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The Yankee Way: The Untold Inside Story of the Brian Cashman Era
With rare access to the inner sanctum of the New York Yankees, SNY analyst Andy Martino weaves two years of exclusive interviews with general manager Brian Cashman into a revelatory account of never-before-told stories about Derek Jeter, Aaron Judge, Alex Rodriguez, the complex front office, team ownership, and insights into the World Series wins and day-to-day running of the team that fans never get to see.When Brian Cashman arrived in the Bronx as an intern in 1986, he discovered a team in chaos, run on impulse and emotion and lacking the sheen that had defined the Yankees in earlier eras. Decades later, Cashman had risen through the ranks of the front office, earned the trust of the Steinbrenner family, and become the longest-serving GM in the Yankees’ storied history, helping to transform the Yankees to glory with a string of World Series championships and an unmatched streak of winning seasons. With unprecedented inside access and featuring exclusive interviews with Cashman, owner Hal Steinbrenner, top front-office executives, current Yankee stars and coaches, award-winning baseball journalist Andy Martino gives fans a view from the GM’s seat that we would never normally see. From Cashman’s battles with inscrutable team captain Derek Jeter, to tensions between Jeter and A-Rod, to Cashman’s struggles with beloved manager Joe Torre. This book explores the management of egos on the field and in the front office, as well as the evolution of the manager position over generations and into the analytics era. Packed with drama and intrigue, this is the definitive inside account of the most intriguing and storied franchise in Major League Baseball.
305 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 21, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
June 28, 2024
Over the years there have been many books describing the turbulent years of New Yankee failure in the 1964-1976 and 1982-1995 periods culminating in their resurrection in the mid-90s leading to the dynasty of Jeter, Rivera, Posada, Petite, and Williams who I include as a “core five”, not “four. These books tell a familiar story with vignettes, statistics, and personality studies of the major characters. However, no book has taken the approach offered by baseball reporter and analyst Andy Martino presents in his latest book, THE YANKEE WAY: THE UNTOLD INSIDE STORY OF THE BRIAN CASHMAN ERA. The title of the book is somewhat of a misnomer as it is not a biography of the current Yankee general manager, but a fairly objective deep dive into how baseball transformed itself over the last four decades within the broader tale of the success and failures of one specific franchise. The Yankees went from a team steeped in tradition than any other team, and now they have evolved into a modern approach immersed in data and technology in addition to old-world scouting. Martino’s basic theme is capturing “how a franchise is run on the executive level during a time of dizzying change in the industry.”
Martino points to a number of myths surrounding the organization that has been in charge of the New York Yankees for decades. Most writers point to CBS’ sale of the team in 1973 to George Steinbrenner as the beginning of the resuscitation of the franchise. Obviously, that is a watershed year for the franchise, but it was CBS under the direction of Mike Burke who laid the foundation for success as Thurman Munson, Ron Guidry, Craig Nettles, and Sparky Lyle among others were all on the roster. Another interesting point of information is the role of Gene Michael as the architect of the 1990s dynasty and mentored Brian Cashman. Everyone seems to credit the Oakland Athletics duo of Sandy Alderson and Billy Beane for implementing “Moneyball” or an analytical approach to player evaluation. Michael was doing the same thing for the Yankees taking on many roles in the organization and received little credit as he was obsessed with on base percentage among many analytical emphasis.
Gene “Stick” Michael plays a prominent role in Martino’s monograph as he is credited with rebuilding the Yankees. First, the former light hitting shortstop had the ability to stand up to Steinbrenner. Second, he was a brilliant talent evaluator whether a player was ascending or declining. Third, Michael brought Bill Livesey aboard the Yankee brain trust. Livesey was the Yankees' director of player development from 1980 to 1982. He then managed the Oneonta Yankees in 1983–1984. He served as the Yankees' scouting director from 1991 to 1996, where he was instrumental in assembling the “Core Four" that led New York to multiple World Championships. Livesey developed a Red Auerbach, the Boston Celtics hall of Fame coach approach to player evaluation. Known as the “Livesey profile”, player evaluation was based on the tools that each individual exhibited at his position. This was the “secret sauce” the Yankees relied on from the 1980s considering the skill level and expectation for each position. According to Martino, “The New York Yankees have stuck with the profile system, both in drafting amateurs and identifying Major League free agents and trade targets.” Interestingly, later when Brian Cashman was General Manager he got away from the system in 2020-21 it brought in players like Gleber Torres and Luke Voit, one of which will not be re-signed at the end of the current season and the other is long gone.
