"The Boss" is dead, and so is his team
George Steinbrenner set the bar for the Yankees, and it was an expensive bar—a whole new meaning for winning at any cost. George is dead, and the Yankees have been for years. This season, the humiliation is being in last place, having extensive losing streaks, and a high-priced free agent battling arm issues all season.
Brian Cashman has been under fire for years since New York expects the Yankees to win, and when they do, a championship is elusive, and that does not meet the expectations of Yankee fans. And you can go back far enough with Cashman to create a plus and minus list of trades and free-agent signings. A poor signing like Jacoby Ellsbury negates a shrewd signing like Gerrit Cole.
The Yankees have gotten old, and it came quickly. A reasonably productive farm system has helped buffer the big club, but aging vets like Anthony Rizzo and Giancarlo Stanton will require more work to move. The signing of Aaron Judge may soon also slide into that category.
Cashman also suffers from if it wasn't for bad luck, I would have no luck at all. Injuries and personal issues have plagued the pitching staff, and once promising and youthful players are now fading.
Cashman has attempted to manage payroll, but the old habits have surfaced, with the Bombers second behind the Mets in team payroll. So a case can certainly be made for the spending habits of George emerging but, again, the old how you spend it.
If Cashman and manager Aaron Boone survive this season, it will be firmly in I now believe in miracles. The Yankees the last I checked were wallowing six games under .500, and Yankee fans were collecting an ample supply of tar and feathers.
Making the Bloom connection, we now have three baseball high rollers doing nothing except creating hereditary wealth for many players, with a fourth to follow. Bloom has managed that payroll thing, and the Mets, Padres, and Yankees have not, nor have they won.