His eighth season as a Yankees general manager complete, Brian Cashman will report to work today, surely, with some disappointment, as has been the case the four prior baseball postseasons. But he'll possess something unusual, as well. With his free agency pending, Cashman has the upper hand over George Steinbrenner. The Boss wants to bring Cashman back for 2006 and beyond, two people familiar with the situation said. Yet Cashman, according to multiple friends, has significant qualms about committing to the company he has worked for his entire adult life. With an opening in Philadelphia, and one to come in Washington, Cashman could bid adieu to The Boss and his kingdom. In an e-mail yesterday, Cashman didn't offer many hints about his future, writing, "Just got home ... and doing nothing ... will be in the office tomorrow." Cashman's contract ends on Oct. 31, but given that Steinbrenner already has started thinking about offseason roster renovations, The Boss likely will want to resolve Cashman's situation quickly. If Cashman does decide to leave the Yankees, Damon Oppenheimer, the team's vice president of major-league scouting, is the leading internal candidate to replace him.