WAIT. EXPERIENCE IS NOT NEEDED FOR A BENCH COACH?!

"“Experience is important, but it’s not the be all, end all. I want smart sitting next to me. I want confident sitting next to me.” -Aaron Boone

SAY WHAAAAAT?!

That is an interesting quote that has stuck with me after the Yankees officially announced Aaron Boone as their new manager. The Yankees are going through a lot of changes with the younger players and now a brand new manager and soon to be coaching staff. It's a lot all at once.

Photo: New York Yankees

So when Boone said that and said experience wasn't exactly necessary I had to go back and re-read the quote. I am still getting used to the idea of Boone as our next manager. I said previously that if the Yankees brought on an inexperienced manager that an experienced bench coach and coaching staff would be important and for more than one reason.

To succeed in New York you absolutely need the confidence factor, so that I completely agree with Boone on. However, if he wants "smart sitting next to me" I really think that is an experienced coach here. The idea of the blind leading the blind scares me a little. Boone has a lot of baseball knowledge but calling a game on ESPN and being the guy that makes the moves during the game are two very different things.

John Connolly/NorthJersey.com

The Yankees have a roster of young kids. Some of them got a full year under Joe Girardi and now Aaron Boone is going to introduce his own approach and way of doing things which I am guessing will be extremely different that how Joe did things. The Yankees clearly wanted that difference from the old regime, so much that some of it's key figure heads are gone.

Photo: Getty Images

Some people may not care, but I am going to miss Rob Thomson. I really think he is one of the best bench coaches in baseball. He's got a lot of pride, he cares about his guys and he was the mastermind and organization when it came to being ready for Spring Training. I really wish him luck in his new gig as the bench coach for the Phillies. I just wish he was still here in some capacity to help.

At least the Yankees will have the familiar face of Larry Rothschild still around now that the Yankees have officially announced his return but the Yankees will now need to turn their attention to hiring a bench coach, hitting coach, first-base coach, third-base coach and bullpen coach, and there are indications that Mike Harkey could return as bullpen coach according to the New York Post HERE.

Photo: Getty Images

But what about Tony Pena, Marcus Thames and Alan Cockrell? Who knows. It would be weird to not see Pena anymore but that could be a reality. Rumors are already swirling and so far Reggie Willits (Angels minor league coach), Carlos Mendoza and even Carlos Beltran are being considered for coaching staff positions. Mendoza has been with the Yankees since 2009 in a variety of minor league coaching and managerial roles and is well liked by executives in the front office. Could any of these guy be one of Boone's new managers?

I don't know. Brian Cashman said that choosing the rest of the coaching staff could take a couple of weeks. It will be interesting to see who he picks, and depending on who he does pick the explanations could be even more intriguing.

Kevin R. Wexler/NorthJersey.com

I just hope Boone rethinks his whole philosophy to the bench coach. He needs a strong staff around him and so will our young up and coming team. Just like many jobs out there.....the quote here should read "HELP WANTED, EXPERIENCE PREFERRED."

--Jeana Bellezza
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj