Ian O’Connor of the Bergen Record argues that George Steinbrenner knew better than Brian Cashman when the owner suggested signing David Ortiz prior to the 2003 season.
George Steinbrenner told Brian Cashman to get David Ortiz. You can rattle off all of Steinbrenner’s bad ideas, rewind Ortiz’s middling career in Minnesota and recall that the Yankees had no need for another lumbering lefty in a lineup already suffering a dearth of athleticism and speed.
But none of that deletes this ice-cold truth: Steinbrenner saw something in Ortiz that Cashman did not.
In hindsight, one can easily make this claim. With the benefit of it, we now know that Giambi would turn from arguably the most lethal hitter in the American League into an oft-injured albatross at his salary. We now know that superprospect, Nick Johnson, was traded for Javier Vazquez before the 2004 season. We now know that Ortiz would transform from decent hitter into superstar. The problem is that we knew none of these back then. There was no indication that any of these would happen back then. The Yankees were set at first base and designated hitter at the time. George’s obsession with Ortiz was most likely that Boston would sign him. Give the Red Sox credit for seeing something in Ortiz’s swing that they could utilize with the Green Monster. Blaming the Yankees for not signing a first baseman at a time when they already had a pair of really good ones is silly. One can only do it with the benefit of hindsight.
O’Connor was the reporter whom Steinbrenner talked to during the ALDS, revealing Joe Torre’s job was on the line in the series. He is becoming nothing more than a mouthpiece for ownership, not an objective journalist.
O’Connor: George Knew Best on Ortiz
Ian O’Connor of the Bergen Record argues that George Steinbrenner knew better than Brian Cashman when the owner suggested signing David Ortiz prior to the 2003 season.
In hindsight, one can easily make this claim. With the benefit of it, we now know that Giambi would turn from arguably the most lethal hitter in the American League into an oft-injured albatross at his salary. We now know that superprospect, Nick Johnson, was traded for Javier Vazquez before the 2004 season. We now know that Ortiz would transform from decent hitter into superstar. The problem is that we knew none of these back then. There was no indication that any of these would happen back then. The Yankees were set at first base and designated hitter at the time. George’s obsession with Ortiz was most likely that Boston would sign him. Give the Red Sox credit for seeing something in Ortiz’s swing that they could utilize with the Green Monster. Blaming the Yankees for not signing a first baseman at a time when they already had a pair of really good ones is silly. One can only do it with the benefit of hindsight.
O’Connor was the reporter whom Steinbrenner talked to during the ALDS, revealing Joe Torre’s job was on the line in the series. He is becoming nothing more than a mouthpiece for ownership, not an objective journalist.