A fascinating aspect of the book is the context of Yankee history of certain managers. Martino provides intricate details as he describes the managerial approaches since the 1920s. Though a New York Giants manager, John McGraw educated Casey Stengel who managed the Yankees from 1949-1960. Stengel’s favorite player was Billy Martin who he took under his wing as a father figure. Martin’s revolving door managerial career with the Yankees spanned the 1975-1988 period. A disciple of Martin was Buck Showalter who managed the team from 1992-1995 and brought the team to the precipice of a dynasty. This created a managerial chain that represented 130 years of baseball experience and oral tradition. Brian Cashman, who arrived as a college intern in Yankee land in 1986 and remains its General Manager today functions as a human through line across four decades.
Martino does not neglect aspects of the story that many have told before. The role of George Steinbrenner is recounted in detail especially the Dave Winfield/Howard Spira controversy that led to Steinbrenner’s suspension from baseball in 1990 and during his absence Gene Michael was able to rebuild the Yankees relying on the Livesey profile and create a team that won five world championships. The tense relationship between Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter is carefully analyzed integrating psychological principles. A-Rod was an insecure person who had greater talents than Jeter, but Jeter had the championships. A-Rod wanted to be loved, Jeter kept to himself, somewhat standoffish like Joe DiMaggio, and once you crossed him as A-Rod did with his magazine comments you were out of his orbit. The brilliant and at times controversial trades that Michael arranged, for example Roberto Kelley for Paul O’Neill, are all part of the narrative. Jeter’s intransigence about shifting positions, the role of Joe Torre reflects the enormous amount of research and interviewing that the book is based on and Martino’s ability not to pull any punches in describing personal relationships that dominated the period.
The first two-thirds of the book focuses on the education of Brian Cashman as a future baseball executive, his personality, and decisions he witnessed. The last third of the book zeroes in on Cashman’s role as General Manager and his successes and failures. It’s clear from his account that Cashman paid attention to those who came before him as General Manager in how he evaluated players not just by numbers but also by intangibles like character, where numerous championship-level players come up short. Cashman’s player acquisitions, which brought confrontation with Steinbrenner and his Tampa “kitchen cabinet” are all present. These decisions tended to be correct, though they’ve entailed battles along the way—for example, the decision not to re-sign Rodriguez, letting Joe Torre leave as manager, and the fight to keep superstar Aaron Judge on the roster, are all recounted in Martino’s memorable sketches.
One thing is clear from Martino’s excellent recounting of Yankee history is that Brian Cashman stands out as a future member of the Hall of Fame. Even Billy Beane, who has been credited with implementing “Moneyball” argues that Cashman has been the best General Manager in baseball history. You might not agree with that evaluation, but all baseball fans should enjoy this insider account, even if you live in Boston!
Martino points to a number of myths surrounding the organization that has been in charge of the New York Yankees for decades. Most writers point to CBS’ sale of the team in 1973 to George Steinbrenner as the beginning of the resuscitation of the franchise. Obviously, that is a watershed year for the franchise, but it was CBS under the direction of Mike Burke who laid the foundation for success as Thurman Munson, Ron Guidry, Craig Nettles, and Sparky Lyle among others were all on the roster. Another interesting point of information is the role of Gene Michael as the architect of the 1990s dynasty and mentored Brian Cashman. Everyone seems to credit the Oakland Athletics duo of Sandy Alderson and Billy Beane for implementing “Moneyball” or an analytical approach to player evaluation. Michael was doing the same thing for the Yankees taking on many roles in the organization and received little credit as he was obsessed with on base percentage among many analytical emphasis.
Gene “Stick” Michael plays a prominent role in Martino’s monograph as he is credited with rebuilding the Yankees. First, the former light hitting shortstop had the ability to stand up to Steinbrenner. Second, he was a brilliant talent evaluator whether a player was ascending or declining. Third, Michael brought Bill Livesey aboard the Yankee brain trust. Livesey was the Yankees' director of player development from 1980 to 1982. He then managed the Oneonta Yankees in 1983–1984. He served as the Yankees' scouting director from 1991 to 1996, where he was instrumental in assembling the “Core Four" that led New York to multiple World Championships. Livesey developed a Red Auerbach, the Boston Celtics hall of Fame coach approach to player evaluation. Known as the “Livesey profile”, player evaluation was based on the tools that each individual exhibited at his position. This was the “secret sauce” the Yankees relied on from the 1980s considering the skill level and expectation for each position. According to Martino, “The New York Yankees have stuck with the profile system, both in drafting amateurs and identifying Major League free agents and trade targets.” Interestingly, later when Brian Cashman was General Manager he got away from the system in 2020-21 it brought in players like Gleber Torres and Luke Voit, one of which will not be re-signed at the end of the current season and the other is long gone.
