Michael Kay warns Yankees over Cashman’s ‘indefensible’ anti-fan vitriol

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Brian Cashman’s self-defense in Scottsdale, AZ, with a ‘pretty f–king’ rant against Yankees critics and fans has not gone down well with long-time Yankees voice Michael Kay. The broadcaster, who was often criticized for supporting Cashman, slammed the tirade by the Yankees GM saying that he crossed lines.

Kay said on his ESPN New York radio show Wednesday afternoon that he did not think an executive of a team, especially a longtime GM and respected guy in the sports business, should have presented himself in that way. He said that the angry contentious way Cshman went at it was very, very questionable.

“I do not think that an executive of a team, especially a vice president, longtime GM, respected guy in the business, should have comported himself in that way,” Kay told on Wednesday. “You can call me the old man on the lawn, shouting at clouds… But as an executive, you are representing one of the biggest brands all over the world, and you’re dropping f-bombs and B.S. and stuff like that? It’s not a good look for Brian. Forget about what he said — the angry contentious way that he went at it, I think is very, very questionable.”

The radio host remarked that while candid discussions between reporters and team officials may sometimes get heated in private, Cashman’s profanity-laced tirade against fans on camera was without precedent. Kay continued that he had never in his life heard an executive of a team speak like that before. He said Cashman had crossed lines that had never been crossed before and that yesterday was not an honorable way to go about criticizing the media or the fans or your critics.

He added that a Yankee executive should not have talked like that publicly and must not have that kind of mouth when the camera’s rolling. Kay stated that it was not a good look for the New York Yankees and that the way Cashman spoke in front of cameras was indefensible.

“Have you ever in your life ever heard an executive of a team speak like that?… He crossed lines that have never been crossed before. Yesterday was not an honorable way to go about criticizing the media or the fans or your critics,” the Yankees voice continued. “A Yankee executive does not talk like that publicly, does not use expletives like that, does not have that kind of mouth when the camera’s rolling. It’s not a good look for the New York Yankees… It’s indefensible the way he spoke in front of cameras.”

ESPN host demands Yankees to rein in Cashman

ESPN New York’s Don La Greca expressed the sentiments of many fans on Tuesday, drawing a parallel between Brian Cashman’s impassioned outburst and Evan Neal’s previous critique of fans in October. La Greca then appealed to Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner to intervene.

In his profanity-laden Q&A, Cashman expressed strong support for the Yankees’ analytics department, asserting that it is the smallest in the AL East. He cited injuries as a rationale for the team’s fourth-place finish and failure to make the postseason, while also defending previous trades, including ones involving Joey Gallo, Sonny-Gray, and Frankie Montas, which had underperformed.

La Greca suggested that Steinbrenner must show his concern for the Yankees fanbase and should have a conversation with Cashman telling him that the Yankees’ GM’s tone and manner of addressing the media and fans were inappropriate.

La Greca accused Cashman of displaying arrogance and disrespect toward the fanbase. He pointed out that while he understood that Cashman might have personal frustrations and feel knowledgeable, as an employee of the New York Yankees, his role was to sell tickets and engage with the fanbase respectfully. La Greca suggested that Cashman’s comments implied that the fanbase was not intelligent enough to comprehend the team’s decisions, which he found disrespectful.

Cashman’s tirade against media, Yankees fans

The Yankees GM passionately accused the media of conducting a witch-hunt, adamantly denying the validity of the charges and attributing the allegations to former dissatisfied employees. In his contentious tirade, one of Cashman’s most absurd arguments was his defense of the analytics-driven trade for Joey Gallo, possibly one of the most significant trade disappointments in Yankees history, by highlighting that the Dodgers and Twins also gave him opportunities afterward.

He held Aaron Judge‘s injury responsible for derailing the season but did not accept responsibility for the lack of offensive power on the roster to sustain the team. Judge participated in 305 regular-season games in 2021 and 2022.

Kevin Manahan compared the interaction with Brian Cashman to a wellness check on a dementia patient, indicating that it was not a typical or coherent exchange between Cashman and the media during the annual GM Meetings.

In the end, he made it clear that significant changes, as demanded by Yankees fans, are not on the horizon. Cashman’s defiance sends a message that fans’ calls for upheaval will not be answered. Regardless of the boos, the secure GM has a straightforward message: Continue to support the team, watch their games on YES, and let him handle the rest.

Cashman justified the trade for Joey Gallo, emphasizing the desire to achieve a balanced lefty lineup. However, it was Cashman who inadvertently created an imbalance by repeatedly adding right-handed, less athletic hitters to the roster, focusing on individual moves rather than the overall team composition.

Cashman explained that one reason for acquiring Gallo was the endorsement of his former Rangers teammate Rougned Odor, who had recently joined the Yankees. This decision suggested the Yankees were willing to trust voices supporting Gallo, even though some believed he might struggle in New York.

For over two decades, the media has been relatively lenient on Cashman. However, this offseason marks a shift where his mistakes are being scrutinized. Under his leadership, significant changes are unlikely to materialize.

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