Brian Cashman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brian Cashman |
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Cashman in 2012
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| New York Yankees | |
| General Manager, Senior Vice President | |
| Born: July 3, 1967 Rockville Centre, New York, U.S. |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
As General Manager:
As Assistant General Manager:
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Brian McGuire Cashman (born July 3, 1967) is a top baseball executive. He works for the New York Yankees in Major League Baseball (MLB). Since 1998, he has been the team's general manager and senior vice president. During his time as general manager, the Yankees have won four World Series championships. They also won seven American League pennants.
Cashman started working with the Yankees in 1986. He was an intern while still in college. In 1992, he became the assistant general manager. He helped run the team when the owner, George Steinbrenner, was not allowed to be involved in baseball. In 1998, he took over as the team's general manager.
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Early Life and Baseball Dreams
Brian Cashman was born in Rockville Centre, New York. He grew up in Washingtonville, New York. He was one of five children in an Irish Catholic family. From a young age, Brian loved baseball. He even went to a summer baseball camp.
When he was visiting his grandmother in Florida, he got to be a batboy for the Los Angeles Dodgers. This happened during their spring training in 1982. A family friend, former Dodger Ralph Branca, helped him get the chance.
Brian's family later moved to Lexington, Kentucky. His father managed a farm there that raised horses for racing. Brian felt that moving was a good thing for him.
He went to Lexington Catholic High School. Then, he moved to the Washington, D.C., area. He graduated from Georgetown Preparatory School in 1985. Brian played baseball and basketball in high school. He also played football in his last year.
The Catholic University of America offered Brian a chance to play college baseball. He played second base for four years. He was also the team's leadoff hitter. He set a school record for hits in a season. He earned a degree in history in 1989.
Joining the New York Yankees (1986–Present)
Brian's father knew George Steinbrenner, the owner of the New York Yankees. Through this connection, Brian got an internship with the Yankees in 1986. He worked in the minor league scouting department during the day. At night, he worked security.
After college, the Yankees offered him a full-time job. He became a baseball operations assistant. In 1990, Steinbrenner was not allowed to be involved in baseball for a while. Gene Michael, the Yankees' general manager, took over. Brian helped him a lot.
Brian was promoted to assistant farm director that year. In 1991, he became a major league administrator. In 1992, Michael named Brian an assistant general manager. He stayed in this role when Bob Watson became general manager in 1995. The Yankees won the 1996 World Series that year.
Becoming General Manager (1998–Present)
Early Success and Championships (1998–2005)
In February 1998, Bob Watson left the Yankees. Brian Cashman was then named senior vice-president and general manager. He was one of the youngest general managers in MLB history. The Yankees had an amazing year in 1998. They won 114 games and then the 1998 World Series.
In 1999, Cashman made a big trade. He sent popular player David Wells to the Toronto Blue Jays. In return, he got Roger Clemens, a famous pitcher. The next year, he got David Justice. Justice played a key role in the 2000 ALCS. The Yankees then won the 2000 World Series. This made Cashman the first general manager to win three World Series in his first three years.
In 2004, Cashman traded Alfonso Soriano for Alex Rodriguez. Rodriguez became a star player for the Yankees.
Cashman thought about leaving the Yankees in 2005. He had some disagreements with owner George Steinbrenner. But he decided to stay. He signed a new contract that gave him more power over player decisions.
Another World Series Win (2006–2009)
With more authority, Cashman created a new scouting department. He hired Billy Eppler to lead it. In 2008, Cashman signed a new contract to stay with the Yankees. After the 2008 season, the Yankees missed the playoffs. Cashman then signed three big free agents: CC Sabathia, A. J. Burnett, and Mark Teixeira. He also traded for Nick Swisher. These players were very important in the 2009 season. The Yankees won the 2009 World Series that year.
Challenges and Rebuilding (2010–2016)
The Yankees made the playoffs again in 2010. But they lost to the Texas Rangers. After that season, Cashman had tough contract talks with Derek Jeter. A deal was eventually made.
