the topic of what role Ivan Nova plays in all of this came up. Cashman made sure we all knew how he felt about Nova and assured Yankee fans we can count on him.... all but replacing Burnett.

"We entered this season with the expectation that Nova could be a legitimate back-of-the-rotation starter in the American League East. Obviously, he is making much way today to talk about Ivan Nova: stronger steps than that, which is great."

Let me break down what Cashman is saying here: "Hey AJ, time's up! It's time you move over and move out!" Then Cashman went on to say this about Nova:

"He is one of our more dependable starters now, without a question. He's moved up the scale. Like anything else, you have a sliding scale. It is called a credibility scale. You can move high on that credibility scale with a positive performance or you can move lower with inconsistent performance."

Wow! Okay fellow Yankee fans, pretty sure it doesn't take a mind reader to read into what Cashman just said. To me, there is no reading between the lines here. Cashman all but called out AJ for his performance and his credibility. I know Cashman threw some support behind Burnett just last week but how else could the above quote be taken? I mean, the topic was about Burnett but throughout the interview today Cashman couldn't talk enough about Nova, and rightfully so. Cashman went out of his way of NOT mentioning Burnett when the topic of post season came up.

Look, we here at BYB had supported AJ sometimes and ripped him when he was lousy, but there is also another point to all of this, and it involves AJ's career and how he's never been the superstar many thought he was and Casey pointed it out:

"The Yankee brass sold us all a bill of goods in 2009 propping AJ Burnett up on a pedestal when he came over to the Yanks. CC, AJ and Teixeira came over and it’s was their brilliant P.R. machine at work, hinting about the Yankees new “aces” and a “1,2 punch”... But, honestly, anyone who knew AJ’s career numbers and injury record knew this was bogus... AJ Burnett is no superstar pitcher, he’s a talented pitcher that is constantly a work in progress..." (from WHY CRUCIFYING BURNETT NEEDS TO STOP.)

Now, here's what Cashman had to say regarding the upcoming post season and this is where I think he all but put the final nail in Burnett's Yankee coffin:

"We are going to have some interesting choices to make. Past CC, you have some guys with experience and ability."

I found this very interesting because AJ certainly has post season experience. I mean he has pitched in World Series games, in fact, won Game 2 for us in the 2009 WS against Philadelphia. Cashman continued:

"Freddy Garcia knows how to pitch, Bartolo Colon has obviously had a tremendous year. Those guys are experienced. You've got Phil Hughes, who was an 18-game winner, who was hurt, but now seems to be back to his first-half form of last year. You've got Nova, who is inexperienced, but obviously can't be beaten at this stage."

Can you imagine being AJ Burnett and reading these quotes today? I mean his boss just mentioned every starter in the rotation except for one! There are a number of other interesting statements Cashman made to Marchand in his piece but I found the above quotes today the most revealing. I don't think anyone is shocked by what Cashman said today about Burnett, or really what he DIDN'T say about Burnett, but how does AJ take the ball again? What little motivation AJ was pitching with has been completely stripped away. AJ was all but told through the press that he will not be losing games for us this post season.

I really feel that Cashman's statements today were done for two reasons. First, he wanted to let Yankee fans know that we won't have to worry about AJ coming anywhere near the post season roster. And second, I think he was standing up for his manager. He said things that Girardi probably wished he could have said after Saturday's game and I love it. Listen AJ, as I mentioned in my BYB post after Saturday's game titled WHY IT'S TIME TO PULL AJ BURNETT, I am not going to attack you on a personal level and I don't think anyone has that right to do so. But when it comes to your three seasons as a pitcher for my beloved New York Yankees, I say good riddens. Don't let the clubhouse door hit you in the ass.



--Mikey Blue, BYB Senior Writer
Email: DonnieBaseball2323@gmail.com

Twitter: @MikeyBlu23


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