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Report: Yankees' Brass Divided Over Whether To Enter Sell Mode

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- There is reportedly division among the Yankees' decision makers about whether to sell off the team's assets as the trade deadline approaches.

Citing anonymous baseball sources, ESPN reported that the Yankees' baseball operations people, most notably general manager Brian Cashman, are in favor of dealing players such as closer Aroldis Chapman, right fielder Carlos Beltran, first baseman Mark Teixeira and starting pitchers Nathan Eovaldi and Ivan Nova. They also would listen to offers for relief pitcher Andrew Miller, and catcher Brian McCann and center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury could also be trade bait, although their high-priced contracts are widely seen as a roadblock.

Meanwhile, the organization's business executives, led by owner Hal Steinbrenner and team president Randy Levine, believe the Yankees, who are 44-44, are still in contention, according to the report. The Yankees trail the American League East-leading Baltimore Orioles by 7½ games and are 5½ games back for the second wild-card spot.

MORE: Keidel: Big Questions To Ponder As Yanks Contemplate Selling

"All the talk of buying or selling is speculation at this point,'' Levine told ESPN. "There's two weeks to go (until the Aug. 1 deadline), and at that time we'll make a decision. You can't make any decisions until you have specific transactions in front of you.

"We believe in this team,'' he added.

Last week, Cashman said he is fielding offers and would present any proposals to the team's ownership.

"That doesn't mean we're in sell mode, but it certainly means we're open to everything and anything, just like we were this winter," he told ESPN's Buster Olney.

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