A fascinating aspect of the book is the context of Yankee history of certain managers. Martino provides intricate details as he describes the managerial approaches since the 1920s. Though a New York Giants manager, John McGraw educated Casey Stengel who managed the Yankees from 1949-1960. Stengel’s favorite player was Billy Martin who he took under his wing as a father figure. Martin’s revolving door managerial career with the Yankees spanned the 1975-1988 period. A disciple of Martin was Buck Showalter who managed the team from 1992-1995 and brought the team to the precipice of a dynasty. This created a managerial chain that represented 130 years of baseball experience and oral tradition. Brian Cashman, who arrived as a college intern in Yankee land in 1986 and remains its General Manager today functions as a human through line across four decades.
Martino does not neglect aspects of the story that many have told before. The role of George Steinbrenner is recounted in detail especially the Dave Winfield/Howard Spira controversy that led to Steinbrenner’s suspension from baseball in 1990 and during his absence Gene Michael was able to rebuild the Yankees relying on the Livesey profile and create a team that won five world championships. The tense relationship between Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter is carefully analyzed integrating psychological principles. A-Rod was an insecure person who had greater talents than Jeter, but Jeter had the championships. A-Rod wanted to be loved, Jeter kept to himself, somewhat standoffish like Joe DiMaggio, and once you crossed him as A-Rod did with his magazine comments you were out of his orbit. The brilliant and at times controversial trades that Michael arranged, for example Roberto Kelley for Paul O’Neill, are all part of the narrative. Jeter’s intransigence about shifting positions, the role of Joe Torre reflects the enormous amount of research and interviewing that the book is based on and Martino’s ability not to pull any punches in describing personal relationships that dominated the period.
The first two-thirds of the book focuses on the education of Brian Cashman as a future baseball executive, his personality, and decisions he witnessed. The last third of the book zeroes in on Cashman’s role as General Manager and his successes and failures. It’s clear from his account that Cashman paid attention to those who came before him as General Manager in how he evaluated players not just by numbers but also by intangibles like character, where numerous championship-level players come up short. Cashman’s player acquisitions, which brought confrontation with Steinbrenner and his Tampa “kitchen cabinet” are all present. These decisions tended to be correct, though they’ve entailed battles along the way—for example, the decision not to re-sign Rodriguez, letting Joe Torre leave as manager, and the fight to keep superstar Aaron Judge on the roster, are all recounted in Martino’s memorable sketches.
One thing is clear from Martino’s excellent recounting of Yankee history is that Brian Cashman stands out as a future member of the Hall of Fame. Even Billy Beane, who has been credited with implementing “Moneyball” argues that Cashman has been the best General Manager in baseball history. You might not agree with that evaluation, but all baseball fans should enjoy this insider account, even if you live in Boston!
July 25, 2024
The book I just finished reading was wonderfully written. It told the story of how a man who was a intern under George Steinbrenner became the New York Yankees general manager and how he managed the biggest stars in Yankee’s history.
August 3, 2024
Given the frequency with which the late George Steinbrenner hired and fired field managers and general managers through much of his tenure as the owner of the New York Yankees, it seems hard to believe that the current general manager (and now senior Vice President), Brian Cashman, is in his 27th year at the position. His tenure is the subject of this excellent book by New York baseball journalist Andy Martino.
The book, despite words to the contrary by both Martino and Cashman, could be considered a biography of sorts on Cashman. His upbringing, college years and how he became interested in the business side of baseball are all mentioned. His break came in 1986 when while still attending the Catholic University of America (on a baseball scholarship) he worked as an intern for the Yankees. He got his first paid gig for the team as a baseball operations assistant. He gradually worked his way up in various positions until being named Yankee GM in 1998.
No one, including Cashman himself, will say that his rise in the front office as well as the immediate success the Yankee had under him as GM with three consecutive World Series championships and five American League pennants in his first 6 years, was all due to him. The core of that team was recruited, signed and developed under Gene “Stick” Michael, who ran the club when Steinbrenner was banished from baseball between 1990 and 1992. Micheal and his work is covered quite extensively in the book as well as that of Bill Livesey, the scouting director who had his own system of grading and developing players.
Cashma’s handling of the team never truly wavered during his tenure, during the early championships and the advent of analytics. The Yankees were the forefront of the use of this data along with a few other teams, most notably the Houston Astros. Other issues affecting the Yankees and Cashman’s handling of the drama are included. Most notably, these include the tense relationship between Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez and the free agency winter of 2022-23 when Aaron Judge became a free agent and ended up re-signing with the Yankees.
