NEW YORK (AP) -One day after re-signing with the Yankees, general manager Brian Cashman sat down behind a microphone and immediately was asked if he gave any serious thought to leaving.
Indeed, he did.
So then, what made him stay after New York missed the playoffs this year for the first time since 1993?
"If I left, I was not going to like the story that was going to be written," Cashman said firmly during a 40-minute news conference Wednesday at soon-to-be empty Yankee Stadium.
"The only way for me to change that is to change the story. So I'm staying to change the story."
Cashman agreed Tuesday to a three-year contract to remain general manager, a deal that runs through 2011. He was promoted to GM in 1997 and his current deal was set to expire at the end of October.
"I'm extremely excited that Brian has decided to come back," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said in a statement. "I feel we have a tremendous relationship. Brian said he believes there is unfinished business here, and I couldn't agree with him more."
Cashman was expected to re-sign, especially after co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner told him earlier this season that the team wanted him back. But there had been rumblings that Cashman might be interested in running another club - perhaps one without such a vocal, hands-on ownership group.
"I care about my name and I care about how I'm perceived and I care about this franchise," Cashman said. "There's a story I want to have written here and the only way to make sure it's written is to suck it up and win."
He has plenty of work to do. Beset by injuries, a mediocre pitching staff and a disappointing offense, New York (89-73) finished third in the AL East this season, six games out of playoff position.
The GM was criticized for turning down a deal that could have brought ace Johan Santana to the Yankees last winter. He chose instead to keep several youngsters, but that backfired this season when pitchers Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy combined to go 0-8 and failed to stay healthy.
"We made a long-term bet on obviously keeping that inventory, and the first six months of that process isn't going to change that," Cashman said. "I don't think you can judge it yet."
He's determined to stick with his plan of valuing young players.
JCJanko 
