Stove League Kicks off

More Info On Cashman

Here's the MLB.com article.

Cashman said most of his negotiation time with Steinbrenner, general partner Steve Swindal, president Randy Levine and COO Lonn Trost discussed not financials, but processes of streamlining and simplification. Cashman spoke Thursday of "splintering," in which members of one faction would voice displeasure with certain philosophies and opinions.

"Obviously, that can create a lot of different potholes along the way as we all travel in the same direction," Cashman said.

Unsatisfied by the final results of the last five seasons, Cashman said he found the ranks of executives open to change and to the removal of ongoing drama from the club's two operating arms.

He drew an analogy to highway guardrails, protecting the straight path through a hands-on ownership group to a 27th World Series championship. Cashman said Steinbrenner was receptive to the plan in a lengthy telephone call last week.

"I want to be that filter," Cashman said. "Everything goes through me. With the chain of command, I think everyone involved wants it that way. We've all suffered this year in different ways because of the splintering. I think everyone involved wants it to be streamlined."

Under what the Yankees hope to be a revitalized plan of structure, Cashman said he is eyeing several changes, most notably a reduction in payroll.

As the Yankees showed by testing young players like Robinson Cano and Chien-Ming Wang this season, a high-end player may not be necessary at every position. Cashman said he plans to target a simple blueprint that places a re-emphasis on the club's Minor League player development -- which already hosts potential impact players at lower levels -- and international scouting.

In Cashman's description of the model, free agency and trades would be used to "finish off" a club, not serve as the bedrock of the organization.

"It's going to work closer to how the other 29 clubs work," Cashman said.

I can't imagine the Yankees ever working like the other 29 clubs. It's just not that easy when expectations of performance are constantly sky-high. However, it does sound like they're headed towards streamlining the crazy payroll.
A good load of money has come off that 2005 payroll so there is scope to trim it back. Now, how do they get rid of Womack...?
In the mean time, the bullpen situation needs fixing; the center field situation needs fixing; Matsui needs to be re-signed; there's a lot of stuff to look after.