It helps if the reader is at least somewhat knowledgeable about baseball in the 21st century as if they are not, they may get lost in all the analytics. However, if the reader does have at least a rudimentary understanding of the sport this is a great read, even if one is not a Yankee fan.
I wish to thank the publisher for providing a review copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
The book, despite words to the contrary by both Martino and Cashman, could be considered a biography of sorts on Cashman. His upbringing, college years and how he became interested in the business side of baseball are all mentioned. His break came in 1986 when while still attending the Catholic University of America (on a baseball scholarship) he worked as an intern for the Yankees. He got his first paid gig for the team as a baseball operations assistant. He gradually worked his way up in various positions until being named Yankee GM in 1998.
No one, including Cashman himself, will say that his rise in the front office as well as the immediate success the Yankee had under him as GM with three consecutive World Series championships and five American League pennants in his first 6 years, was all due to him. The core of that team was recruited, signed and developed under Gene “Stick” Michael, who ran the club when Steinbrenner was banished from baseball between 1990 and 1992. Micheal and his work is covered quite extensively in the book as well as that of Bill Livesey, the scouting director who had his own system of grading and developing players.
Cashma’s handling of the team never truly wavered during his tenure, during the early championships and the advent of analytics. The Yankees were the forefront of the use of this data along with a few other teams, most notably the Houston Astros. Other issues affecting the Yankees and Cashman’s handling of the drama are included. Most notably, these include the tense relationship between Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez and the free agency winter of 2022-23 when Aaron Judge became a free agent and ended up re-signing with the Yankees.
It helps if the reader is at least somewhat knowledgeable about baseball in the 21st century as if they are not, they may get lost in all the analytics. However, if the reader does have at least a rudimentary understanding of the sport this is a great read, even if one is not a Yankee fan.
I wish to thank the publisher for providing a review copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
September 29, 2024
I’m probably the first person to read this book immediately after “100 Years of Solitude,” but this was just the palate cleanser I needed to get ready for the playoffs. It’s a quick read with some really interesting insights that even the most diligent fans won’t necessarily know. My one qualm was the book’s focus on palace intrigue at the expense of on-field events, but that is more about personal preference than any large flaw.
March 30, 2024
This book is well researched and written. It gives a good history of the New York Yankees from the late 1960s to the present in regards to the organization and how it went about redeveloping a championship team multiple times. George Steinbrenner made it extremely difficult and the author is very direct in his criticism pointing out that much has been glossed over prior to and subsequent to his death. It also points several individuals who played key parts that are relatively unknown. A must read for any Yankee fan.
I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook page.
I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook page.
July 9, 2025
This was a really fun read as a huge Yankees fan, but there was a lot of it that was already known if you’re pretty tapped into the team. And as someone who hasn’t been a huge fan of Brian Cashman in recent years, this seemed to reinforce the fact that he’s gone further and further away from the ideals of Gene Michael’s tenure and “The Yankee Way”. Though it’s great as a story of one of the most successful points in Yankee history, followed by one of the least successful when it comes to the only metric that matters: championships.
June 1, 2024
Wonderfully reported story of the last three decades of Yankee history, with fantastic behind-the-scenes details of how the team has changed to fit the times, led by Brian Cashman.
December 31, 2024
Fun read on the background of the Yankee front office during the years I grew up through now. Very insightful and interesting.....but I wish it was a little more critical on recent moves that did/didn't work out--rather than just documenting the changes in how the modern office operates and evaluates players, I wish there was little insight onto if it is actually more successful with all of the technology, if their acquisitions are working out. They detail player development but if you're a fan you know the Yankees have become great at developing pitchers but rarely do their hitters work out.
February 1, 2025
I really enjoyed this one! Martino does an excellent job if delving into the ins and outs of the Yankees organization during the time of Brian Cashman, basically from the 1980's through to today. As an avid Yankee fan I was familiar with much of the events during this era, and much of the time it felt like a walk down memory lane. I found myself thinking, "I remember that game!", or "I remember that series!",, etc., etc. But also many times I was thinking, "Wow, I do not remember that happening", or "I never realized that." Aside from the history of the games/seasons themselves, there was a lot of detail of what goes on behind the scenes in developing/building a team. The discussion of the evolution of analytics into the game was very interesting. If you are a baseball fan, and especially if you are a Yankees fan, you should enjoy this one.
October 25, 2024
I don't think this book provided an "untold story" or any new insight really that a hardcore fan didn't already know.
May 30, 2024
Good insights.
June 15, 2024
Very good story about the Yankees.
