Yankees won't deal young arms to get Cabrera

"Is he the ideal first-base situation? No. Can he play there seven days a week? We haven't had him doing that, obviously, for a while," Cashman said. "So I think that you're going to see him more DH-ing for us, but we'll see."

In addition to trying to re-sign Rivera and catcher Jorge Posada, the Yankees would like to keep reliever Luis Vizcaino. While Cashman praised first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz, who missed half the season because of injuries, he mentioned all the other first-base possibilities the Yankees have.

Asked whether New York's offers to Rivera and Posada were aggressive, Cashman responded with a joke that silently referenced Joe Torre's response to the team's proposal of a paycut that contained incentive bonuses.

"I wouldn't make an insulting offer. The Yankees wouldn't do that," Cashman said.

Steinbrenner said the Yankees will make new offers to Rivera and Posada but wouldn't say whether it was important to reach agreements before Tuesday, when they can talk money with other teams.

"That's really up to them," he said.