A year ago, the New York baseball community was consumed with a Shea Stadium mini-drama -- counting the days until Bobby Valentine's and Steve Phillips' contracts expired, wondering which man would keep his job in 2001.

But the closer the deadlines loomed, the more the Mets won. They captured their first pennant since 1986 and played in the first Subway Series in 44 years, making it possible for their manager and general manager both to be awarded three-year contracts.

Despite his perfect, powerful resume, Cashman refuses to speculate on whether he'll be asked back in 2002. Nor will he indulge questions about Steinbrenner's inexplicable silence on the matter.

Still, Valentine and Phillips were forced to sweat it out, as neither one was officially given job security until after the World Series.

Incredibly, the same scenario is unfolding in the Bronx, where both GM Brian Cashman and manager Joe Torre are working without contracts for 2002.

Although it's widely assumed Torre will continue managing the Yankees as long as he desires, Cashman's status seems less certain. George Steinbrenner has yet to address the matter of a contract renewal with his GM -- not even one conversation with the 33-year-old Cashman. This, despite the fact the Yankees have won three straight World Series on his watch, and have a .624 winning percentage since then-GM Bob Watson abruptly quit before the 1997 season.

Watson cited health reasons for his departure, although those close to him say he simply grew tired of Steinbrenner's verbal abuse. That created an opening for Cashman, who started as an untested rookie and has blossomed into what colleagues describe as a hard-working, easy-to-like and surprisingly modest front-office star.

Despite his perfect, powerful resume, Cashman refuses to speculate on whether he'll be asked back in 2002. Nor will he indulge questions about Steinbrenner's inexplicable silence on the matter.

"I'm under contract, and I'm doing what I'm paid to do -- win," Cashman said. "To me, it's about winning now, getting the job done in the present. If I don't take care of the present, then there isn't going to be a future for me to think about."

Cashman's name was initially floated when the Dodgers fired GM Kevin Malone, although the Yankees executive has expressed no interest in the L.A. job. Actually, he's still loyal to the Yankees, but those close to Cashman say that if Steinbrenner does offer a new deal, he'll have to agree to a sizeable raise.

Cashman currently earns just $330,000 annually -- less than half of what Oakland GM Billy Beane makes, and one-third of what Phillips was awarded by Mets ownership last winter. One American League official said, "Brian is so underpaid, it's a joke. But that's Steinbrenner."

At least Torre seems assured of a multi-year renewal -- or so it appeared in spring training, when Steinbrenner told reporters Torre was safe. But that was the last time the Boss raised the issue, and Torre isn't inclined to initiate a second conversation.

"I'm sure we'll get around to it when the time comes. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere," Torre said recently. The manager will most likely earn $5 million a year for at least another 2-3 seasons, and he hasn't ruled out the likelihood of working beyond that.

One thing is certain: Torre isn't worrying about any decline of the Yankee empire or the possibility of someday being fired by Steinbrenner.

"If it happens, it happens. I'd rather stay around here too long than leave too soon," Torre said. "No matter what, this is my last job, so I don't want to go home with any regrets that I should've hung around longer."

Torre can afford to be this cavalier; having won four World Series since 1996, he's utterly bulletproof -- practically a public hero among New Yorkers -- and Steinbrenner has wisely stayed out of his way.

But Cashman has more direct, day-to-day contact with the Boss, is subjected to a greater number of tantrums, and would likely be a casualty if the Yankees were to fall short of Steinbrenner's singular goal -- the World Series.

Actually, Cashman would probably have been fired if the Yankees had lost to the A's in Game 5 of the Division Series last October. And even after winning his third straight AL pennant, losing to the Mets in the Subway Series probably would've cost Cashman his job, as well.

Luckily for Cashman, the Mets have disappeared off the 2001 radar screen, and don't seem headed for a return to the Series. Even so, with a $110 million payroll, the pressure is still on Cashman to deliver.

"The expectations here are very high, and I knew that coming in," Cashman said. "People say we have all this money to spend and how easy it is to win that way. But it's also true you have to win. You can't afford to make mistakes."

If Steinbrenner is still auditioning his GM, then he's waiting to see how the Yankees handle the Mets in six interleague games in June and July. He wants to know if the Bombers are good enough to beat the Red Sox once Nomar Garciaparra returns in July, and if the Yankees can beat Lou Piniella in October -- another one of Steinbrenner's obsessions.

If Cashman can satisfy all these requirements, then -- maybe -- he'll be re-hired for 2002. But, as the GM points out, "my contract runs out on October 31."

Meaning, Cashman could be one of baseball's hottest free agents this winter. Imagine that.

Bob Klapisch of The Record (Bergen County, New Jersey) covers baseball for ESPN.com.