Brian Sabean joins Yankees as executive adviser to Brian Cashman
Former San Francisco Giants general manager Brian Sabean at spring training in 2018 in Scottsdale, Ariz. Credit: AP/Ben Margot
The Yankees dipped into their past on Tuesday to bring back an executive who had a hand in creating their dynasty teams of the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Brian Sabean, who helped run the Yankees’ farm system in the late 1980s and early '90s before becoming a three-time World Series champion as general manager of the San Francisco Giants, was hired as an executive adviser to general manager Brian Cashman.
Sabean, 66, was with the Giants for the past 30 years, the final four as an underutilized executive vice president. He hopes to be a more vital cog in the Yankees’ front office.
On a Zoom news conference, Sabean said coming back to the Yankees is “a little bit emotional and overwhelming, somewhat of a strange twist of fate after 30 years to rejoin the organization as I started in. A lot of memories that are flashing back . . . I was specifically thinking about people like Gene Michael and Bill Livesey, who were very instrumental in my growth as an executive and as a person, and a huge part of my Yankee life as mentors and friends. And it's really heartwarming to see that there's a lot of folks that 30 years ago had relationships with, with Cashman one of them. So it's humbling. At my age, I really appreciate being wanted and needed, and as I talked to Cash, things became organic as to how I could help the organization and I'm all in. I'll do anything to help the Yankees win another World Series.”
Prior to joining the Giants, Sabean spent eight seasons with the Yankees. He joined the club in 1985 as a scout before serving as director of scouting from 1986-90 and vice president of player development and scouting from 1990-92.
Cashman has always given Sabean part of the credit for drafting and developing the Core Four and Bernie Williams, among other key players on the dynasty teams.
“I was a link in the chain,” Sabean said while also mentioning former Yankees executives Mark Newman and George Bradley. “The Tampa consortium, as I call it, really was a think tank and I look back, we were probably best in class, and for scouting and player development to be part of that, or to watch that grow and then when I left to go to the Giants, see it come to fruition was extremely gratifying. But I look back at the think tank that we had, the savants as far as baseball people that were beyond reproach as far as their intelligence and their ability to teach the game and their passion for the game. It really sets a tone, I think, in the minor leagues or a culture that helped as those players graduated to the big leagues and ultimately became champions.”
Sabean, whose Giants contract expired Oct. 31, said he wanted to move back east for family reasons and plans to be based in Florida.
When asked what he thinks the Yankees need to get over the hump, Sabean said: “I'm not sure yet. I'm going to do a deep dive. Probably start by rewatching all the playoff games and really getting with [Cashman] more firsthand. A lot of that will happen as the offseason unfolds and more so [when] I get to spring training. But the team expects to go to the playoffs. It’s got star power. I really like what's happened with the rotation. But it's not for me to say. I'm just coming into the organization. Need some time to get debriefed and see what my thoughts are.”
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
