he can tell us what that crow on rye sandwich tastes like.

Cough, cough.

"The only thing that stopped (us) was something that was so illegal and horrific," Cashman told The Athletic's Andy McCullough. "So I get offended when I start hearing we haven't been to the World Series since '09. Because I'm like, 'Well, I think we actually did it the right way.' Pulled it down, brought it back up. Drafted well, traded well, developed well, signed well. The only thing that derailed us was a cheating circumstance that threw us off."

Cashman is, of course, referring to the Astros' sign-stealing scandal. The Astros infamously cracked opposing teams' signs using a live feed of the game, then relay the signs to their hitter by beating on a trash can located in the clubhouse tunnel during at least the 2017 season. Major League Baseball later punished the Astros by stripping them of draft picks, fining them, and suspending GM Jeff Luhnow and manager AJ Hinch. (The Astros subsequently fired both individuals.)

“Damn! We stopped a year early. If we’d stayed with the program, we’d have been on a level playing field with Houston.”

LOL...

Here are the statements released by MLB and the Yankees. A little whataboutism from the Boys in the Bronx.

From MLB:

“As previously made public in 2017, the New York Yankees were fined for improper use of the dugout phone because the replay review regulations prohibited the use of the replay phone to transmit any information other than whether to change a play. The Yankees did not violate MLB’s rules at the time governing sign stealing.

“At that time, use of the replay room to decode signs was not expressly prohibited by MLB rules as long as the information was not communicated electronically to the dugout. Because rules regarding use of replay had evolved, many clubs moved their video equipment to close proximity to the field, giving personnel the potential ability to quickly relay signs to the field.

“MLB clarified the rules regarding the use of electronic equipment on Sept. 15, 2017. MLB took further action on March 27, 2018, by drawing a clear line and making it explicit to all 30 clubs that any clubhouse or video room equipment could not be used to decode signs and that future violations of electronic sign stealing would be subject to serious sanctions, including the possible loss of draft picks.”

“The contents and details of the letter from Commissioner Manfred to Brian Cashman have widely been reported upon since 2017. As the facts of the letter again show, the Yankees were not penalized for sign stealing but were penalized for improper use of the telephone in the replay room (which was only to be used for discussions regarding replay review challenges). At that point in time, sign stealing was utilized as a competitive tool by numerous teams throughout Major League Baseball and only became illegal after the Commissioner’s specific delineation of the rules on Sept. 15, 2017.

“The Yankees were also vindicated by Major League Baseball regarding claims that the team employed YES Network resources in efforts to gain an illegal advantage during games. Those allegations were found to have no merit.

“The Yankees vigorously fought the production of this letter, not only for the legal principle involved, but to prevent the incorrect equating of events that occurred before the establishment of the Commissioner’s sign-stealing rules with those that took place after. What should be made vibrantly clear is this: The fine noted in Major league Baseball’s letter was imposed before MLB’s new regulations and standards were issued.

“Since Major League Baseball clarified its regulations regarding the use of video room equipment on Sept. 15, 2017, the Yankees have had no infractions or violations.”

Link to tweet

Link to tweet