The Yankees face several massive decisions, and - for now - there is only one way to go.

The Yankees face several massive decisions, and - for now - there is only one way to go.
Fun fact: Each of us wishes he or she could run the Yankees - with a trusty time machine, of course. We wouldn't have traded Mike Lowell, or punted on Nathan Eovaldi, or botched countless roster tweaks, from Zolio to Melky, from Nova to Cano, from Tauchman to Overbay. We wouldn't have gone 16 years without a ring, as Brian "Cooperstown" Cashman has now done. But but BUT... today, I stand before you, groveling to the juju gods in rapt appreciation that I. Am. Not. Cashman.Nope. He can have his fancy parking space, his coffee machine, the cufflinks, the private commode... everything. Over the next few weeks, Cashman has several major decisions to make - first world problems - with only one way to go - down. The Yankees have won 11 of 13, and they face an infusion of rawboned youth and experienced guile. It's hard to imagine a period where things go better than they've gone, and - of course - when it starts to go south, we'll blame Cashman for everything. You get the tar; I'll get the chickens. Today, we enjoy the best record in the AL, with a former Cy Young winner returning and various youngsters knocking on various doors. But a month from now, with summer still beginning to explode, we could be looking at a disaster, because that's all, folks, that's China Town, Jake, and that's baseball, Suzyn. Cashman faces three huge decisions, each to be rammed down his throat. In fact, he has no decision to make.1. What to do with Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon? The answer? Nothing. Just hold on and watch. Both are returning. Both will join the rotation, probably this month, replacing the two Ryans - Weathers and Yarbrough, who will head to the bullpen.This is great news, unless it isn't. There's no guarantee that Cole, at 35, can recapture the Cy Young stuff that is now three years in his rearview. Same with Rodan, 33. Last season, he had, arguably, his best year as a Yankee - 18-9, 3.03. But at the end, he could barely lift his shoulder. He must reinvent himself, as pitchers his age must always do.This isn't Cashman's decision to make. These guys are coming back. Period. They are veteran pitchers, former aces, and cagy enough to win by honest duplicity. But Cole gave up three runs the other day in Double A, and Rodon gave up one, and baseball is murder, especially when a great career is reaching its twilight. To paraphrase Michael Kay, do Cole and Rodon have rallies in their bones? If they don't, it will be painful.2. The Martian's elbow scan came back clear, and it looks as though he will not miss playing time. (He might play today.) This is wonderful news. The sight of him being looked over by trainers, after Nathan Eovaldi plunked his elbow - it was our worst nightmare. We need to know what Jasson Dominguez has. The notion that he'd miss a month or two with a broken elbow - that's how careers get derailed. Eight years after he was signed in a hail of hype and money, we're still waiting. (Spencer Jones, too.) It's time to find out what we have... and, if necessary, to move on.3. The fulcrum point for Anthony Volpe creeps ever closer. He's ready to join the team. But Jose Caballero has earned the right to start at SS. For God's sake, he homered last night. He's playing at a level that we haven't seen Volpe reach since the brief period when he shined, three years ago, as a once-around-the-league rookie.One wrinkle: if the Yankees option Volpe to the minors, for at least 20 days, apparently, it will delay his free-agent eligibility by a year, pushing it to 2030. Volpe won't like that, and I don't blame him. But don't be surprised if Cashman plays hardball and sends him to Scranton, to play 3B next to SS George Lombard Jr. For now, I'm glad I'm not Cashman. Though a time machine wouldn't be bad...

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