Yankees Talk: MLB Commissioner On Yanks' Youth Movement

Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred is pleased that the Yankees have undergone a youthful rebuild, which should lead to a long run of success.

Having grown up a Yankees fan in the Bronx, it’s easy to understand why baseball commissioner Rob Manfred would want to see the team of his youth become competitive once again. As head honcho, in charge of all things national pastime related, though, when the Yankees are relevant, the sport simply makes more money.

Speaking with John Harper of the Daily News, Manfred waxed poetic about all things Yankees, especially as it relates to the city in which Manfred reigns supreme, New York.

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“The buzz surrounding the changes [the Yankees] made late in the season was really positive here in New York,” Manfred said. “Within the game, I think people believe that Brian [Cashman] did a really nice job in terms of getting talent for what he gave up.”

In the past, Yankees GM Brian Cashman was seen as too tolerable to the wishes of his organization’s owners. Whether that meant overspending on aging superstars, or not spending a dime in free agency (as in the winter of 2015), it seems Cashman finally has the ability to institute his own vision for the future of the Yankees — as we’ve seen over past six months with one strategic trade after the other — restocking the Minor League system to the till.

“[The Yankees] are one of the iconic franchises, so it is good,” said Manfred, who soon backpedaled on his comment, making sure to keep even-keeled when it came to not playing favorites: “You don’t want them to win every year, obviously. You want there to be a balance. But they can be a compelling storyline in the postseason.”

Speak for yourself, Mr. Commissioner! Us Yankees fans are hungry for a title. I mean, it’s been almost eight long years! Imagine how blasphemous a Cubs fan would have thought of that statement before last October.

Regardless, the Yankees are indeed headed in the right direction. There is always going to be that one guy or gal that harkens back to the glory days of George Steinbrenner — when money was no object and the luxury tax was a penalty worth breaking. I say let them complain about how the Yankees should trade the farm for Jose Quintana — or sign Jose Bautista — or just flat out release Jacoby Ellsbury (BTW, none of these things should happen).

But as you and I know, these are new days for the winningest professional sports franchise in North America. So while it’ll take some folks a little longer to catch on to the new order of business in the Bronx, let’s all come together in appreciating where we’ve been, where we currently are, and where we are undoubtedly going. That my friends is back to Title Town — No. 28 to be exact.