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When Brian Cashman got a new contract after the 2005 season from George Steinbrenner, it came with full control of baseball operations. That ended an often acrimonious relationship between the GM and Big Stein's coterie of advisers based in Tampa and was supposed to make for smoother sailing on the personnel front.

That happened but the World Series titles didn't resume falling into Yankee laps so, with his contract expiring after the season, will Cashman get more time if they don't earn a ring this season? It's starting to look pretty unlikely. Hank Steinbrenner's regular missives in the media make it clear that he wants to be the same kind of figurehead that his father was and part of that could be erasing Cashman from the equation. He followed up yesterday's comments about forcing changes next year in an interview with Bill Madden of the New York Daily News.

"But while I'm confident they'll come around, we'll just have to wait and see what happens this year. And if they don't come around then changes will have to be made. I've just got to clean up the mistakes of the last five years and make us what we should be."

You can bet Cashman will be the first change made. And, lest you think Hank, six weeks into his first season as head man, feels he's still getting his feet wet in the baseball world, read on to see the positive effect he already credits himself with.

"I know we're gonna come on at some point in this season, but right now, other than (Chien-Ming) Wang, (Mariano) Rivera, (Derek) Jeter, (Hideki) Matsui, (Johnny) Damon and (Mike) Mussina, after I got on him a little, we're not doing jack (bleep)."

Hank Steinbrenner, pitching coach to the stars! You have to love the arrogance of a man who thinks that by pointing out Mussina, an 18-year veteran, wasn't pitching well he actually created the change that's seen Mussina earn better results. It's no coincidence that Hank spoke up right after two starts against the Red Sox? I'm surprised that Mussina's pitched as well as he has of late but not for one second do I think Hank had anything to do with the adjustments he made.

All of which brings us back to Cashman. Dealing with someone who is that convinced of their own magnificence is not good for long-term job security, especially when you've already clashed about decisions in roster construction.