April 27, 2025
3.5. Makes a lot of the moves this team has made over the years make sense. An interesting formula
July 22, 2024
Pretty good Yankee history and gossip from the last 40 years. I want another title.
September 1, 2025
Longtime journalist Andy Martino has written one of the best behind-the-scenes accounts I have ever read of how baseball teams make decisions and conduct their operations. Many sources from the last thirty years of Yankees history agreed to speak with him, most notably General Manager Brian Cashman and owner Hal Steinbrenner, but also Assistant GM Jean Afterman, former manager Buck Showalter, and scouting director Bill Livesey. The sources allow him to uncover what made the Yankees' 1990s dynasty attainable. For instance, he points to the talent in player evaluation within the organization that ultimately resulted in players like Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte, and Mariano Rivera rising through the ranks of the farm system and becoming championship caliber players. The organization developed a system for rating player attributes that Martino describes in the book. For instance, the system placed a high priority on fielding and throwing for catchers, second basemen, shortstops, and center fielders, but a higher priority on hitting for the "corner positions." At the same time, General Manager Gene Michael and his colleagues in the organization prioritized on base percentages in evaluating players before this became widely accepted across the industry and evaluated what Martino calls a player's "off ball" behavior. For instance, was a player fully engaged in a game even when the ball was not hit to him? This was the kind of evaluative work that allowed the Yankees to replenish their farm system in time for the four championships from 1996 to 2000. Martino also deals with technological developments in later years. For instance, general managers like Cashman now have to grapple with data on the velocity of each pitch and each swing, along with the launch angle of each batter's swing, and communicate this to players. Martino's interviews with pitchers Gerrit Cole and Zack Britton help him to illustrate how the players deal with this incredible wealth of data that would have stunned earlier generations of players. Besides all of this, Martino deals with the drama among players that Cashman and his colleagues have had to deal with. His sources, some of them named and some unnamed, delve into the personalities of Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez and their cold relationship that was a frequent management challenge for Cashman. Although Martino focuses his book on the Yankees, he intends his book to analyze how the job of managing a major baseball organization in general has changed over the last few decades and he succeeds at this. I recommend this book to any baseball fan, but particularly one who would like to understand the challenges in management that have distinguished the twenty-first century from the twentieth.
June 12, 2024
You can also see this review, along with others I have written, at my new blog, Mr. Book's Book Reviews.
Mr. Book just finished The Yankee Way: The Untold Story of the Brian Cashman Era, by Andy Martino.
I was excited when I found out from a colleague that Andy Martino was going to be coming out with a book on Brian Cashman and his time with the Yankees. However, I did give Martino’s book on the 2017 Astros a D. So, I just hope that I am not disappointed again.
The book was still in the introduction where I found the first factual error. Martino wrote, about Cashman’s 25 consecutive winning seasons that no other team in history has had as many in franchise history. That is clearly wrong, as it is not even the Yankees franchise record (39 from 1926-64).
But, it became very clear almost immediately that the error wasn’t indicative of how the book was going to go and that Martino was going to more than redeem himself for his earlier book.
There was so much good material in the book, even before we got to the part when Cashman actually became the GM. Among some of the many tidbits was how Buck Showalter got his nickname, the background on the business dealings between Cashman’s father and George Steinbrenner, the scouting system that Bill Livesey developed and how Steinbrenner was thinking of firing Bob Watson in September 1996, before the Yankees won on to win that year’s World Series.
There is also so much good material after Cashman becomes GM. Among the many highlights was his relationship with the Steinbrenners and Joe Torre, the Jeter/Rodriguez relationship, Cashman’s relationship with Jeter, the trades for Chuck Knoblauch and Roger Clemens, Ron Guidry’s tenure as Yankees pitching coach, Aaron Judge’s free agency and so much more.
I gave this book an A+, which means it is inducted into the Hall of Fame. Goodreads requires grades on a 1-5 star system. In my personal conversion system, an A+ equates to 5 stars. (A or A+: 5 stars, B+: 4 stars, B: 3 stars, C: 2 stars, D or F: 1 star).
After finishing this book, I then got the audiobook version, so I will be able to enjoy it again.
This review has been posted at my blog, Mr. Book’s Book Reviews, and Goodreads.
Mr. Book originally finished reading this on June 9, 2024.
Mr. Book just finished The Yankee Way: The Untold Story of the Brian Cashman Era, by Andy Martino.
I was excited when I found out from a colleague that Andy Martino was going to be coming out with a book on Brian Cashman and his time with the Yankees. However, I did give Martino’s book on the 2017 Astros a D. So, I just hope that I am not disappointed again.
