THE GREAT BOONE PUPPET DEBATE REALLY ISN'T A DEBATE

Brian Cashman doesn’t get to tell fans how they’re supposed to feel about Aaron Boone. That’s just not how fandom works.

Since Boone took over for Joe Girardi, Yankees fans have heard the same message over and over from the top. Every year, Hal Steinbrenner reminds everyone that it’s “championship or bust.” Every year, the season ends without a championship, and every winter Brian Cashman assures fans that meaningful upgrades are coming.

And yet… here we are again.

So, when people look at the Yankees and say Boone feels more like a pawn than a power figure, it’s not coming out of thin air. Fans have watched this same movie for years now. Boone sits in the dugout, smiling, chewing gum, managing the lineup card while the front office supposedly calls the big shots, in my opinion of course.

Cashman, however, insists that narrative is completely wrong. Speaking to Fox Sports reporter Deesha Thosar, he made it clear the criticism bothers him.

“Like, at the end of the day, I know all that's going to matter is if we're winning games. And even when we are winning games, it still won't matter... Because there's a lot of narratives out there that just aren't the case. Like, to this day, I'm definitely frustrated with the one narrative that the manager is the puppet, and we're dictating his moves. None of it's true.”

The problem is, that explanation lands with a thud among fans who have watched this team spin its wheels for years.

Yes, the Yankees have talent. Nobody denies that. Aaron Judge is one of the best players in baseball. Giancarlo Stanton can still crush a baseball into orbit. Cody Bellinger brings legitimate skill to the lineup.

But building a championship team takes more than a few stars surrounded by ongoing development projects. Too often the Yankees feel like a lab experiment — mixing veteran power hitters with prospects who are learning on the fly at the major league level.

And when the team falls short, Boone is the one sitting in the manager’s chair.

Cashman, though, says the public perception simply won’t change no matter what he says.

“I can't change people's minds. They want to believe what they want to believe, no matter what... It's like politics and conspiracy theories. You can try to prove it scientifically, prove it with people testifying under oath, or, like, I can roll out former managers, you can ask those guys. It doesn't matter. It doesn't mean anything. People still say it. So it's like, well, then what am I going to do?”

Well, here’s an idea: give fans a roster that actually looks upgraded.

Because from the outside looking in, it often feels like the Yankees make one splashy move and call it a winter. The bullpen still needs depth. The roster still leans heavily on development experiments. And somehow Boone is expected to steer that mix to a championship.

Not exactly a fair assignment.

Sports Illustrated writer Joseph Randazzo summed up the situation perfectly:

“It's hard to say what they think will be accomplished by repeating year in and year out that Boone isn't a puppet, but, in a lot of ways, it comes off the way Mark DeRosa has come off for Team USA. He put his foot in his mouth by doubling down, telling the public that he, in fact, knew the United States didn't ‘punch their ticket’ to the knockout round, and all that has gotten him is more criticism. Shooing away criticism comes off as a lack of understanding of the crux of everybody's frustration in the first place. That makes everything worse.”

And that’s exactly the point.

Every year the Yankees insist the criticism is misguided. Every year they promise improvement. And every year the same frustrations resurface.

The Yankees are a good team. But they’re not a great one. And good teams don’t hang championship banners in the Bronx.

Spring training doesn’t change that. Adding one player in the offseason doesn’t change that. Rolling into the season with roster holes and hoping internal development solves everything doesn’t change that.

You know what also doesn’t help? A manager who feels more like the players’ buddy than their boss.

If you want to see what strong dugout leadership looks like, watch managers like Bruce Bochy or the legendary Jim Leyland. Their teams play with discipline, urgency, and accountability.

That’s leadership.

So when Cashman says fans are going to believe what they want to believe, he’s right about one thing: fans will decide for themselves.

And until the Yankees prove otherwise on the field, plenty of people will keep believing the same thing.

Aaron Boone isn’t running the show.

He’s holding the strings someone else is pulling.

IF THE YANKEES DON'T FIRE HIM, BOONE NEEDS TO WALK AWAY!

Let’s start with a truth bomb wrapped in pinstripes and frustration: Aaron Boone has to go. This is not a hot take. This is a baseball fan’s plea, born from years of empty promises, hollow pressers, and the slow, joyless decay of a team that used to breathe fire under the Bronx lights.

Yes, Boone owns a .581 winning percentage across eight seasons. And yes, that’s the fourth-best among active managers. But guess what? That number is as empty as the Yankees’ trophy case since he took over. A good regular season record doesn’t mean squat when your October resume reads like a disappointment reel. Ask any real Yankee fan—Boone doesn’t lead this team. He babysits it.

Boone’s relationship with his players feels more like a group therapy circle than a baseball team. He coddles. He protects. He nods empathetically when guys boot grounders or forget the number of outs. When Jazz Chisholm Jr. made a brutal baserunning mistake, Boone publicly called it “aggressive baseball.” Privately, according to Athlon Sports, he admitted it was dumb. You know what that is? Cowardice with a side of sugar-coating.

Leadership means calling out nonsense when you see it—not whispering it behind closed doors like you’re afraid of hurting feelings. Boone leads like a middle school vice principal who just wants everyone to get along and eat their orange slices at snack time.

Baseball isn’t a spreadsheet. It’s instinct, pulse, momentum. I caught something the night of August 4th when the Yankees lost 8-5.  During the game, David Cone set of Aaron's brother Bret Boone and I'm paraphrasing, that Bret wasn't the type that used an iPad to go over baseball players and techniques. Cone suggested that Bret Boone goes by gut and feel and "that's why Bruce Bochy" swept him up.  In other words, that's why Bret coaches with Bochy... cause he's smart.  Cone can't talk trash about Aaron Boone in public, but I can guarantee you that was a subtle shot at Aaron Boone because he doesn't use his gut. 

He and the Yankee cronies in the front office us iPads and projection analytics.  That's how I interpreted it. I could be wrong, but that's how I feel. Boone clings to analytics like they’re the Rosetta Stone. He’ll pull a pitcher who’s shoving because the iPad says so, only to put in some reliever who last pitched during the Paleozoic Era. You’re left wondering if Boone is managing the Yankees or simming a game on MLB The Show with auto-manage turned on.

Let’s not dance around it—this team forgets how to bunt, move runners, or even play heads-up baseball. And that’s on Boone and his staff. We’ve seen more cohesive strategy in beer league softball games. 

You think Billy Martin would’ve let this slide? Earl Weaver? Heck, even Joe Girardi would’ve flipped a table by now.  Under Boone’s watch, talent rots and hustle dies. The Yankees can go from world-beaters to bottom-feeders over the course of a single series. They’re not bad because they lack skill. They’re bad because they lack urgency. And urgency starts at the top.

Here’s the cherry on top of this stale sundae: Boone has had a Cy Young winner and an MVP on the roster. And what does he have to show for it? A 22-23 postseason record and not a single World Series appearance. That’s a historic waste of firepower. He’s the first Yankee manager to hold both of those trophies on his roster and still be home in November. That should be a felony in the Bronx.

Even as the Yankees stumble and bumble, you’ve got the usual suspects running interference for Boone. Michael Kay, for one, seems to think Boone is just misunderstood. Why do fans hate him so much, he wonders?

Gee, Mikey—maybe it’s because the Yankees have been underachieving for years, and you’re more concerned about keeping your YES Network paycheck than speaking the truth! And that IS the truth! Kay will never talk about of turn against Boone... because he doesn't have balls. So what does he do? He picks on the fans. 

On the other end, you’ve got Evan Roberts on WFAN telling it like it is—Boone needs to go now. Finally, someone with a mic and a pulse. That God someone else is calling for Boone's firing that Bleeding Yankee Blue.

And so, if the Yankees won't fire Boone. Maybe Boone needs to look in the mirror and recognize that maybe he needs to walk away from the team.  Even in the loss to the Rangers tonight. Boone has Mark Leiter and Dave Bednar up in the pen and Williams pitching to Tellez with the bases loaded. He had an opportunity to take out Williams, but he froze.  Well, Williams pitched and gave up 2 runs. Is it Williams fault? Negative. It's the manager's fault for not reacting and not using his gut. He thought with his stupid iPad.  

I often think about the Ted Williams blueprint.  In 1969, Ted Williams took over the lowly Washington Senators and dragged them to 86 wins, earning AL Manager of the Year. But when things soured and his team nosedived into a 54-100 record in 1972 and they became the Texas Rangers, Williams didn’t hang around like a barnacle. He left. No fuss, no delusion, just dignity. He understood... the leader of the club, him, wasn't doing his job. Ted Williams had the self-awareness to walk away when he knew he wasn’t helping. Boone? He’s clinging to this gig like it’s the last churro at a ballpark stand.

Look, after tonight's loss and just awful managing once again, Aaron Boone must know it's time. Either he needs to be fired, or he needs to walk away.  You don’t need to wait for Hal Steinbrenner to grow a spine or for Brian Cashman to stop rearranging the bullpen like it's fantasy camp. Do what’s right. You’ve lost the clubhouse. You’ve lost the fans. You’ve lost total control and much like I've been preaching here since 2020... you're a terrible leader. You manage in fear.

Just leave. Because leadership isn’t about buddy-buddy relationships. It’s about winning, demanding greatness, and knowing when the team needs something different. And the Yankees, right now, need something very different. So go Boone... go away.

THERE ARE MUCH BETTER IN THE BUSINESS, ALEX CORA

I still can’t get over how absurd Alex Cora sounded when he suggested that Aaron Boone is "the best in the business." The best in the business? Are you kidding me? That has to be the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. That’s why I titled this article DUMB AND STUPID. Because that’s exactly what this statement is. If Boone is the best, then what does that make Bruce Bochy? Or Joe Torre? Prophets? Baseball gods? Maybe we should just start building shrines to them because, compared to Boone, they’re untouchable legends.

It’s as if Cora just pulled this shit out of thin air to make his buddy look good. But let’s be real—Boone sucks. He always has. And Cora, by making such a laughable statement, just proved he has no integrity. He’s out here playing PR manager instead of speaking facts, and I’m not buying it.

There was an interesting sentence, a take from ClutchPoints that bothered me when writing about Cora and Boone. They wrote, and I quote, "A lack of talent cannot fairly fall on the manager, but it often does." I mean, what? The Yankees have had plenty of talent for years. The problem isn’t a shortage of skilled players—it’s a manager who has no goddamn clue how to use them effectively.

I’ve been saying it for years—the Yankees weren’t going to win the World Series under Boone, and guess what? I am right so far. Sure, they made it further than I predicted last year, but that wasn’t because of Boone’s genius managerial skills. That was because of talent. The same talent that Boone consistently fails to utilize properly. When things get tough, when a manager has to make the hard calls like Boone, that’s when you separate the truly elite from the frauds and that's where Boone does not rise. That’s when the so-called "best in the business" proves their worth. And Boone? He fucking folds, literally every time.

If Boone were anything close to elite, he’d be able to maximize his team’s potential. He’d recognize strengths, adjust for weaknesses, and make the tough, smart decisions that lead to winning. But isn't managing, the front office is. Boone doesn’t have the guts, the intelligence, or the leadership ability to do it. Girardi did. Girardi won. Girardi wasn't asked back because Girardi had balls!  And so back to Boone... that’s why, after all these years, he still hasn’t won a single goddamn championship.

Look at the history of baseball—managers get fired for far less. Some are let go after missing the playoffs. Some lose their jobs after a 10-game losing streak. The reason? Because they fail to manage, lead, motivate, and problem-solve. Yet somehow, Boone continues to skate by doing the bare minimum. The Yankees have embraced mediocrity, and it’s embarrassing.

And let’s talk about that mediocrity for a second. It’s not just Boone—it’s the entire Yankees front office. This team used to have a standard. A fire. A demand for excellence. But now? Now it’s all about participation trophies and "we’ll get ‘em next year." This isn’t Little League. This is the New York Yankees, the team that built a dynasty on winning. And here we are, stuck with a manager who embodies the very definition of "just enough."

Alex Cora’s statement was complete nonsense. That's why everyone is writing about it today. But we here at Bleeding Yankee Blue are going to be the only Yankee fan site to be honest about it. It's stupid. And ClutchPoints wrote in their piece was wrong, love you guys, but it's not accurate. Talent matters, but what a manager does with that talent matters even more. If this were the 1980s, Boone would have been fired a long time ago. If George Steinbrenner were still around, Billy Martin would be back in the dugout replacing Boone because, say what you will about Billy, he knew how to lead. He wasn’t a puppet. Boone? He’s nothing but that. A puppet controlled by an organization that has lost its way.

So, before we start throwing around empty praise, let’s remember what baseball is really about. It’s not just about trying—it’s about winning. And as Derek Jeter once said if a team doesn’t win the championship, the entire season is a failure. 

Well, Yankees fans, we’ve had plenty of failures. And it all comes down to one thing—we have a failed leader as our manager. F Cora. F Boone.

BOONE DISRESPECTS YANKEE PROGRESS WITH ONE HORRENDOUS DECISION

It was an obvious choice for every Yankee fan watching that game last night. In fact, I was proud of the YES network guys who were clearly chomping at the bit to say something about the horrendous Boone decision to bring Nestor Cortes into the game to pitch to arguably one of the best hitters in the game in Freddie Freeman with the bases loaded.  I have said this many times on Bleeding Yankee Blue and I have said it all season; when it truly comes time to strategizing matchups in tough spots for the New York Yankees, Aaron Boone cannot and is not capable to make a good decision. Last night, in the World Series, Boone decided to give Cortes a rehab shot when it was the worst possible time to do it, and it didn't go well for the Yankees. In fact, it exposed him for what he is; 

Rattled.

Inexperienced.

Not Qualified.

Weak.

I applaud Jack Curry, John Flaherty, Bob Lorenz and Michael Kay. They did everything they could without crossing the line to blast Aaron Boone on the worst decision of his managing career.  They were baffled and confused.  They even asked Joe Girardi and he took a shot at Boone suggesting Hill was sitting right there, experience in the post season, weird delivery, lefty and Boone went with Cortes, who is really no longer qualified for that kind of pressure.

I don't know who Andy was in the press room, but he was the guy that I want to shake hands with. Boone was asked why he went with Cortes. He said he liked the "lefty-lefty" match up.   But Andy, much like me was baffled by that answer and he pressed him.  Of course, Boone thought he'd be safe in that press room, but he wasn't and also didn't have an answer. In fact, Boone couldn't answer at all. Why? Well, because he didn't have a strategy... he was exposed for making a horrendous decision.

Aaron Boone disrespected the Yankees progress last night.  Gerrit Cole pitched a good game.  Boone took him out "because he was laboring".  Note to the millions of people watching. Cole was NOT laboring, in fact, he was humming.  Aaron Boone went to the bullpen too soon.  Boone strategized the bullpen like it was Game 7 when anyone can tell you his pick of qualified pitching after Cole was plentiful.  

And so, what he did for the Yankees was back them into a corner with using his bullpen too early, essentially erasing his closer and then made every attempt to try and piece it together.  And what do you do to reward a solid Tim Hill in the World Series? You pass him up for a rehab inning guy who hasn't pitched since September, and dare I say, looked terrified and equally confused that he was even on the mound.

Giancarlo Stanton puts the Yankees ahead.  Erased cause Boone overthinks and is not qualified. The Yankees take a 3-2 lead... erased because the bullpen was used up the wrong way.   He undid everything in that game to not only prove to the Yankee fan base that the World Series is not important to him.  He acted like it was April 15th or something.  The lack of skill, urgency and confidence in Aaron Boone is the exact reason why I have been banging the drum of dread when it comes to the New York Yankees manager. It's the wrong guy, plain and simple.  Aaron Boone has no business managing this ballclub. I mean let's face it, the wins we got were wins Judge, Soto and company got.  You don't need to manage hard in a long season when your two top hitters are hitting.  

I'll say this again. When things get hard, when there are men on base, a struggling pitcher, a team that needs runs, and the need for a manager to TRULY manage a team, this is when Aaron Boone does not understand his job.  That's why guys like Bruce Bochy are successful. Longevity. This is why Tony LaRussa was. Longevity. This is why Joe Torre was. Longevity. Oh yeah... and they are also part of baseball royalty.  They are respected, have a track record and understand the game and finding it on their own.   Boone will never compare to them and never will be successful.  He was handed the job IMO because of his baseball pedigree, the Yankee front office new they were getting a puppet with this guy and his real only claim to fame is hitting a home run to advance to the World Series against the Boston Red Sox with NOW MEANS NOTHING because we never won that World Series and that jack ass injured himself in that same offseason because he was playing a pick-up basketball game.  What's my point? The dude's soft and inexperienced. I don't know how many times I need to say it.  And last night he did the New York Yankees a disservice.  He proved that he doesn't know how to do his job. 

The players are doing their best to not talk trash in public about Aaron Boone, but trust me, every one of them know that he blew that game last night.  

The Los Angeles Dodgers are really, really good.  This wasn't an exhibition.  Boone didn't know where he was last night and I have news for you, I hope to God that Hal got on the phone with this dude and ripped him to shreds.  THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR LAST NIGHT'S LOSS. It's not like Cortes was the only one available.  It's pretty unreal.

So now the Yankees are in the hole and have to dig out, not by anything they did.  The best we can do in LA right now is get a split.  But what if they don't? Look, the Yankees can do it, but it has to come down to them. I have no faith that Aaron Boone will lead us.  Neither should you.

Say a prayer, cause this World Series just got more complicated and difficult because the guy driving doesn't know how. 

It shouldn't be this way. Us Yankee fans do not deserve this. #FireBoone. Go Yanks.

TORRE MAY BE DEFENDING BOONE, BUT IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT BOONE'S NO LEADER

Joe Torre is the latest guy to back up Boone (or I guess any manager who has struggled.)  I mean look, the big thing happening for the past four years when it comes to Aaron Boone is that he just doesn't know how to get over the hump.  

When players are clicking, pitching well, hitting well, that's always a great thing for a manager, because, well, things are just working.  But a manager's job is the hardest when they have to manage through tough stretches.  Boone don't know how to manage through tough times.  And that's where I have my biggest beef with Boone.  

He's not good at the ultimate challenge of righting the ship.  He doesn't know how to navigate through tough times and that is evident when you see him losing his mind in front of the press with profanity.  He's been exposed at that point, and he knows it.  And so, banging on the desk and suggesting that "It's right in front of us" may be a true statement, but you're never gonna achieve it if you don't know how to manage your players.

Fans will say "this is Cashman's fault, fire him."  I am not a big Cashman guy these days either, but he got the players that he could because he thought he could get us moving this year.  In essence, he really only got Soto and Verdugo.  It just so happened that the Yankees went on a tear in the beginning of the season... call that luck.  

But in the end, the players leveled out, as we predicted here at Bleeding Yankee Blue, and now, with the team in turmoil, you need a manager to lead.  A manager to take the reins, to dictate what needs to be done... not just saying "It's right in front of us" every night. 

Enter Joe Torre who makes a great statement, but an obvious one. And to be honest, he really didn't move the story forward in my eyes as much as I love the guy. Audacy has this:

"You don’t know what happens behind closed doors," Torre explained, as shared by Ryan Chichester of Audacy. "You may be sitting there in your seat saying, 'You have to do something about this guy,' but you don’t know if he has done something. 'Boonie' doesn’t miss anything. He understands what’s necessary to go out on the field and not necessarily win, but get the effort on a regular basis."

Torre suggested it's important for a manager to know how to interact with different players at different times.

"They’re not all the same, so you can't really treat them all the same," Torre continued. "You have to treat them all fairly."

"You have to gain perspective here by saying that it’s 162 games," Torre added. "Yeah, you hate to lose to the crosstown rivals. There’s a certain embarrassment to that…you’re the Yankees."

So break this down. 

First off, Joe and Bob Boone are buddies. You don't think Joe's doing a favor there for the old man's kid? Of course he is, but there's more to it... Boone misses a lot. Torre is wrong about that.  Boone makes terrible personnel changes, pitching changes, horrible lineups batting JD Davis fourth.  He doesn't go by feel, he goes by analytics and that idiot Michael Fishman in the analytics Yankee office needs to be bound and gagged and thrown in the women's room because he's wrong all the time.  That's one.

Then what’s the point of having a fucking manager. Seriously. What are you talking about.

— Robert Casey (@BleednYankeeBlu) July 25, 2024

2.  Manage a game by feel.  Watch the way Bruce Bochy works... analytics is important, but so are matchups in the moment.  The best hitter in the game could come up to the plate, but you don't know how he's truly feeling. Same with the pitcher pitching to him. And is it cold, warm, rainy? Whatever analytics were compiled in a matchup, think about it, BUT THINK ABOUT THE MOMENT YOUR'E IN.  Sometimes you need to make adjustments based on a gut check.  Boone doesn't leave the book of analytics... Boone follows it like a bible and at this point it has really hurt him.  

3.  Manage the team, don't be managed.  Aaron Boone is a puppet. He is told what to do, how to build the lineup, who to play.  This has been going on since he got there and the reason why we know this is because when Joe Girardi started to do it his way, he was asked not to come back.  We all knew when Boone was being interviewed for the Yankee managerial job, he wasn't qualified, and I think that's what bothers a fan like me most. No experience... just a puppet mentality.

Now Torre is right to say that we don't know what he does behind closed doors with his players. Sure, makes sense, but what we also know is that he coddles, and he coddles more than most managers. He's a player's coach, not a manager that commands respect.  

There is a difference;  Bochy is "buddy-buddy" with his guys, but his guys respect him to guide him through the tough times.  I personally feel like Aaron Judge saying Boone "backed up his guys" last year was a pretty surface thing, meaning, it wasn't that deep because Boone isn't that deep.  Sure, Judge is right to back his manager, but Boone "backing them up" and commanding respect from his guys are two very different things.  Boone doesn't command respect. Boone just likes to have the title of manager of the New York Yankees. It doesn't mean he actually knows how to do it.  

In the end, I love Joe Torre, but let's face it, it doesn't change my mind and it shouldn't change yours either. Boone is no leader. 

He never was, he never will be.  We won't win a championship this year.  And it's all because of him.  

Boone ain't no Patton.  He's more like Paddington Bear and that's exactly how the Yankee front office likes it.

Just keeping it real.  Now go buy my new design below!

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.

CASHMAN UNHINGED! CALLS "BULLSHIT" ON MEDIA & US FANS!

Brian Cashman should lose his job. 

The fact that he would lash out and not able to handle the pressure of how badly he was at his job in 2023 is beyond entertaining.  He's lost it. He has the wrong manager, the wrong front office and not apologizing for sucking. He should be kissing our asses! Let's not forget the most important part of this...

AARON JUDGE HIMSELF WENT TO THE MEDIA AND STATED THAT MAYBE THE PLAYERS WERE "GIVEN THE WRONG NUMBERS."  That means the Yankees not only used analytics but relied on them HEAVILY.  Don't believe me? The Yankees were 19 games out of first place.  That's not a success, that's a disappointment.  Couple that with Judge's statement and Cashman is full of it.  

If you don't know what I'm talking about, listen to this tool try to defend himself to the press today.

The #Yankees ARE analytically driven despite what Cashman says. Just watch a 9 inning game and you can see it. & to drop BULLSHIT to the press proves this man and their front office is literally guilty of it. Analytics should be the guide only. GUT MANAGE #cashmanunhinged pic.twitter.com/5mlnpnx3ff

— Robert Casey (@BleednYankeeBlu) November 7, 2023

You don't need to do a deep dive. It's all out there.  It's the eye test!

Cashman is unhinged, he calls "Bullshit" to the media and to us fans. WE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT PAY THIS ASSHOLE'S SALARY.   

Look, there is no question that the Yankees relied on analytics and that is actually not bullshit.  The excuse that the Yankees have the smallest analytics department, and the biggest scouting departments means nothing because it doesn't excuse the fact that they run both departments HORRIBLY! So large department, small department, it really doesn't matter.  

They have Aaron Boone there as a puppet calling the wrong shots, Cashman's feeling the pressure and Bruce Bochy who manages with his gut and mind and doesn't treat analytics like law is sitting in his living room with the World Series on his mantle.  

Brian Cashman loses big time here. He just insulted every single fan that knows he's gaslighting.  The media got this right.  The fans aren't stupid. 

Hal Steinbrenner needs to overhaul his front office.  There is no excuse for Cashman's freak out. His only job is to pick the best people and best players for this team to help us win a championship.  He has failed... and he is definitely in the wrong for his ridiculous behavior today!

It's BS.

YANKS NEED TO MAKE A BIG SPLASH, BUT WE'RE NOT AS PRESTIGIOUS AS WE USED TO BE

When the Yankees were good, they were great.  But the Yankees aren't good and anyone that's been reading the papers knows that it has everything to do with the front office, the manager and the analytics department, who should be renamed "Amateur Hour Office".  Sure, blame some players for not stepping up, but it was even Aaron Judge that took a shot at the front office saying that the players were probably given the "wrong numbers".  That's bad.

Bruce Bochy is a player's manager just like Aaron Boone, but Bochy is also a baseball man. He is wise and manages with his eyes, his heart, his gut. He doesn't use analytics as the law on the field, he uses it as a guide and that's the difference.  Boone uses the numbers for what it is and doesn't factor in many different other factors on any given day... weather, player error, the elements, the different days, the matchups, etc. Boone's a clown. 

The point is at the end of the day, when players are looking to get a big pay day and you see a team like the Texas Rangers and a loser team like the New York Yankees... who are you going to sit down at the table with the negotiate?  

The Yankees should and need to make a big splash this off-season. It's a must.  Here's the problem; Who the hell wants to come to the Yankees these days? This team has been crucified by the press and their own fan base is leaving in flocks.  Do you know a friend of mine received an email from the Yankees ticket office to re-up for the 2024 season? You know what he told them?

"Sir, with all due respect, I will not step foot in Yankee Stadium again until Brian Cashman and Aaron Boone are fired."

And you know what? That's a fan... that's fair.  If the front office doesn't want to try and fix things to give their team the best chance to win, why the hell would the fans want to be there? Look, the Mets suck too, but at least Steve Cohen's trying to figure it out. 

There are 3 names out there that the Yankees are continually connected to, but I just don't know if they can get them.

Jordan Montgomery for one. Now let's cut through it right now. The Yankees never gave this guy a fair shake. They didn't believe in him and they didn't allow him to find his groove. The Yankees front office was impatient. But you know who did give Jordan a shot? The Rangers.  So, while the rumors are that the Yankees are going to try and pursue him, what makes you think for a second that JoMo wants to come back to New York?  I think this rumor, while fair to speculate, may be the most ridiculous of them all.  

Cody Bellinger is another guy, but this guy I see coming to New York.  Cody had a great season with the Cubs.  His father Clay played for the organization.  As far as I know there is no bad blood.  Now, would the Yankees be willing to bring this guy in? Would Cody want to be in the Bronx?

Yoshinobu Yamamoto. A Japanese pitcher that's lights out.  Now look, there are many players from Japan that pan out and many that do not.  For the Yankees, it's a mixed bag between guys like Hideki Matsui, Kei Igawa and Masahiro Tanaka, but at the end of the day, Matsui is the anointed ambassador for the Yankees when it comes to Japanese players and I do believe with some help, Yamamoto could end up in pinstripes.

But look, at the end of the day, it really comes down to the Yankees cleaning up their camp.  The front office is a mess, the direction they give their players is amateur and while money fixes a lot of stuff, it has not fixed this team at all.

Yankeeland needs leaders... and we are not seeing that, especially in 2023.  Who knows what will happen in 2024, but I'm not hopeful.

REGGIE GOES OFF & HE'S RIGHT

Just a few short days before the Rangers beat the Astros in the ALCS, it was Yankee legend Reggie Jackson blasting the Yankees on how they treat fan base and their legends who wore their pinstripes.  On MLB on FOX and talking with Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter, Reggie went ham and by that he expressed something that we fans think about all the time... the fact that unqualified managers like Aaron Boone are there, but veterans who actually have knowledge of baseball aren't brought in to help the team whenever possible.  I'm assuming he means the front office, because as we all know, Reggie is now with the Houston Astros working as an advisor for Jim Crane, the biggest cheater of them all.  

What Reggie said hit me between the eyes. And I stood up and applauded at my laptop.  He said the Yanks are unwilling to listen to the experienced guys, Jackson included, but he and others were never asked.

“I’d say the biggest difference between us, and really most other teams and especially with the Yankees… your voice isn’t heard,” Jackson said. “You didn’t participate. You know, I walked away because I wanted to be involved and leave my knowledge in the game. I certainly think that I know that Derek Jeter still loves the Yankees. Andy Pettitte still loves the Yankees. (Rodriguez) is still a Yankee and I’m still a Yankee, but we didn’t get a chance to be involved in some of the say-so in our opinions really didn’t get valued.”

This speaks volumes.  This my friends is exactly what fans are angry about.  You can look at a guy like Boone and defend him and suggest he's a scapegoat, but once again, it comes back to experience.  Sure, the Yanks brought in guys like Pettitte near the end of the season, but for me looking at that, they weren't bringing him in to "advise".  They brought him to be the Yankee fans "shiny thing".  Remember, the Yankees suck so anything to distract us fans was good enough for them. They just wanted us to shut up.

Experience matters.  Reggie is right. You know who else is? Me.  Bruce Bochy gut managed his Rangers to the World Series last night.  Analytics as his guide... gut and feel was his go-to.  That's how you win ball games. That's how you win championships.  

Will Bochy bring the Rangers to win the World Series? I would bet on it.  I can't say that if Boone was and that's the honest truth.

Make changes Hal! You have a failed franchise!

HEY BOONE, TRY "MANAGING WITH YOUR EYES!"

Derek Jeter said it best when talking to Nathan Eovaldi when he was on FOX during the Playoffs. Nothing smarter than what was said, and by the way, very specific to the Yankees situation when it comes to their manager.  Read these words:

"We've been talking about on this set about managers in this series. Boch & Dusty having the ability to go with their gut and manage with their eyes. How much do you appreciate in this day and age, Boch leaving you out there to get out of that jam?"

Going with your gut and managing with your eyes… was Jeter taking a shot at the Yankees overly analytical approach with Boone? 👀 pic.twitter.com/ebk9vJ54m0

— Jonny's Lasagna ⚾️ (@JLasagna43) October 17, 2023

Now a statement like that is an old school baseball player. A player that has experience, that understands not babying players, hard-nosed baseball and playing with everything you got on the field.  This, my friends, is something that Aaron Boone never does when he manages. 

Derek Jeter is an institution.  Not only does he understand baseball, it is my opinion that he was extremely strategic with how he placed that question to Eovaldi. He knew all eyes were on him. He knows there are a ton of Yankee fans sucking sour grapes watching these playoffs without the Yankees in them. He knows we're mad Yankee fans, but he also knows that he's not the type to go abandoning us either. Jeter understands us fans.  He played in front of us forever.  He knows how ruthless we are and how we want wins all the time.  He also knows Yankee fans got hosed this year. And so, he'll deny it, but he spoke to us.  Sure, he peppered it with "this series" and gave examples of Dusty and Boch to throw us off... but we all knew what he was doing and saying.  And by the way, saying it to another former Yankee player that is just dominant now in Texas.  Why? Cause the Yankees gave up on him, no doubt... way too quickly.

Derek Jeter is a true baseball guy.  He's a Yankee for life and he also holds grudges like you and me.  It's been reported that he and Cashman do not get along ever since his contract negotiations went public when he was trying to reup in New York. Remember that?  But all that aside, he knows what good managers are, playing for one of the best.  Sure, Jeter has no issue with Boone. Sure, he knows not every season is a championship one in the Bronx.  But what he also knows is that good managers use analytics as a guide... and gut and feel and "managing with your eyes" as a talent and religion.  Again, it's hard-nosed baseball. Not all managers do it well as we know from watching Aaron Boone, but all managers should do it if they want to be great.

Sure, we'll never know for sure if Jeter was taking a shot at the Yankees for putting amateur Boone in the manager role for the Yanks, but I personally felt like he was taking a shot, a shot that I happen to agree with.

Great find Jonny's Lasagna! Way to clip it.

REMEMBER WHEN THE 2001 D'BACKS HANDED THE YANKEES THEIR LUNCH? I MIGHT BE OVER IT

The post season is not necessarily disappointing despite the Pinstripes sitting it out. Yet when I think about the Diamondbacks, I can't help but think about how the Yankees underestimated them 22 years ago. I was in the hospital after having my daughter, 22 years ago today. And I remember it like it was yesterday— Frustrated by the grittiness of the D'backs. But this time, I am somewhat excited. They have a veteran who deserves a postseason victory in Evan Longoria and they have what might be the rookie of the year in Corbin Carroll. The Division Series are certainly out performing and this time it's the Dodgers and Orioles on the receiving end.

"The Diamondbacks started the playoffs by first rolling into Milwaukee for a wild-card sweep of the Brewers that included two comeback victories, earning the team the nickname of "The Answerbacks," and then handing Clayton Kershaw the worst start of his entire career in their National League Division Series-opening win. Carroll has been at the center of it all, posting an incredible .500/.571/1.083 slash line while providing his first signature October moment -- and leaving his teammates wondering where this postseason ride will go next," reported ESPN. 

Source: Sports Illustrated 

Carroll is to the D'backs as Anthony Volpe was supposed to be to the Yankees. Unfortunately, poor leadership and just a lackluster team that puts mediocre ahead of excellence tarnished what Volpe did his rookie year. No he's not Derek Jeter but Volpe gave the team a good performance for his first year. Carroll shined above the rest and put the team on his back. He had leadership on his side with veterans and a coaching staff that ushered him in and set him up to be his best. 

According to his teammate Longoria, "The national viewership deserves to see a player like him in big moments like this," reported ESPN. I couldn't agree more. And so, I have to root for them to win despite my PTSD from 22 years ago.

Then you have the team of the year, the comeback kids Baltimore Orioles blowing it to Bruce Bochy and the Texas Rangers. They went from worst to first in a blink of an eye, and once again, the opponent was underestimated. The Rangers have taken many games away from the Yankees and this time the Orioles are on the receiving end. As much as I wanted the Yankees in the Orioles' position, I feel like we all know the outcome. The Rangers are on a mission and it excludes the AL East. They are all in and who knows, it could be an all Texas AL Championship Series. Go ahead and beat the heck out of each other. It will make for good ratings. Hey, if we can’t be in it, at least I need to have a little fun.

So as the D'backs stare at opportunity, the Yankees need to reflect on where they were 22 years ago. They were in it. They were franchising it. And now, they are sitting out of it. Carroll is no Volpe but if the Yankees want more, they need to lead with excellence. And apparently that's not in the cards yet. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

WHAT AN EXPERIENCED MANAGER CAN BRING

 

If you haven't read Tim Keown's piece on Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy yet, let me bring you a taste of it. This paragraph encapsulates all you need to know about the man, but more to that, all you need to know about what a manager for a major league baseball team should be:

"BRUCE BOCHY SPEAKS in a low rumble, walks like his shoes are three sizes too small and prefers to talk about anything but himself. He manages a baseball game as if there are actual human beings on the field and not just a collection of numbers designed to dictate all outcomes, big and small. He is 68 years old and back for another run at glory that, if successful, he will refuse to accept credit for helping to create."

A brilliant description, but all those words are just another way to saying this one word to describe Bruce Bochy... CONFIDENT.  

When you're confident, losses hurt, but will roll off, a restructuring of a lineup will take place, but you never panic, you never coddle... you still continue to play hard-nosed baseball. It's a gut thing many times, because you're confident. This is what I have been missing on the New York Yankees this year.  This is why I want a guy like Aaron Boone to be removed as the Yankees manager.  He lacks confidence, he doesn't command a room, he cannot lead in good times and definitely not in bad.  

Boone uses charts and books and numbers and match-ups only.  The idea of using instincts is foreign to him. That's a major issue. And if you think about it, all truly great managers before Boone have been successful winners because they don't try too hard. Again, typically is a gut thing, a feel thing. Boone's got this thing where he's probably overthinking his players on the field and not going with instincts, but instead matchups... matchups that might have worked in one scenario a week ago, but it's not a computer.... so no doubt the outcome will be different this time around. And to be honest? That's the problem here.  

There's this too, to really hammer home what I'm talking about comparing a champion manager like Bochy to Boone.  Rangers' outfielder Travis Jankowski:

"He obviously appreciates analytics and uses analytics," Jankowski says, "but he's trusting his gut and his baseball instincts. We're not computers. We're human beings, and I know guys appreciate and thrive on being treated like one."

The gut check.  The players are human beings.  Instead of having a computer run your team, have an actual FEEL for the game.  When you don't do that, it's called inexperience.  

It's something the Yankees cannot seem to understand and surely Boone does not.  If Boone comes back next year... it will just be the same movie... a movie I hate.

Who knows if Bruce Bochy and the Rangers will win the World Series this year... but there's one thing I do know... I'd bet on it that they do.  If the Yanks were there... I would never, ever make that same bet. Why? Poor leadership... that's why.