In 2011, the Yankees signed Rafael Soriano. This happened without Cashman's full approval. Cashman even said he disagreed with the deal. Later in 2011, the Yankees re-signed Cashman to a new contract.
In 2013, Alex Rodriguez posted a message on social media. He said his doctors cleared him to play after surgery. Cashman was not happy about this. He said the doctors had not given that approval. This caused problems in their relationship. Cashman also wanted to trade Robinson Canó. But the team's owners stopped him.
After the 2013 season, the Yankees signed several big players. These included Masahiro Tanaka, Jacoby Ellsbury, Brian McCann, and Carlos Beltrán. But the Yankees missed the playoffs for two years in a row.
In 2014, Cashman signed another three-year deal. He then focused on getting younger players for the team. He replaced the retired Jeter with Didi Gregorius. He also got Nathan Eovaldi. Both players improved a lot. In 2016, he traded some key players. He sent Carlos Beltrán to the Rangers, Andrew Miller to the Cleveland Indians, and Aroldis Chapman to the Chicago Cubs. These trades helped the Yankees get many promising young players for their minor league system.
The "Baby Bombers" Era (2017–Present)
In 2017, the Yankees made the playoffs with young stars. These included rookie Aaron Judge and second-year catcher Gary Sanchez. The Yankees won their first two playoff series. They reached the American League Championship Series. They lost in seven games to the Houston Astros. Many people were surprised by how well they did.
After the season, Cashman suggested a change in manager. Baseball America named Cashman their Executive of the Year for 2017.
In December 2017, Cashman made a big trade. He got star outfielder Giancarlo Stanton from the Miami Marlins. A few days later, Cashman signed a new five-year contract with the Yankees.
In 2018, the Yankees won 100 games. They won their Wild Card game. But they lost to the Boston Red Sox in the Division Series. On April 7, 2019, Cashman won his 2,000th game as the Yankees general manager.
In the 2019 season, the Yankees won 103 games. This was impressive because many players were injured.
The 2020 season was shorter due to the pandemic. The Yankees finished with a winning record. They made the playoffs. They won their first series. But they lost to the Tampa Bay Rays in the next round.
In 2021, the Yankees won 92 games. They had some great winning streaks. Cashman traded for Anthony Rizzo and Joey Gallo to boost the team's offense. The team won 13 games in a row in August. This was their longest streak since 1961. They made the Wild Card game but lost to the Red Sox.
In 2022, the Yankees won their division. Star outfielder Aaron Judge hit 62 home runs. This broke an American League record. The Yankees won their first playoff series. But they were swept by the Houston Astros in the next round. During this season, Cashman became the longest-serving general manager in Yankees history.
In December 2022, the Yankees re-signed Cashman to a new four-year contract. A few days later, they also re-signed Aaron Judge to a huge contract.
Awards and Recognition
Cashman has received several honors:
- He was named to Crain's New York Business 40 under 40 list in 1999.
- The Boston baseball writers named him MLB Executive of the Year in 2009.
- In 2010, Cashman was added to the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame.
- He was selected as Baseball Executive of the Year again in 2017.
Cashman also helped develop the video game MLB Front Office Manager.
Personal Life
Brian Cashman lives in Darien, Connecticut. He has two children, Grace and Theodore, with his ex-wife, Mary.
Cashman is a fan of the Kentucky Wildcats college sports teams. He also supports the New Jersey Devils hockey team.
He has done some adventurous things for charity. In 2010, he rappelled down a 350-foot building in Connecticut. This was for a Christmas celebration. He also jumped from an airplane with the United States Army Parachute Team. This was to help the Wounded Warrior Project. He broke his leg and dislocated his ankle during the jump. In 2014, Cashman slept on a New York City sidewalk. This was to raise awareness for homeless youth.
Images for kids
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Cashman in 2009
