Andrew Marchand of ESPNNY has some additional color following the Rafael Soriano presser. Let’s take ‘em in bite-sized pieces:

Cashman’s contract is up at the end of this season. Per team policy, no new deal is expected to be negotiated until after the 2011 season. Cashman doesn’t think his power has been usurped.

“I think it’s a sign that at times if Hal feels he wants to go in a different direction — that could happen,” Cashman said. “And I think that’s certainly the case.”

This is not a complete surprise. Having spent time in companies with high profile owners, I’ve seen smart line/division leaders overruled by those owners. No matter the logic or presentations or business cases being made against a course of action, if the owner decides to head a direction in the face of the employees, that’s the direction to be taken.  In other words, I don’t view the “rift” as a huge deal… unless it is. That means, if it’s enough of a “rift” to cause Cashman to bolt, then it’s a huge deal.

(click “view full post” to read more)

More from Peter Botte (via Twitter):

@PeterBotte: Cashman admitted he had “several discussions” with agent for Pavano. Go!

I’m going to file this under: “Cashman just doing what all GMs have to do and consider every option” and nothing more. You, on the otherhand, are free to lose your mind. In fact, I encourage it.

*picture courtesy of DailySkew

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UPDATE #1: If this doesn’t make you wanna puke, nothing will (via Twitter):

UPDATE #2: Not that this would have made much difference (via Twitter):

@Buster_ESPN: To be clear: A Pavano-Yankees reunion would have only happened on a sign-and-trade that would’ve saved the NYY their No. 1 pick.

I then tweeted this, to no one in particular, hoping someone with insight could answer:

@Jason_IIATMS: re: Pavano… was that an “organizational” call, like Soriano, or was it Cashman. Who’s making the offers? Levine’s negotiating. Scared yet?

UPDATE #3: Not replying to me directly, Andrew Marchand tweeted this:

@AndrewMarchand: Just for your scorecard today: Cashman wanted Pavano, didn’t want Soriano. Got it?

Peter Botte from the NY Daily News was tweeting away from the Rafael Soriano presser and posted these tidbits worth sharing:

@PeterBotte: Cashman: “Joba is a bullpen guy, for the 200th time.”

Regarding Joba Chamberlain, we are staunch supporters of giving Joba a shot at the 5th spot, so this is disappointing. I see little reason to keep this guy in reliever jail given the addition of Soriano. Just give the kid another chance, will ya?  Unless there’s some other reason not being shared… Or just trade the guy already as I am sure there is some GM who sees the 25 year-old as a potential middle-of-the-rotation (or better) guy.

@PeterBotte: Cashman: “I think 29 other GMs would love to have their owner shove Rafael Soriano down their throat.”

@PeterBotte: Csashman: “Its not my team. I don’t own it. They do…In any job you better be prepared for every decision to not go your way.”

Why yes, I am sure the other 29 GMs would like to have Soriano, though the impacts on short-term and longer-term decisions could prove troubling. So there’s no rift? Whatever you say, Cash. We’ll see when your contract is up.

Via Buster, there’s an article out today that highlights just how easy and accessible steriods are today. So much so that you can get them on Amazon.com, at least for now as I’m sure the company will be on this immediately:

The Catlins say they purchased eight to 10 products that purported to be legal, muscle-building dietary supplements through Amazon.com in recent months and have completed analyses on four of them. Three of the four tested so far have contained significant quantities of steroids.

The Catlins’ work suggests that it remains easier than ever to obtain powerful steroids, despite a tightening of the nation’s steroid laws in 2004 and various efforts by the FDA to crack down on manufacturers who illegally put steroids in dietary supplements.

The mantra lives: If you’re not cheatin’, you’re not tryin’. Sad but true.

What crusty ol’ Murray Chass does well is dip into his trove of history to tell stories. What he does poorly is adjust his perspective given advances in the game/analytics, stomping on players without providing proof/evidence, and accurately reflect his current role. Given that, Murray penned a very interesting view of the coming CBA expiration:

The peaceful period dates from November 1996 but should be counted only from September 2002, when a new agreement began without aid of a work stoppage. Nevertheless even nine years of peace would be impressive. Will the peace last beyond this year?

