Ex-Yankees star Alex Rodriguez takes veiled shot at Brian Cashman, attacks analytics while defending Aaron Boone

The New York Yankees must decide if they want manager Aaron Boone to return in 2022.
  • 221 shares
By

Welcome back?

It sounds like the New York Yankees are leaning toward bringing back manager Aaron Boone for the 2022 season.

ESPN’s Buster Olney reported Tuesday Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner is “inclined” to keep Boone, who has been the team’s manager for the last four seasons.

“(Steinbrenner) likes (Boone), and I don’t think he blames him for what happened,” one source said.

Want more Yankees coverage? Get exclusive news, behind-the-scenes observations and the ability to text directly with beat writers

Among those believing Boone deserves a chance to return is former Yankees star Alex Rodriguez. He joined The Herd with Colin Cowherd on Tuesday to defend Boone, and ended up taking aim at the Yankees front office and Brian Cashman, although he never mentioned the general manager by name.

“I would give him a three-year extension. Aaron Boone did a fantastic job. If anyone thinks Aaron Boone has anything to do with the Yankees’ failures, they’re wrong. I met with the front office, and they said, ‘We had a Wild Card Game. We had 30 people around the table making the lineup.’ What do you need 30 people, analytics people? What are you, a hedge fund? You making a $2 billion bet? You’re making a lineup. You think Joe Torre had 30 people? I’m not saying it was the Yankees. But it was a team like the Yankees. It’s too much thinking. You take half the IQ, you’re going to throw it in the ocean.

“Go back to Manny Ramirez. Just plays baseball. See ball, hit ball. You gotta be able to compete. You gotta be athletic. You gotta play defense. It’s not softball. You don’t put a right fielder in left field and a shortstop at second. (Derek) Jeter was shortstop. I played third. (Robinson) Cano. (Mark) Teixeira. Everybody knew where they were every place. You go to work every day, you’re here. Imagine Monday, you’re here. Joe, you’re here on Tuesday. Wednesday you’re here. That’s what baseball is. You know your spot.”

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.

Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

X

Opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information

If you opt out, we won’t sell or share your personal information to inform the ads you see. You may still see interest-based ads if your information is sold or shared by other companies or was sold or shared previously.