In this, the last year on his contract, Brian Cashman's close associates say he has become disenchanted with being Yankee GM, if only because so much of the personnel decisions have been taken away from him by Tampa. Said one Cashman associate: "I don't know if Brian will stay or leave, but I do know he's gotten awfully tired of seeing Tampa get credit for all the deals that work out and him getting the blame for all the ones that don't. It's like he's the GM in title only."