Here is my take, for the past 15 years or more, the Yankees were always in a win now mode. Mainly due to the core presence of talent and the fact that we were always "One player away from a championship.
Today we are a completely depleted Organization saddled with large contracts with aging players who production will be below major league average going forward. The Yankees failure to lock up Cano before the season gave away all leverage at the trading deadline. Instead of getting a package of Major League ready prospects plus god knows what else, the brains behind this organization is going to have to overpay for his services or accept a draft choice, which for a player of Cano's ability is a crime.
Last night on the White Sox broadcast which I was forced to watch due to MLB Ticket in Florida, I was privileged to listen to Hawk Harrelson and Stone talk about the problem with the minor leagues throughout baseball. That only a handful of teams had a system that is developing players not just one or two. The term player development came into play. And here is the Yankees problems. Inside player development are the scouts and the instructors (coaches) that lead to success at that level. He feels the scouts for the White Soxs have drafted good prospects, but he feels that the coaches (instructors) have failed. So my point, you can draft well and still crap out on development, or don't draft well and there is no talent. This my friends has been the major issue with the Yankees. Going forward with the existing front office and from top to bottom player development will result in no results. Today August 8, 2013. the Cashman led organization has brought us to the cliff of what is equivalent to bankruptcy. There will be no quick fix. Sure we could try for the wildcard spot next year and maybe get it with no injuries, but Jeter, Wells, Suzuki, Overbay, Tex, Arod (who cares), CC, Kuroda (if he came back) etc are only going to give you one more year. The majority on this board know that. It's the reality like Rick posted earlier, all those years of success lead to today. I just do not have any confidence in the Organization to correct it unless they throw money. It has covered up a multitude of sins before, and it will again if the Gene Pool allows it.