The Yankees ahead of yesterday's MLB trade deadline gave up their "decades-old business model of pouring all their resources into winning now," trading Ps Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller, Ivan Nova and RF Carlos Beltran for prospects, according to Billy Witz of the N.Y. TIMES. A source said that there was a "disagreement between baseball operations and the business side on whether the Yankees would become buyers or sellers." But three consecutive losses "convinced the owner Hal Steinbrenner to green light the trades" (N.Y. TIMES, 8/2). Yankees Senior VP & GM Brian Cashman said, “We’re doing what we have to do and doing what’s necessary.” He said the decision to be sellers at the deadline became "less difficult when we went into Tampa Bay and got swept." The Yankees this year have been "very inconsistent,” and team officials declared themselves "more a pretender than contender" when the Rays' sweep happened. Cashman noted the on-field product "has declared itself as somewhat this year, unfortunately, as fool’s gold.” There had to be "honest, objective conversations, and then just execute good, sound business strategies going forward." Cashman: "That’s what we did” ("Yankees-Mets," ESPN, 8/1). More Cashman: "There's no shame in anything we've tried to do today. We’ve tried to make good sound business decisions to put ourselves in the best position possible. We’ll see where it takes us" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 8/2).
FEEDING THE FARM: USA TODAY's Mike Vorkunov writes the Yankees "finally declared that they were tired of sitting in purgatory and ready to become a team of the future." In trading Miller, Beltran, Nova and Chapman, Cashman "resuscitated a farm system that had previously been barren." Cashman said that Steinbrenner "did not authorize Beltran’s exit" until 2:30pm ET yesterday. He was "gone a half-hour later" (USA TODAY, 8/2). ESPN's Buster Olney noted the "worst place to be is right in the middle, and that's where the Yankees have been, especially this year." Olney: "They're incredibly mediocre, they’re not very interesting to watch. ... It was exactly the right decision" ("Baseball Tonight," ESPN, 8/1). The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Jared Diamond writes the Yankees have "officially entered a new era" after a "two-decade run of World Series-or-bust" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 8/2). In N.Y., Ken Davidoff writes it was the team's "first massive sale in a generation" (N.Y. POST, 8/2). FS1’s Frank Thomas said, "Brian Cashman made the right call. They got old overnight." Meanwhile, FS1's Dontrelle Willis said, "Money and winning has made them lazy and overlooked the importance of developing ball players in your minor league system” ("MLB Whiparound,” FS1, 8/1).
YOU'RE SO MONEY: YAHOO SPORTS' Jeff Passan writes Cashman "might be the biggest winner of this deadline," as he "turned two relief pitchers and a 39-year-old free-agent-to-be DH/sorta outfielder into arguably the best farm system in baseball" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 8/2). In Newark, Joe Giglio writes Cashman "might deserve Executive of the Year." The Yankees "virtually rebuilt an entire farm system in the span of a week" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 8/2). ESPN's Keith Law: "They’ve launched themselves from probably a middle of the pack farm system up into the top two of three in all of baseball” ("Baseball Tonight," ESPN, 8/1). ESPN's Tim Kurkjian gave the Yankees an "A" for their trades and said, "They had to fortify that farm system and they’re going to be contenders maybe next year, certainly by 2018 with the people they added” ("SportsCenter,” ESPN, 8/1). SPORTS ON EARTH's Mike Lupica wrote Cashman has "not just stockpiled talent here." He has "bought himself some time with these moves" (SPORTSONEARTH.com, 8/1).
REASONS FOR WAITING: In N.Y., Bob Raissman writes, "Left unanswered is how this change in philosophy affects the Yankees’ overall business, their bottom line." The Yankees have "been at the top of the heap when it comes to making money." For years, they "repaid their fans by pouring dough back into the franchise to chase championships." Selling excellence, "even the perception of it," now or in '17, is "unrealistic." All the execs "really have to sell is uncertainty." Yankees execs could "take a fall-back position and put even more emphasis on selling the Bombers’ glorious past." Unless something changes quickly, there will be "no stars to market in the short term." Losing is "not in the DNA of Yankees fans, including the ones who buy those high-priced season ticket subscriptions." Raissman: "With the Yankees in rebuilding mode, are these fans going to continue paying the price to watch a losing team selling hope for a brighter future?" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 8/2). ESPN N.Y.'s Wallace Matthews wrote the Yankees have over the past week "divested themselves of not only their three best players, but also pretty much the only three reasons to watch them play during this generally forgettable season" (ESPNNY.com, 8/1). ESPN.com's Jayson Stark wrote if the strategy "hurts YES ratings for a couple of months, whatever." Now at least the team "can see the future" (ESPN.com, 8/1).
ROLE REVERSAL: In New Jersey, Bob Klapisch writes the Mets and Yankees are headed "seemingly in opposite directions now." While "everything must go" for the Yankees, the Mets are "going for it" (Bergen RECORD, 8/2). In N.Y., Tyler Kepner writes the Mets "want to win the World Series this season -- and, perhaps more important, to keep alive their chances" for '17. The Yankees are "looking far ahead." The nonwaiver trading deadline "brought an honest self evaluation from both teams" (N.Y. TIMES, 8/2). On Long Island, David Lennon writes there was an "odd juxtaposition: the Mets talking about a playoff push and the Yankees discussing what sabotaged a season that already was kaput" (NEWSDAY, 8/2).
