Brian Cashman has been loyal to Aaron Boone, but what if the current Yankees manager isn’t the former player that the Yankees executive most wants running the show in the dugout?
As the Yankees get set to finalize a power structure for 2022, Boone will likely be back. But things can change quickly, especially in the pressure cooker that is the Bronx. If Boone isn’t back and a change comes down, another former Cashman player is a name to watch in the next search for a skipper: Raul Ibanez.
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If the name sounds familiar in this context, don’t be surprised. Cashman tried to interview Ibanez for the hitting coach position shortly after his very good playing career came to an end. The same type of request went out when Joe Girardi was let go after the 2017 season, this time in context of the managerial job that was handed to Boone. Ibanez also declined overtures from the Giants after the 2019 season, before soon-to-be National League Manager of the Year Gabe Kapler was hired. Back in 2014, Ibanez went from ending his playing career to interviewing for the Tampa Bay Rays managerial opening.
Ibanez has been an analyst for ESPN (similar to Boone), special assistant to Los Angeles Dodgers front office leader Andrew Friedman, and worked in the MLB offices. What he lacks in managerial experience in the dugout is made up for with a long playing career and post-playing career in one of the smartest front offices in baseball. This guy knows what winning looks like from the inside out, especially within a modern front office.
If Boone is let go, it’ll be fun to focus on a name like Buck Showalter. He’s a former Yankee with unfinished business. He’s old school. He’s a winner. He’s basically the opposite of Boone. But does anyone really think Cashman would greenlight an old-school hire in 2022? Please. The next Yankees manager will likely be similar to the last, in at least one sense: Familiar with Cashman, easy to work with, willing to use analytics to dictate the direction of the club and without a lengthy list of credentials that would push back on the front office’s clout on how the roster should be used.
When adding all that together, a different type of candidate is needed. That candidate could (and should) be Ibanez. He’s smart. He played. He’s been sought after (or worked for) four of the smartest organizations in baseball. His personality (at least while in uniform) was tough and brooding. He’s familiar with the New York market and media demands.
If Ibanez is willing to seriously consider managing, the Yankees would be foolish to pass up the chance to make this happen. Boone is probably coming back for 2022, but be sure to include Ibanez on any list of potential replacements if that day arrives.
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Joe Giglio may be reached at jgiglio@njadvancemedia.com.
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