Cashman, Steinbrenners to meet next week to discuss plans
Photo credit: Getty | Andy Pettitte of the New York Yankees looks on against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game Six of the 2009 World Series.
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Brian Cashman will meet with the Steinbrenners next week in Tampa - likely Thursday, Dec. 3 - to fully discuss the Yankees' offseason budget and plans, Newsday has learned.
The casual pace at which the Yankees are operating during this offseason - a year ago at this point in the calendar, they already had made a six-year, $140-million offer to free agent CC Sabathia - reflects the confidence they feel about their entire organization.
General manager Cashman likely will be joined by team president Randy Levine and COO Lonn Trost.
While attending the premiere of Major League Baseball Production's 2009 World Series DVD (speaking of the Yankees' confidence), Cashman said he will reach out to his own free agents - primarily Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Andy Pettitte - before engaging in discussions with other teams' free agents. Cashman met with his professional scouts last week in New York to begin determining the team's preferences to fill its obvious holes in the starting rotation and leftfield.
"Once I get some firm numbers, then I can go ahead and start putting together some ideas," Cashman said.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he has spoken with Damon and Pettitte and that he intends to reach out to Matsui.
Hank Steinbrenner is expected to attend next week's meeting along with younger brother Hal, who has taken charge of the franchise in the wake of George Steinbrenner's fading visibility.
Hal Steinbrenner, the team's managing general partner and control person, and Cashman share a general desire to lower the team's payroll while maintaining their championship ambitions. The Yankees' Opening Day payroll went from about $209 million in 2008 to about $201 million in 2009.
"I think the big picture is to be real efficient with how we allocate our resources," Cashman said. "Obviously, last year showed examples of, depending who it is, we can step up in a big way. I think we're going to try to be careful. Careful doesn't mean slow. We're trying to spend it wisely, make the right commitments to use for the present and the future.''
Notes & quotes: The Yankees were honored Saturday at the 11th annual National Sportsmanship Awards for their work with Camp Sundown during the organization's inaugural HOPE Week. Pitcher A.J. Burnett and Yankees media relations and publicity director Jason Zillo accepted the award on the Yankees' behalf in St. Louis, where the ceremony was held.