I would say yes, it will. Of course, I could wind up being wrong, but my many decades of covering baseball labor tell me there are telltale signs that point to an agreement in the next 11 months:

• Selig has said he plans to retire when his contract expires at the end of 2012. Few believe he will leave then, but in case he does, as long as he says he plans to, it is unthinkable that he would allow a work stoppage to mar his exit and his legacy.
• Major League Baseball is flourishing financially, reaping $7 billion in revenue last year. The players’ average salary has reached $3 million. Neither side has a reason to wreck the riches that flow.
• Despite industry wealth, there are clubs that would have severe financial problems in a work stoppage.
• Only six players who played last season played in 1994, according to Elias Sports Bureau. The rest have no strike experience. The union would have to undertake a massive educational effort in a brief time to get the players thinking strike.

(click “view full post” to read more)

Greetings backers of the beloved Bronx Bombers. I enter your domain under a flag of truce. Allow me to forewarn you that I root for your junior partner in the League of Evil Empires, the Boston Red Sox (You should call them Red Sux!). Hey buddy, I would, but Jason told me to keep it clean, at least for my first venture into the hallowed halls of It’s About the Money. And thanks for having me. But let’s get onto the purpose of my peaceful visit.

24, 31, 32, 38, 41, 42, 51, 55, 58, 59, 75, 88

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No, not the winning Mega Millions or PowerBall numbers. Nor are they the numbers for the starting defense the Jets will roll out against the Steelers Sunday. They won’t help you get off any mysterious island. They won’t even be significant until June, but there’s a really good reason why you and I need to ponder them now.

Our mutual foe, who twice has withheld from one of us our birthright playoff spots controls those picks in June’s Rule 4 baseball draft giving those dratted Rays an unprecedented ability to acquire amateur talent this summer. I hear your scoffs and snickers. Amateur talent, so what? So that’s how the Rays compete, by building through the draft and picking up castoffs who return a measure of value.

(click “view full post” to read more)

After an emergency meeting of the IIATMS (Very) Bored of Directors, we are happy to announce that the newly-retired Gil Meche has been selected to the all time Anti-IIATMS team. Why? This:

Gil Meche has officially announced his retirement. The right-hander was set to earn $12MM this year, but Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports hears that he will forfeit that sum (Twitter link).

Meche could have very easily banked $12m and spent the year in the bullpen or in rehab. But rather than do that to himself and his team, he took a road rarely traveled and retired.

Gil Meche, 2011 Anti-IIATMS award winner, we salute you.

Following up on my Soriano stuff over the weekend, there’s been a bit of walking back of the stories of Soriano’s negativity:

“He came in and told us what he wanted to do to get ready for the season and how he wanted to be used during it,” Rays pitching coach Jim Hickey told the Daily News in a telephone interview Friday. “That usually goes over like a lead balloon.” [...]

“It turned out he knew exactly what he needed to be the most effective player he could be,” Hickey said. “He was the consummate pro. He took the ball every time he was asked, pitched well almost every single time we called on him and on days when I expected he would tell me he couldn’t pitch he almost always said ‘whatever you need from me today.’

“I wish we were the ones signed up for three more years with him.”

So there’s that, which is certain nice. Sounds like a classic he said-he said. In other words, nothing to worry about, at least for now.

(click “view full post” for more)

From FOTB and Hardball Times contributor Chris Jaffe, the 15 worst regular season endings. Yanks appear on the “good side” twice and the “bad side” once:

• 10. The Luis Castillo game [EDITOR'S NOTE: This was my favorite moment of 2009, aside from the whole winning-the-World Series-title thing, of course]
• 4. The one that got away. October 10, 1904: Red Sox 3, Yankees 2
• 1. The greatest story never told. April 10, 1976: Yankees 9, Brewers 7

By all means, go have a read.