TAMPA — Add Brian Cashman to the chorus of Yankees voices who believe the youth movement underway doesn’t necessarily mean his club is preparing for another season of not participating in a postseason series.
On Tuesday, Joe Girardi said the goal is to win. On Wednesday, Hal Steinbrenner said the hyped prospects have to prove themselves. On Thursday, Cashman let everyone know several injections of youth at key positions isn’t an indication the Yankees merely will use the upcoming season for a barometer of how good Aaron Judge, Greg Bird, Luis Severino and Gary Sanchez are with their eyes on 2018 and beyond.
“We have the potential to be a championship-caliber team,’’ the GM said prior to Thursday’s pitchers and catchers workout at George M. Steinbrenner Field. “If we stay healthy and perform up to our expectations, and certain guys who are starting their careers and reach their ceilings sooner than later, then I think without question we can be a team to be reckoned with.”
Winning while going young is a very tough chore that is more difficult for a franchise with the Yankees’ history and the city they play in. Yet the transition process was needed, and there are talented prospects obtained at last July’s trade deadline to go with the homegrown players in the system who could join the varsity at some point this season.
“We happen to be in a cycle right now that we’re in transition, but we’re not waving a white flag while we are transitioning, so that’s the balancing act,’’ Cashman said. “So 2017 has a chance to be a pretty interesting year.”
The words coming from Girardi, Steinbrenner and Cashman aren’t about slow-moving ticket sales because they don’t go on sale until Feb. 22.
Judge enters camp as the right fielder, Bird as the first baseman and Sanchez is the catcher. Severino will compete for a rotation spot. Judge, Bird and Sanchez have a combined 128 big league games and 244 at-bats. Severino has worked 33 games and hurled 77 1/3 innings in the majors.
Of course, the rise or fall of the 2017 season doesn’t rest solely on the neophytes’ shoulders. Chase Headley, Brett Gardner, Jacoby Ellsbury, Didi Gregorius, Starlin Castro, CC Sabathia, Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda, Aroldis Chapman, Tyler Clippard and Dellin Betances are veterans who must perform, regardless what the young players do or don’t do.
“You have to have the mixture of the veterans and young players and let them come together as a squad. Hopefully we’ve given Joe Girardi and our staff down here enough talent that can stay healthy and mesh together really well and provide some exciting baseball for the next six months to push ourselves to the postseason again,’’ Cashman said. “That’s what we’re looking to get back to and take a shot. It’s a fine line we’re walking, but one I think we’re doing a good job of doing it.’’
Regarding Cashman’s “No Surrender’’ mindset, Girardi pointed to the Yankees spending $99 million on free agents Aroldis Chapman and Matt Holliday.
“Our goal is to win here, that’s the bottom line,’’ said Girardi, who is entering his 10th season in the manager’s office and the final year of a four-year contract. “You don’t sign Chapman and Holliday and make the moves we made. For me, let’s go win.’’