The book was still in the introduction where I found the first factual error. Martino wrote, about Cashman’s 25 consecutive winning seasons that no other team in history has had as many in franchise history. That is clearly wrong, as it is not even the Yankees franchise record (39 from 1926-64).
But, it became very clear almost immediately that the error wasn’t indicative of how the book was going to go and that Martino was going to more than redeem himself for his earlier book.
There was so much good material in the book, even before we got to the part when Cashman actually became the GM. Among some of the many tidbits was how Buck Showalter got his nickname, the background on the business dealings between Cashman’s father and George Steinbrenner, the scouting system that Bill Livesey developed and how Steinbrenner was thinking of firing Bob Watson in September 1996, before the Yankees won on to win that year’s World Series.
There is also so much good material after Cashman becomes GM. Among the many highlights was his relationship with the Steinbrenners and Joe Torre, the Jeter/Rodriguez relationship, Cashman’s relationship with Jeter, the trades for Chuck Knoblauch and Roger Clemens, Ron Guidry’s tenure as Yankees pitching coach, Aaron Judge’s free agency and so much more.
I gave this book an A+, which means it is inducted into the Hall of Fame. Goodreads requires grades on a 1-5 star system. In my personal conversion system, an A+ equates to 5 stars. (A or A+: 5 stars, B+: 4 stars, B: 3 stars, C: 2 stars, D or F: 1 star).
After finishing this book, I then got the audiobook version, so I will be able to enjoy it again.
This review has been posted at my blog, Mr. Book’s Book Reviews, and Goodreads.
Mr. Book originally finished reading this on June 9, 2024.
May 28, 2024
This book gives a different perspective then your normal sports books that cover a player, team or a manager. It gives the history and behind the scenes look at the General Manager and the office staff with stories concerning the owners and various players sprinkled in. Love them or hate them as the title implies this focus on one of the biggest if not the biggest sports team the New York Yankees and like any could story even if you have read numerous books about the Yankees especially in the last fifty to sixty years there are still many nuggets of information to gain from reading this book. I found it funny how Buck Showalter and Gene Michael got their nicknames by both being naked and no not at the same time. Two people that are predominate in this Yankee history book are Gene Michael and Brian Cashman. Crazy to think with the many accomplishments under Cashman that Yankees have posted thirty-one or thirty-two straight winning seasons. As you will see the Yankee Way is not only a mantra, but an actual book pieced together for all in the organization. This covers how the Yankee's evaluated drafts prospects and potential trades, scary to think how Aaron Judge almost became an Atlanta Brave. You also learn about some of the relationships and see that it definitely not all warm and fuzzy. While the main focus is on the Yankees it does go into detail on teams in the MLB have made use of Analytics and Biomechanics even though there were certain individuals who used these stats in the 60's, 70's and 80's before there was such a name. This is a very informative and you should not be disappointed.
March 17, 2025
It’s hard not to get romantic about baseball.
In almost every realm of society, there is a debate between keeping old ways or evolving to new ones. Whether or not that dynamic is biggest in baseball out of all major sports, the debate is certainly most visible on the diamond.
Getting to see the progression of a franchise wrestling to figure out when it’s time to hold on to tradition or listen “to the nerds” is fascinating.
I was moderately surprised how underwhelming it was when I got to World Series wins. It was much more interesting hearing the day-to-day process of the team & roster construction. Yet another example showing the necessity for process orientation.
Lastly, my pride as a Yankee fan took a little ride while reading. It got hurt when I realized how insufferable a lot of fans are. At the same time, my love for the organization definitely went up. This isn’t a franchise that just throws money at players and buys championships. If you don’t believe me, look at the last 15 years. This is a franchise that had a front office in the 1990s that looked a lot like Alabama’s 2015 coaching staff, and had put plenty of time evolving the game to what it is today(and they happened to have money too).
May 28, 2024
Its's Brian Cashman's autobiography.
Martino and Cashman can swear til they're blue in the face that it isn't, but I mean, come on. Cashman gets to air every grievance and settle every score he's accumulated over forty years, absolve he and his cronies of blame whenever possible (God rest him, but Mark Newman's 2000-2014 tenure running the Yankee farm system was *not* successful and was a huge part of the problem the team found itself in by the time he retired) and blame fans for "toxicity" rather than, for example, look in the mirror when a team that entered a season without major league quality left fielders and third basemen finished 82-80.
That all being said, its not like out and out fiction, and anything that covers the Yankees over the Steinbrenner era is going to be very interesting. The historical reporting and most of the behind the scenes looks into Cashman's thought processes are very very, good. The Cashman hagiography? Meh. But its still absolutely worth a read or a listen.
