Perspectives: The Yankees Have Very Real Leadership Problems

By Paul Semendinger

February 8, 2025

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Before reading this article, I suggest all readers first read Andy Singer's Mailbag from yesterday.

This article is in response to the discussions Brian Cashman made on YES the other day that Andy documented so well.

Andy noted (in short):

Cashman's comments boil down to the following points:

1. Jazz Chisholm was acquired at the trade deadline last season to play second base. Cashman acknowledged that the defense on the right side of the infield was unacceptable last season.

2. Cashman strongly implied that the Yankees' best defensive configuration last season, on paper, placed Jazz at second base and Gleyber at third base.

3. Two factors changed the plan before it could ever be enacted. First, Aaron Boone preferred keeping Gleyber at second base and moving the newcomer, Jazz Chisholm, to third base. And secondly, part of the impetus for that opinion was Gleyber's staunch opposition to changing positions.

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MY THOUGHTS -

Isn't Brian Cashman the boss?

Isn't the GM the boss of the manager?

Is Cashman saying that Gleyber didn't play third because he didn't want to... and Boone, his manager, agreed?

Isn't the manager the person who decides where the players play?

Is this really what the Yankees are saying?

In short, the GM got a second baseman (Chisholm), but the manager played that player at third base because the current player at second (Torres) wouldn't move to third so he could hopefully get a bigger contract? Really?!

Gleyber Torres made the decision as to what player played where for the entirety of the second half of the season??!!!

In other words, for the entirety of the stretch drive, and into the playoffs and World Series, the Yankees put a worse team on the field because Gleyber Torres decided that is how it should be.

And Aaron Boone, the manager had no control over his player and let this occur.

And the General Manger, Brian Cashman, had no control over his manager and let this occur.

If this is that narrative the Yankees are telling, it is... VERY Telling.

It says, the GM doesn't have control over his manager.

It says the manager doesn't have control over his players.

It says, the Yankees have very real leadership problems.

If this is true, it baffles my mind that the GM would actually admit all of this.

If it's not true, it's even more baffling that the GM would make it up because it speaks so poorly of the entire leadership team on the Yankees and himself as a leader. Brian Cashman is basically saying, "I have no control over what happens. I acquired a player to play a position and he wasn't put in the spot I acquired him for."

This is not good. It's bad. It's awful. This is how the Yankees run? This is how the Yankees operate? The Yankees allowed a player, Gleyber Torres, to determine how they would go forward for the entire second half of the season?

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Along the same lines...

A report also come out recently that The Yankees wanted to release D.J. LeMahieu last year, but the players (led by Aaron Judge) said, "No."

This is also a problem.

Management - "We need better players."

The Players - "No, we'd rather just have our buddies together. Don't get rid of our friend."

None of this indicates that the Yankees are an organization focused on winning - which should be the purpose of everyone in the organization. This all indicates that the Yankees are run chaotically.

As the captain of the team, Aaron Judge should be focused on getting the team winning, not in protecting his friends. (If DJ LeMahieu were released, he would still get every bit of the tens of millions of dollars the Yankees still owe him. This isn't a case of protecting someone's earning. It's a question of the captain's commitment to winning.)

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Brian Cashman, in trying to explain a situation, just showed that the Yankees have very real problems that can only be solved when the leadership of the team is radically changed.

Much of this is indicative of many of the concerns that so many here have been writing about and saying for a long time.

None of this speaks to an organization that is running well.

None of the speaks to an organization focused on winning.

None of this speaks to a team that has a good, strong, or effective leadership structure.

Finally, the big question, was Hal Steinbrenner aware of all of this at the time? Did he just let this take place? Couldn't the owner see, when looking at all of this, that this is completly disfunctional?

Stienbrenner must know about it now. Is he going to state that none of this is acceptable? Is he going to allow this kind of leadership void to continue?

This is a baseball club that has lost its way. Completely. And absolutely.

Is it any surprise that the Yankees haven't won a World Series in all this time?