George Steinbrenner passed away a year ago Wednesday, and there has been a "distinct change in the feel and operation" of the Yankees since then, according to Nightengale & White of USA TODAY. Yankees DH Jorge Posada said the Yankees are a "lot more businesslike today." Yankees Senior Adviser Reggie Jackson said Steinbrenner "added a fiber and strength and confidence that we all relied on." Jackson: "He made a significant difference. I don't know if that will ever be replaced." Still, Yankees GM Brian Cashman "thinks the organization has never been in better shape since his arrival." The Yankees "draw nearly 45,000 fans a game," play in a "state-of-the-art stadium" and own the YES Network. Nightengale & White note Cashman "has been with the Yankees for 25 years," but he has "never been so bold and candid in his assessments." Cashman treated Derek Jeter in contract talks "as if the shortstop was a washed-up employee negotiating a severance package," and it is "as if Cashman can't wait to prove they can win without" Jeter and Posada. However, Cashman's "contract expires Nov. 1, and given the recent events it wouldn't be a surprise if he doesn't return." Cashman said, "Sometimes I'm burned out. Sometimes I'm enjoying it. ... I've got the greatest job I'll probably ever have. There are a lot of reasons to stay, and a lot of things hard to walk away from. But I'm not afraid to go somewhere else, let's put it that way" (USA TODAY, 7/11).