Martino and Cashman can swear til they're blue in the face that it isn't, but I mean, come on. Cashman gets to air every grievance and settle every score he's accumulated over forty years, absolve he and his cronies of blame whenever possible (God rest him, but Mark Newman's 2000-2014 tenure running the Yankee farm system was *not* successful and was a huge part of the problem the team found itself in by the time he retired) and blame fans for "toxicity" rather than, for example, look in the mirror when a team that entered a season without major league quality left fielders and third basemen finished 82-80.
That all being said, its not like out and out fiction, and anything that covers the Yankees over the Steinbrenner era is going to be very interesting. The historical reporting and most of the behind the scenes looks into Cashman's thought processes are very very, good. The Cashman hagiography? Meh. But its still absolutely worth a read or a listen.
May 19, 2024
Andy Martino knocked this book out of the park! This book had a great pace, filled with details enough to move the stories along quickly, without boring you to sleep with unnecessary and unrelated tidbits that many historical baseball books have a tendency to do.
Andy brought a great perspective to details surrounding the Brian Cashman era (1986-present), as well as the events that lead up to Hall of Fame worthy career as GM of the New York Yankees.
Some of the items I really enjoyed were the stories about the rebuild that gave us that historically great late 90’s Yankees teams, including the retooling of the farm system. The discussion about the shift into analytics driven decision making as a franchise was particularly fascinating as well.
I would definitely recommend this book as a read for casual and diehard fans alike. This advanced copy was provided to me by NetGalley and Doubleday Books in exchange for my honest and fair opinion.
Andy brought a great perspective to details surrounding the Brian Cashman era (1986-present), as well as the events that lead up to Hall of Fame worthy career as GM of the New York Yankees.
Some of the items I really enjoyed were the stories about the rebuild that gave us that historically great late 90’s Yankees teams, including the retooling of the farm system. The discussion about the shift into analytics driven decision making as a franchise was particularly fascinating as well.
I would definitely recommend this book as a read for casual and diehard fans alike. This advanced copy was provided to me by NetGalley and Doubleday Books in exchange for my honest and fair opinion.
March 2, 2025
Andy Martino delivers the goods in a look back on the Life and Times of the New York Yankees during the unofficial "Cashman Years." Baseball itself has grown tremendously and it's great to see that, during the Cashman Years, the team was able to realize they were lacking in all things statistics plus a whole lot more. After benefitting from the groundwork Gene "Stick" Michaels and his cohorts created (which brought 4 World Championships and even more World Series appearances) Cashman showed his brilliance by guiding the team back to the "organizational" top of the MLB as the 21st century moved on. The team is in great shape for this new era of information and Cashman has made sure it will be successful even beyond his time as the G.M. of the greatest and most successful franchise in Sports history!
November 16, 2024
This is a very good book that covers the last 40 years of the Yankees. It does a good job covering the ground in a rapid pace, giving a good sense of the key individuals and changing times, without getting bogged down in the weeds. Martino does an admirable job maintaining his focus on the big picture. In fact, I'm having trouble trying to find out why I don't want to give it five stars. I think it does a little too much big picture. It's so heavily focused on the front office, that the Yankees themselves don't matter as much. They really only come up when there's front office drama. This is the opposite problem most books have, in that they get too lost in recounting games.
It is a very strong book. I wouldn't begrudge anyone for giving it five out of five stars.
It is a very strong book. I wouldn't begrudge anyone for giving it five out of five stars.
May 27, 2024
Tight and concise writing coverage a space of many many years. A fabulous book. Anything that has references to the following has the ingredients for good reading:
1960 Copacabana fight
Billy Martin
George Steinbrenner
Don Mattingly
Bull Watson ordering take-out and watching soap operas in his office
90s Yankees
New material on how baseball front offices work and have changed over the past 40 years was insightful. It is not an exact science and this book outlines the positives and negatives of the various approaches. Cashman is a central figure and you will find a few new anecdotes.
1960 Copacabana fight
Billy Martin
George Steinbrenner
Don Mattingly
Bull Watson ordering take-out and watching soap operas in his office
90s Yankees
New material on how baseball front offices work and have changed over the past 40 years was insightful. It is not an exact science and this book outlines the positives and negatives of the various approaches. Cashman is a central figure and you will find a few new anecdotes.
