Brian Cashman doesn’t seem to have many qualms with the 2022 Yankees using the 2004 Red Sox as an attempt at motivation.
The Yankees were ridiculed by opposing fans and lambasted by their own for using New York’s ALCS meltdown in an attempt to galvanize this year's group during their postseason run. You can see what the Yankees -- specifically mental skills coach Chad Bohling -- were getting at with the idea, as New York was down 3-0 to the Houston Astros in the ALCS at the time, but the optics never were great.
The Yankees getting eliminated hours later in Game 4 didn’t help.
But asked about it Friday in an appearance on “Carton & Roberts,” Cashman said he didn’t have an issue with it being used.
“No (it didn’t bother me) because, first of all, outside of me, I’m not sure how many other people are here from that ‘04 year. And I agree with you, it’s a memory I don’t want to have any memory of," Cashman said. "But our mental skills coach, Chad Bohling, who is considered best in class … on a daily, weekly, monthly basis, he’s pushing out things off his platform to our players about – whether it’s motivational or something to think through or think about or recognize or realize.
"On that particular day, when we were down, unfortunately, 3-0, he pushed on his platform something that he thought would at least be a helpful reminder. So I think whatever the dialogue offline within the public atmosphere with our fans and stuff like that – I know our players received the information and felt like it was properly shared. Ultimately, when you lose and you don’t come back it’s a thread that people can pull on and get angry at, but I don’t think it sits anywhere in the reality of (the results)."
It went beyond just fans, though. Players on that Yankee team, including Derek Jeter, haven't exactly sounded pleased that such footage was used.
Cashman is imploring them to get over it.
“I can tell you, anybody on the ‘04 team that was offended, and me included, we should just focus on we were up 3-0 and we lost that series. Nothing is more offensive than that, right?" Cashman said. "So anybody who wants to complain about that, whatever, look inwards because we were all part of something that we’re not proud of back then in ‘04.”
Ultimately, the ill-fated attempt to rally the troops might not be the biggest deal, but the Yankees will probably think twice before ever considering going down that road again.
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