The Yankees didn’t land Matt Olson in a trade, and have conceded in the Freddie Freeman sweepstakes by bringing back Anthony Rizzo on a two-year deal.
For Tierney, that’s just the latest piece of evidence that the days of George Steinbrenner and the Evil Empire are long gone.
“The Yankees are trying to change the perception of how they do business,” Tierney said during Wednesday’s show. “They are trying to change how they’re perceived. It seems like [Brian] Cashman is trying to play the game who the Rays play. The problem is, the Rays are playing checkers, and he is Hungry Hungry Hippos when it comes to this stuff.
“He has not proven to be a talent evaluator, and he has gotten worse as a GM.”
To be fair, Cashman has made several moves that seemed marginal at best in the past, and turned out to be groundbreaking, including getting Gio Urshela for pocket change, Luke Voit in a deal with the Cardinals, Chad Green from the Tigers, and Didi Gregorius from the Diamondbacks. But as for the consistent big splashes that the Yankees used to make a habit? It doesn’t seem like this front office is interested in that anymore.
“It’s like they want to spend money, but they want to hold on to prospects,” Tierney said. “They don’t have an identity. The Dodgers’ identity is simple: ‘we’re spending money, and we’re kicking the crap out of you.’ What is the Yankees’ identity? To make money? Is that usurping their desire to win?
“I know the Yankees want to win. Are they possessed to win? The answer is no, and that’s not how it used to be.”
The last time the Yankees won a World Series, it was preceded by a free agent spending spree highlighted by the additions of CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira. Sabathia, a west coast native, needed to be persuaded, and the Yanks made sure money talked. Aside from Gerrit Cole, that has not been the directive in recent years, despite ever-increasing revenue. The Yankees have had several chances to land big-name free agents in recent years, and aside from Cole, haven’t seemed to be in serious bidding for any of them. That’s a sad reality for Tierney, who remembers a time when the Yanks would never be outbid.
“The Yanks are turning into the Mets with Wilpon,” Tierney said. “That’s what it feels like. It may be harsh, but sometimes the truth, at least before the season starts, comes across as harsh. They’re shopping in the bargain basement rack here.”
Follow WFAN's midday team on Twitter: @TikiandTierney, @TikiBarber, @BrandonTierney, and @TheHoffWFAN
Follow WFAN on Social Media
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Twitch