June 2, 2024
(2 1/2). Unless you are a totally devoted, fully involved fan of the NY Yankees (I qualify) or a diehard baseball nut, don't bother with this book. It is interesting for that small (maybe not so small) universe of readers. The access that Martino had here is unbelievable, and he certainly gets an incredible amount of inside information about how the Yankees have operated ever since George Steinbrenner bought the team in 1973. Some fun history from before that, but this book is all about the Brain Cashman era. Important for folks like me, but not a mass market item. Fairly interesting stuff.
November 13, 2024
This one is good, not great. A little wonky at points, a ton of scouting and player development stuff. Not that it’s uninteresting, just a little dry. I was never bored, but only occasionally riveted. The Judge free agency stuff and the ARod/Jeter stuff is fascinating, the rest is…. Fine? Not bad, not blow you away stuff by any measure
I will say- I learned a lot. I feel like I know more about baseball and the Yankees after this. A lot more. And that’s hard to do. Some books are enjoyable but they don’t really teach you anything. This book taught me a lot.
I’m a Mets fan but I don’t hate the Yankees and very much like reading about them too. The Yankee Years by Joe Torre is one of my favorite sports books ever. This wasn’t that. It does have outstanding moments. But not enough of them.
If I was a Yankee fan, I’d probably have more of an emotional attachment and maybe would have enjoyed it more. But at its core this is a book about scouting and that’s just not a thrilling topic.
3.9/5
I will say- I learned a lot. I feel like I know more about baseball and the Yankees after this. A lot more. And that’s hard to do. Some books are enjoyable but they don’t really teach you anything. This book taught me a lot.
I’m a Mets fan but I don’t hate the Yankees and very much like reading about them too. The Yankee Years by Joe Torre is one of my favorite sports books ever. This wasn’t that. It does have outstanding moments. But not enough of them.
If I was a Yankee fan, I’d probably have more of an emotional attachment and maybe would have enjoyed it more. But at its core this is a book about scouting and that’s just not a thrilling topic.
3.9/5
January 2, 2025
An organization historically laden with Turnover on the field and in the front office hires 14 General Managers over the previous 20 seasons, then in 1998 hires someone who would contribute to 3 consecutive World Championships and holds onto the position throughout today. The on field success is deservedly, perhaps tiredly, well documented and now fans get a thorough inspection of what GM Brian Cashmen has endured and accomplished in his nearly 30 years of service in what will be a MLB HOF front office career.
Intriguing insights and lots of “wow, am I developing empathy for this guy?” moments throughout
Intriguing insights and lots of “wow, am I developing empathy for this guy?” moments throughout
June 5, 2024
You don't need to be a sports fan to appreciate storytelling this good. In "The Yankee Way," Andy juggles more storylines than a Cirque du Soleil show, but somehow, he keeps them all spinning without dropping a single one. And the characters? We may be familiar with names like A-Rod, Jeter, Torre, and Cashman, but Andy has a gift for showing sides of them that we've never seen before. I might not be the world's biggest baseball fan, but Andy's passion and storytelling chops had me hooked from page one.
December 26, 2024
Highly recommend for any Yankees fan.
Came away feeling more sympathy / respect for Cashman, although still think some of his moves have been questionable. Also didn’t appreciate the uniqueness of the Yankees’ front office continuity the last ~50 years (Gene Michael -> Cashman). For better or worse, at least they’re consistent!
And it’s no surprise, but working for George Steinbrenner seems brutal. The current dynamic (w/ Hal, Cashman and Boone) seems way more healthy and sane than the 1970s with George and Billy Martin.
Came away feeling more sympathy / respect for Cashman, although still think some of his moves have been questionable. Also didn’t appreciate the uniqueness of the Yankees’ front office continuity the last ~50 years (Gene Michael -> Cashman). For better or worse, at least they’re consistent!
And it’s no surprise, but working for George Steinbrenner seems brutal. The current dynamic (w/ Hal, Cashman and Boone) seems way more healthy and sane than the 1970s with George and Billy Martin.
June 3, 2024
Certainly interesting, especially to Yankee fans( as I am); however, author siding with AROD in dispute with Jeter, and his harping on Jeter as not being a good captain, just does not ring true . I know he quotes various people, but Jeter was even beloved by opposing players. Ask yourself this: who would you pick to be your teammate? Not even close: Jeter is as the face of baseball for many years . Discussion of development of Yankee Way, and analytic development was very good.
June 10, 2024
Since it's about the Yankees, one must approach this book with a pretty high gag reflex since the tendency is to reduce everything to "Ooh, the wonder of them" level. With that in mind, it must be admitted that this offers a fairly concise history of the franchise during the era of Brian Cashman. Of course, since the author had access to Cashman, the book is weighted toward his subject, but not so oppressively that you might toss the thing aside.
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