CONTRACT OR NO CONTRACT... BOONE SHOULD BE FIRED

The Yankees’ season didn’t just end in the ALDS — it flatlined. And the man standing over the wreckage looking as clueless as ever was Aaron Boone. Once again, the Yankees stumbled out of October with their bats silent, their bullpen cooked, and their manager shrugging his shoulders like a man wondering how to program his DVR.

After the Blue Jays embarrassed the Yankees in the ALDS, Boone was asked a perfectly legitimate question in the postgame presser: is he concerned about being fired after yet another year of nothing? Boone smirked and said, “I’m under contract.”

Really, Aaron? That’s the answer? After the Yankees’ billion-dollar roster sleepwalked through October again, that’s the best you’ve got? “I’m under contract”? News flash — so was Bob Melvin when the Giants tossed him out after going 81-81 this year. In 2022, Joe Girardi was under contract when the Phillies told him to pack his bags midseason. Jimy Williams? Same deal. Jimy got canned in mid-August of 2001 despite the Red Sox being only 2.5 games out of a playoff spot, and as the Astros manager in 2004, again mid-season, for failing to meet expectations. Being under contract doesn’t make you safe. It just means ownership will pay you not to show up anymore.

And at this point, that sounds like a bargain.

Boone has been given everything — stars, payroll, analytics, patience — and he’s delivered nothing. No rings. No fire. No Championships. Just press conferences filled with the same robotic phrases: “We’ll be fine,” “We believe in our guys,” “I’m under contract.”

 

He manages like a man afraid of offending a spreadsheet. The team looks flat, uninspired, and overanalyzed — a perfect reflection of their manager and front office.

This is supposed to be the New York Yankees — not the Bronx Bureau of Excuses. Fans pay high prices expecting October glory, not this repeated postseason faceplant followed by Boone’s smug detachment.

The Yankees’ failure this year wasn’t about injuries, bad luck, or matchups. It was about leadership — or the lack of it. Boone failed to lead. He failed to inspire. He failed to hold his players accountable. And when it all fell apart against Toronto, he didn’t take responsibility — he hid behind his contract like a coward.

If the Yankees’ front office has any guts left, they’ll admit what every fan already knows: this isn’t working. Being “under contract” doesn’t make you untouchable — it just makes you overpaid for mediocrity.

Boone should be gone. At least fire him to signal to the fans that change is coming, plain and simple. The Blue Jays didn’t just beat the Yankees — they exposed the truth: under Aaron Boone, this team is soft, directionless, and allergic to accountability.

Contract or no contract, it’s time to rip off the Band-Aid. Fire him. Because the Yankees’ championship window is closing fast, and Boone’s smug grin shouldn’t be the last image of another wasted season.

YANKEE FANS CARE ABOUT CHAMPIONSHIPS, NOT BOONE'S WINNING PERCENTAGE

How many times are we going to go through this charade? It's the same thing over and over again.

We want to blame everyone for our inconsistency, but at the end of the day it's the New York Yankees front office that has been leading Yankee fans down this road of complacency and it starts with the manager who can't save this team to save his life. 

Could you imagine if we had a guy like Bruce Bochy at the helm?  Well, we will never have that in New York, because the Yankees front office likes a puppet there and Bochy would tell them to take a hike if he was given orders on how to manage his team.  And ultimately, that's the problem with the New York Yankees, isn't it?  Puppet managers who have to do what is expected of them to keep their job. And that's what I see when I see Aaron Boone.  

Talkin' Yanks had presented the stupidest stat the other night on Twitter. The win a few nights ago raised Boone's winning percentage to .600.  

Now, we're Bleeding Yankee Blue. We are fans first. We're literally the only blog out there that will speak our mind if the Yankees or players or the manager sucks.  Sure, some diehards are gonna be clouded by the fact that we're the Yankees and "true fans" don't cross the team and I'm here to tell you that mindset is bullshit.  

But I'm also here to tell you that no New York Yankee fan gives a flying fuck what Aaron Boone's winning percentage is. Why? Because the Yankees haven't won a championship since 2009.  And that is all that matters in the minds of Yankee fans, and it should be.  

Now Talkin Yanks are clearly pandering to the Yankees so they can have their ridiculous blowjob interview with Boone for their site, but that's not being a realist and true Yankee fan is. Speak truths, be honest... we suck.

I was at the stadium yesterday.  I'm looking around as the team is getting crucified by the Rays.  People are chit chatting, the signs of 27 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS and 2009 as the last time we won are just sitting there, now truly embarrassing.  No one's really paying attention.  There's bird shit now dripping down the once gorgeous images of the Yankee greats of the past as you walk down the grand hall.  We're not relevant anymore... we're sterile. We're running in place. 

Gone are the days of Yankee greatness. We're mediocre... we're spoiled fans living in the past.  We don't have clout.  As I looked around, I was embarrassed.  

Yesterday Nestor pitched lousy, he'll admit it, but the Yankee bats were horrible.  How many times do I need to say it... where is the leader that we need? You can complain all you want that players swing the bat, but everyone knew when they saw yesterday's line up yesterday that batting Austin Wells fourth was ridiculous. 

Everyone knew when they woke up that DJ LeMahieu was going to suck.  Why are we doing things that we know don't work?  I'm sick and tired of hearing about how "It's right there in front of us" and how "We're hitting balls hard." Those statements are facts.  Tell me a truth Aaron Boone you piece of garbage.

And did you hear what Boone said about Torres "smoking that ball for a double play".

“He Smoked that ball for a double play” That is Aaron Boone. #YankeesTwitter #Yankees #RepBX pic.twitter.com/vgSSlbwwCG

— NYY UNDERGROUND (@NYYUNDERGROUND) July 20, 2024

What moron manager says that? You think Bruce Bochy would say that? Jim Leyland? Bob Melvin?  Boone is a tool! You're fooling nobody idiot! Shoutout to NYY Underground by the way... you just need to go harder on this dunce.  BYB is happy to do it, but more "fans" need to hammer this guy harder. Boone doesn't belong there... Cashman needs to feel the pressure... the Yankee front office needs to realize they will never win with this putz as their manager.

The Yankees as I know them are dead.  Yesterday's game was disappointing, but it wasn't the game that killed me yesterday. It was the manager's lack of urgency, the sterile feeling of the ballpark, the tired signage that makes it appear that we have clout when we're really hanging on to our last championship in 2009.  We're old, we're irrelevant and until our fans truly call for the end of this ridiculous manager... NOTHING WILL CHANGE.

Happy Sunday. Sorry this was the start to your morning, but I'm just keeping it real.

IF OAKLAND WILL SELL MATT OLSON, THE YANKEES MUST BUY!

There's a big shakeup happening in Oakland right now. There should be just as big of a shakeup here in the Bronx, but that didn't quite happen. Something big still could happen though if the Yankees and the Oakland A's start talking.

Did you see what happened last week in Oakland? After 11 years Bob Melvin has left Oakland to manage the San Diego Padres. You may be asking "so what?" because that move alone isn't a big deal. However, right after that the A’s declined their team option on lefty reliever Jake Diekman who had a 3.86 ERA in 67 games. Even with a much smaller payroll, he's still "affordable" to Oakland at $4 million. So is this a sign that Oakland is looking to sell and maybe bigger names like Matt Olson are a trade chip that Oakland could use to rebuild again. Maybe....and if they are the Yankees need to go all in.

Olson is a perfect target for the Yankees and would help strengthen the infield. He's 27, gives the Yankees another left handed bat that they need and can run into a few home runs. He hit 39 last season, was an All-Star and and is a 2021 Silver Slugger AND Gold Glove finalist. 

He's the guy I get excited about. Honestly Luke Voit hasn't been healthy recently and his defense is subpar. I'm also not crazy about using DJ LeMahieu at first when his best position is second. The Yankees need to retool their roster in several positions, and that includes first base.

But what would it take to get him? I think the conversation STARTS with Voit, Domingo German and Gleyber Torres. I don't see that as enough to get Olson, but it's where they can open and see where it goes. I don't like the idea of including Torres to be honest, but he doesn't have a good home if the Yankees are going to use LeMahieu at second and Oakland will like that he is young and won't be a free agent until 2025. At this point, I'm open to any possibilities with this team....even trading away a young Torres.

Olson is the type of player and bat that the Yankees need to transform this roster. He's a hot name that many other teams would love to acquire. If the Yankees can get Oakland to bite, they need to move fast. Olson is a dream catch right now. If Oakland is willing to sell, the Yankees need to get it done.

  --Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

     BYB Senior Managing Editor

    Twitter: @nyprincessj

BOB MELVIN? WHO'S NEXT... ALFRED E. NEUMAN?

I love Mad magazine. Sorry, couldn't resist.

It's nuts the hear all the names that the Yankees are thinking about bringing in for manager. I'm waiting for Earl Weaver to be called.  Oh wait... he's dead.

Bob Melvin is the latest victim.  Hardball Talk has that:

"...the Yankees asked the Athletics for permission to interview skipper Bob Melvin, but the A’s denied them.

Melvin, 56, signed an extension with the Athletics at the end of September that will keep him in Oakland through 2019. Since being named interim manager in the middle of the 2011 season, Melvin has led the A’s to a 537-534 (.501) regular season record and three postseason appearances."

I like Bob, but I don't think he'd fit in New York.  And the A's think so too.  Apparently the Yanks were denied permission to chat with him. Read HERE.

I guess we just add him to the list.  He's right there with Eric Wedge for me.  Hey, Art Howe around? Call him... could add to the comedy.

AND THE WINNER IS...

The clean up is under way in Boston. “Wicked” heavy accents chanting “LET’S GO RED SOX!” and the sound of the Dropkick Murphys had dissipated.  The 2013 campaign is over and much to the dismay of Yankee fans; their rivals up in Bean town will hoist a World Championship banner from the third time in a decade. 

I tip my cap to the Boston Red Sox. They played solid, team baseball all year and showed up big when it mattered most. Sure, it’s always tough to give credit to the Sox…their fans certainly aren’t as polite when it comes to Yankee victories, and if you are holding your breath that they’ll be more “gracious” now that they have reversed their imaginary curse…don’t. That’s just who they are…but enough about them. 

 Award Season is upon us! No, not the endless back patting that happens in Hollywood in February and March. I’m referring to real awards, like the CY Young, MVP and Manager of the Year. Recently, the finalists for the American League’s best skipper were announced. The powers that be, in all their “wisdom”, have selected Oakland’s Bob Melvin, Cleveland’s Terry Francona and Boston’s John Farrell. The one name that seems to be missing is JOE GIRARDI!! To quote the great Johnny McEnroe, “YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!” Look, you can call me a homer. You can say that I am towing the company line. You can say I am simply angry that I had to watch the Sox win another title in a year when the Yanks finished 4^th. Knock yourself out if that’s what you need to do. It doesn’t change the fact that Girardi absolutely deserves to be in the running for this award. 

Now, I won’t say that the other managers aren’t deserving of praise. Melvin continues to take a small market club and get every bit of talent out of each of his players. They make the Angels look like chumps (which I am all good with) and no one can take the A’s lightly under his watch.  They are the real deal and he deserves a lot of credit. 

Tito Francona is just a likable guy. He always has been. Even when he was at the helm in Boston, you couldn’t help but to respect him. He knows the game, was a worthy adversary and handled the rivalry with class. I think we all rooted for him when the beer drinking, chicken eating, trouble makers pushed the World Champion manager to walk away from the feud at Fenway. This year he did help make the Tribe much better. Guys want to play for Tito. I have no issue with him being considered for MOTY. 

John Farrell is a solid manager, but what adversity did he face this year? It was a love fest when he arrived. He’s an Irishman in Boston, Massachusetts and the skipper that took over for the absolute void that is Bobby Valentine. Farrell needed to not get in the way and echo the heart of that team, Dustin Pedroia. Many picked the Sox to be towards the middle or bottom of the AL East. So expectations were low to boot. Yes, he did a good job and the new guys, young guys and veterans play to form, but was he so outstanding? I don’t see it that way. And this is not an anti-Sox rant. Again, Boston was the best team in the league this year. Papi, Pedy, Shane, Lestah, Nap and Jawny Gomes were outstanding, kid (written so Bostonians can understand me). But was their manager? He was just good. Not great. Just good. 

I wrote about GI Joe Girardi earlier in the season, read GI JOE & HIS BRONX BRIGADE here. I applauded they way he handle “The Beaning of Alex Rodriquez by the Coward Ryan Dempster.” Joe is the manager of the New York Yankees. Yes, it’s cliché to say, but it is a tougher job to manage and play in The Big Apple than anywhere else. It is, be honest. The coaches and players here get it from all angles. The fans, the press and even there own front offices constantly hound them and second-guess everything they do.  You have to have a very thick skin and be focused on your job and your job alone to survive here. 

This year the Yankees training room was M.A.S.H. unit. They lost key player after key player…and then they lost them again. Joe took a patchwork quilt of aging players from the Island of Misfit Toys to war every day. That fact coupled with the sub par year that CC Sabathia had and the ARod circus made Girardi’s job much more difficult than any of the other candidates…and did Joe complain? Did he run down his replacement squad of “Not Ready for Primetime” rookies? No. He MANAGED with what he had! And the Yankees were in the mix right up until the last couple weeks of the season. That is a Manager of the Year. He didn’t have his Captain. He had more distractions than a kid with ADD at a Sharper Image store! 

Girardi even handled the press better than he has before…and Joe is not a fan of the press. He wears his disdain on his chiseled faced. He answers the doom and gloom questions with a frank answer and an uncomfortable, geeky chuckle. But he always faces the music, shouldering the blame and deflecting the credit. 

So in a way, if John Farrell is named Manager of the Year for 2013,the Hollywood awards 
and Manager of the Year will be very similar. The real winner would not even be nominated and an “industry darling” with take home a meaningless statue and hollow win. Basically if Farrell takes home MOTY over Girardi or Tito or Melvin, it will be like when “Chicago” won for Best Picture…it wasn’t. 

 

--Mike O'Hara, MLB Fan Cave Host, Season 1
   Twitter: @mikeyoh21
"Paulie was always my favorite player."

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TEAM CHEMISTRY: IT'S IN THE GENES

Chemistry- the hard-wired genes of a team, the talent pool, the potential for growth- the camaraderie between players and the glue that holds the team together at its seams.  As ESPN Boston’s Jack MacMullan explained in his article Unlikeable Red Sox Flunked Chemistry, following the Boston Red Sox demise in 2011, “… People say we make too much of the value of good chemistry and camaraderie. They are wrong; it matters. When things get tough, teams with unified players step up. They rely on guys who believe in leadership and accountability — and each other — to turn things around.”

Many analysts are saying that teams like the Braves, Padres and Diamondbacks, who are being touted as this year’s youngsters, need chemistry to glue together the raw young talent.  Kirk Gibson, a young manager, may be the guy to lead the newbies in Arizona.  The Braves are looking for a player who can step in like Chipper Jones has for so many years.  The core of good chemistry is good leadership and clear expectations.

Setting expectations for a team is essential.  Otherwise, if expectations are unvoiced, unrealistic or unmet, you run into problems- many of these unearthed themselves in Boston and could be brewing in New York if egos aren’t managed properly.  Who is going to step up this year for the Yankees?  We have our veterans like Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter back, but I think it’s time for Robinson Cano to show his leadership skills and take on a deeper role in the Yankee clubhouse. 

Oakland was never expected to win last year, but the gritty team came a long way.  No big stars, no big deal.  “The 51-year-old (Bob) Melvin, a former big league catcher who grew up in Menlo Park and played at Cal, took over from the fired Bob Geren in June 2011. Melvin led the Diamondbacks to the NL West title in 2007 and also won 93 games in his rookie season with Seattle in 2003.”  (Read HERE.)

Melvin just got a contract to extension to 2016 and Oakland may have the right mix this season between frugally careful general manager Billy Beane, “modern day” manager Bob Melvin, and a young raw team that fits way under the salary cap at $59.5 million. 

But does good chemistry stem from good management and a thrifty payroll? Not exactly.  Of course we need the guys in the jerseys to mesh.  And that means, like I said before, we need people to step up, player to player and empower, motivate, and excite not just the team, but the fans too.  We want to see happy players, who are enthusiastic, who run with passion, who laugh and smile, who are edgy and fired up and who never give up.  Good character is at the route of good chemistry.  “Although the assembled talent was at first glance glittering, when the late-season malaise kicked in and it was time to roll up their Brooks Brothers sleeves and wade into the muck of an everyday slump, far too many of the big-name players turned up their noses and balked,” said MacMullen about the 2011 Sox.  He could have been saying the same thing about the 2012 Yankees at the end of last season.

So, how do we know we have the right formula this Spring to win this Fall? Will newly signed Dan Johnson mesh with Kevin Youkilis?  Will Youkilis mesh with Jeter?  Is there really beef between Joba and Youk?  Our guys need time to build new relationships and renew old ones.  And we need to give them their time and so does the media!

This is our team, like it or not, so let’s hope that they ace chemistry and not flunk it.

--Suzie Pinstripe, BYB Opinion Columnist
Twitter: @suzieprof




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DICKEY & PRICE WIN CY YOUNG AWARDS

A quick news note. New York Mets RA Dickey and Tampa Bay Rays David Price have won the Cy Young awards.  You can read about it HERE.

They both are deserving of it.  The Dickey win is huge.  I loved this guy's story all season and I'm thrilled about it.  David Price wins for the American League and while he was terrific, I think Justin Verlander should have won.  Either way, I'm not going to fight it, what's done is done.  I'm not as passionate about this one as I was when I heard Bob Melvin won over Buck Showalter. Read SHOWALTER GOT SCREWED!

Anyway, enjoy your Thursday.

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SHOWALTER GETS SCREWED!

The announcement came down alittle while ago and the 2012 Manager of the Year awards were given out. Read about it HERE. For the National League, the Washington Nationals Davey Johnson won. No brainer in my opinion.

For the American League, Bob Melvin of the Oakland Athletics won.  Wow.  I didn't see that coming.  Buck Showalter of the Baltimore Orioles should have won.  How in the world does he NOT win? His team gained 10 games on the Yankees in the AL East and played a very tough playoff against them.  In fact, he scares the hell out of me.  Bottom line, the Athletics had a better team for Melvin than the Orioles were for Buck. The difference was Buck made his boys believe in themselves and in that regard, they did an incredible job.  Sure alot of the credit goes to the team itself for playing so well, better than their numbers said, but Buck deserves a helluva lot of credit here too.  BYB would have given him Manager of the Year in the AL.

Congrats to Johnson and Melvin.  Good work this season.
 

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