Would An Aaron Boone Firing Magically Fix The Yankees Problems? Probably Not, But Any Manager Or Head Coach In His Situation Would Be Out Of a Job By Now

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A few days ago Brian Cashman put the bow on a fantastic trade deadline. The Yankees needed to greatly improve their defense and bullpen, which he addressed thoroughly. Seven new players were injected into a roster desperate for life. Was this Cashman fixing long-standing issues that were glaring in the offseason? Yes, but regardless he improved the team in a way that had to happen. The Yankees had been on a slide for essentially two months now and despite the empty platitudes from their puppet of a manager about turning it around, there wasn't much hope with the current roster. On June 12th, the Yankees were 42-25 and 4.5 games up in the AL East. Heading into Friday's game in Miami they were 60-49 and 3.5 games back of first. With a road trip ahead starting, the Yankees had to snap out of this rut, even without Aaron Judge in the lineup. Well, three days later the Yankees were swept by the Marlins and fell to 3rd in the division, now trailing the Blue Jays AND the Red Sox. It's about as much of a disaster as you could imagine. 

Let's get one thing straight to begin this brain dump —I think it's very easy to blame all of the Yankees problems on Aaron Boone. Trying to be fair as I can be, what was he supposed to do on Friday night when he used his shiny new toys to attempt to hold down a large lead against the Marlins? Bird, Bednar, and Doval all failed at their jobs. That one wasn't on Boone. 

But Saturday and Sunday's lack of intensity, focus, and energy? This two month slog that's seen their lack of fundamentals become exposed to the entire league? Every summer slump they endure outside of 2019? Their constant lack of accountability and urgency? There's one guy who has been the common denominator since the start of the 2018 season. 

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I'm not sure there's a manager or head coach in all of sports who given the expectations and results Boone has had since he took over, who would still be employed at this very moment. I think most would have been canned after the 2021 Wild Card loss to the Red Sox in Fenway. The following season they were swept in the 2022 ALCS by the Astros, which was a clear sign of how far apart those teams were. 2023 they didn't even make the postseason. Last year yes they made the World Series, which in reality was a perfect storm of good fortune where the Astros were knocked out early, the Sox didn't make the postseason, and all that stood in their way was the helpless AL Central. Once they got to the World Series they were completely out-classed and embarrassed. Following the series the Dodgers couldn't help themselves but laugh at how easy it was to beat New York when it mattered most. They all said it out loud —just put the ball in play. That was an indictment on the entire organization. They had their pants pulled down under the bright lights. Well, it's the following season and much of the same is still happening. No matter what players you bring in, Boone's stench on this team will always smother the team into incompetency. 

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This one over the weekend by Jazz was inexplicable. I've never seen anything like this. 

Jazz tried to explain that he was trying to read a deke from the 2nd baseman, who he believed was trying to swap out the runners by intentionally dropping the ball. While I get what he's saying, there's nothing there. If he drops the ball and throws you out, so be it. He was not far enough off first to make it to second in that instance. He WAS far enough off first (and flat-footed) for an inning ending double play. By all accounts that was an unacceptable baseball play which can't happen at any level. If I do that in high school ball I'm running poles until the sun goes down and my feet start bleeding. Under Boone ball Jazz stayed in the game and just got a little talking to in the tunnel. Jazz said he wouldn't do anything differently next time. This would not fly with Alex Cora or someone like AJ Hinch. Those guys actually manage and lead their teams. You learn from your mistakes with those guys. With Boone they go mostly ignored and uncorrected. 

Would an Aaron Boone firing today realistically fix all the Yankees problems? No, I'm not that delusional. Would it shake up the clubhouse and show that this play isn't acceptable? Possibly light a fire under these guys? Yes. You really have nothing to lose by doing it. If you keep this going how it is, you're going nowhere. You've got players on the team saying they need to have a sense of urgency. Your own guys are saying it!

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You also have Jeter and A-Rod preaching accountability. 

I'm not saying to hire Jeter or A-Rod as manager, although that would be incredibly entertaining. No, just get Boone and his care-free environment out of here. Change the music. 

Let's also say the depressing part out loud. Firing the manager of this organization would not be enough in the long run. You really need to clean house all the way through and start fresh with the vision and operations. If you fire Boone and keep everyone else at the top then realistically they'll just hire another puppet. That's the issue, but in the immediate, after the eight years we've been through, a change in the voice of that clubhouse is necessary just for the sake of acknowledging this isn't working. Will it happen? Nope, of course not.