Derek Jeter could continue to dismantle the Yankees organization

If there’s one thing Brian Cashman has managed to do in recent years, it’s surround himself with talented people who know what they are doing. Unfortunately, other teams have seen that and have taken them away. Assistant general manager Billy Eppler was hired as the GM for the Los Angeles Angels a few years ago. Derek Jeter just recruited Yankees farm director Gary Denbo. Now it seems the new Miami Marlins owner could bring in several other former Yankees into the fold, and it will hurt his former club.

According to the Miami Herald, Jeter is also interested in bringing in buddies Jorge Posada, Tino Martinez, and Andy Pettitte. Now, none of these players have any actual title with the Yankees at the moment, but each have played a major role within the organization over the last few years. Whether it be as a guest instructor in spring training or special guests for important events, these former players have remained active with the organization, and a new job would ruin that.

The Yankees have already been hit hard when it comes to spring training programs for young prospects. The mastermind behind the Captain’s Camp, Gary Denbo, has been recruited away, and the organization certainly no longer has Derek Jeter to fall back on. If this initiative is to continue moving forward, it will have to be overhauled to make up for the losses. Losing Posada, Martinez, and Pettitte as instructors will be an even bigger blow to the team’s connection to former Yankees legends.

Maybe this doesn’t matter all that much in the long run. After all, the Yankees have plenty of former players to pull from, but where does the recruiting end? Considering Derek Jeter spent his entire career in one organization, practically under one front office, there’s a fair chance he doesn’t have as many connections as you might think—at least when it comes to potential hirings. If you’re going to recruit who you know, Jeter only knows one team, so Denbo could be just the beginning.

The Marlins are just in the opening stages of putting together their new front office. What’s to stop Jeter from going after Brian Cashman on the open market and giving him the promotion to president of baseball operations that the Yankees clearly have no interest in offering? There are also scouting director Damon Oppenheimer and assistant GM Jean Afterman to steal as well.

This also says nothing for the coaching staff or the armada of former players that continue to orbit around the organization. Imagine if Jeter starts going after David Cone, Paul O’Neill, Hideki Matsui, or even Nick Swisher to be a part of his new-look Marlins. The teams stable of star players could start running very thin.

Sure, this sounds like I’m declaring that the sky is falling, but Derek Jeter is in a position to do some serious damage to this organization going forward. The Yankees make their money off the current and former players they have accrued over the years. If that supply is suddenly preoccupied with new jobs in a new organization, things are going to start feeling a little light. Spring training, Old Timers’ Day, and basically every special event could be affected.

Who cares, right? Just wait until Old Timers’ Day next year when the biggest former Yankees in attendance are Scott Brosius and Goose Gossage. Hands off, Jeter. It might be time to think of him as not just the former face of the franchise, but as the enemy as well.