During a Q&A with New York Yankees fans on Tuesday morning, New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman acknowledged that, at this point, the Boston Red Sox are better than his Bronx Bombers, at least in part because he is still trying to add a starting pitcher.
To put the comment in proper context, here is the entire exchange:
• New York radio host Mike Francesa: “When you look at this [Yankees] team right now, on paper, before you make a move for a pitcher and clearly you will ... who’s a better team this morning on paper, Yankees or the Red Sox in your mind?”
• Cashman: “Red Sox.”
• Francesa: “I think that’s fair because the Yankees are going to get a pitcher.”
• Cashman: “We have a better bullpen. We both have comparable position players to run out there, you might want to give us the nod, you want to give them the nod, it doesn’t necessarily matter. Their starting pitching ... they’ve got guys they can run one through six and I’m looking for a fourth.”
Later in the day during an interview with Michael Kay of ESPN 1050 in New York (listen to it here), Cashman talked about the possibility of Andy Pettitte joining the club, saying the Yankees’ door is open but at this point he’s not counting on him changing his mind about retiring.
And if Pettitte doesn’t ultimately decide to return?
“The biggest problem we have right now is I need a starting pitcher,” Cashman said. Everybody knows that. I’m going to work on trying to get that. It might come from someone who has decided right now they don’t want to play, it might come from a trade, it might come from within. Time will tell.”
Information from ESPNW.com's Amanda Rykoff was used in this report.