Brian Cashman seems to prefer a tight lipped Alex Rodriguez. (Photo: USA Today)
Alex Rodriguez may not have been expecting a re-tweet from Brian Cashman, but he sure got a direct message.
The last eight months haven’t been kind to Arod, who has endured an emasculating postseason, winter hip surgery and Biogensis allegations since last October. So, when the embattled third baseman finally received some good news, he couldn’t contain his excitement. After being cleared by his doctor to resume game activity, Arod took to social media to spread the word. Unfortunately, when the message finally reached the Yankees’ GM, it had turned sour. “Alex should just shut the f— up,” Cashman fumed after learning of his third baseman’s pronouncement. I guess you can add that to the list of things Rodriguez needs to accomplish down in Tampa.
As general manager, Cashman has every right to exert control over the flow of information. However, that doesn’t mean innocuous statements merit such a harsh, public response. Cashman could have easily voiced his displeasure in a private conversation with Arod, but instead, he opted for a public forum, effectively turning a tweet into a tabloid headline. That’s exactly what happened one week earlier, when the GM lashed out at hitting coach Kevin Long for providing information about Mark Teixeira’s injury that hadn’t been shared with him first. “Some people are better with the microphone than others,” Cashman said of his hitting coach. Although more diplomatic than his response to Arod, the message was the same. Coincidentally, the general manager could just as easily have been talking about himself.
During his tenure as Yankees’ GM, Brian Cashman has transitioned from keeping a tight lip to shooting from the hip, but with his recent comments, he may have gone too far. If there has been a breakdown in communication within the organization, the best way for Cashman to address it is not by lashing out, but leading by example. Arod and Long may have been imprudent with their comments, but Cashman’s response in each instance was just as inappropriate. Loose lips sink ships, so if the Yankees’ GM wants to keep the team afloat, he can’t be the one who is guilty of going overboard. In that sense, Cashman’s advice is dead on, but it applies more broadly then he likely intended.
Leave a Reply