Steinbrenner noncommittal on bringing back Girardi, Cashman

The New York Yankees made it within a win of reaching the World Series only to come up short against the Houston Astros. That could presumably be viewed as a good season.

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner certainly thinks so, telling Joel Sherman of the New York Post that the 2017 campaign can be seen as a success despite not winning the big one.

"When you get to Game 7 of the ALCS, a number of people have done well and contributed," Steinbrenner said. "It can be argued everyone did a good job this year."

Despite that vote of confidence, Steinbrenner wouldn't commit to the idea of re-signing manager Joe Girardi or general manager Brian Cashman, both of whose contracts are about to expire. Nearly reaching the World Series doesn't guarantee anything.

"It might, it might not," Steinbrenner said. "I really want to get into everyone’s performance over the last two, three, four years. The same process I always undertake at the end of the year. I am not going to get caught up in the moment. We are all proud, but we have to look at the overall pieces, not just one, two, three weeks. We are all very proud. It was a group effort. There were a lot of good things."

For Girardi, there was speculation that he wouldn't be brought back after he failed to challenge a hit-by-pitch call in the ALDS against the Cleveland Indians.

In Cashman's favor, the team found success without dealing from its cache of young talent, something that isn't lost on Steinbrenner.

"I am glad we stayed the course," Steinbrenner said. "I am glad we didn’t trade young guys we believed in the past few Julys for veterans, when everyone was asking for the Severinos and the Sanchezes and the Birds and Judges. … It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t quick. But we progressed quite well."