Evan Roberts opened today’s show by applauding the “brilliance” of Brian Cashman, who he says fooled everyone into thinking that Caleb Durbin was a legitimate candidate to be the Yankees’ second baseman of the future, only to use him as the centrepiece of a blockbuster trade to acquire superstar closer Devin Williams.
Cashman told reporters at the start of the offseason that the prospect was a real possibility to be the team’s Opening Day second baseman in 2025, and noise about Durbin and his speed and bat-to-ball skills suddenly became a major talking point around baseball. Instead, Cashman flipped Durbin, along with a now expendable Nestor Cortes after the signing of Max Fried, for who Evan considers to be one of the top three closers in the sport.
“I need to clap. I need to stand up and clap,” Evan said. “I need to salute somebody who gets a lot of crap around here. I need to hand it to a guy who played all of you like a fiddle. I knew it. I freaking knew it.
“He deserves your credit. He deserves an apology. He deserves a round of applause. Ladies and gentleman, Brian Cashman did it again.”
Evan says any Yankee fan should be thanking Cashman for turning a 25-year-old prospect who hadn’t been on anybody’s radar just months ago into an elite closer, giving up “very little” in the process. For all the criticism that Cashman hears, Evan says it shouldn’t be forgotten that Cashman has been an expert at hyping up his organization’s prospects, and then using them as trade chips to acquire established big-league talent.
“Y’all really believed in Caleb Durbin? Remember that guy?” Evan said. “‘Caleb Durbin is gonna be our second baseman.’ Guys, they fooled you. There’s nothing to be mad about. Be happy of this.
“One of the things he does brilliantly is pump up guys. Remember Jesus Montero? He pumped up Caleb Durbin...and he brings back one of the best closers in major League Baseball. That’s what Brian Cashman did today...I give him a round of applause.”