Rant #2,037: Love Is Like a Baseball Game

The New York Yankees officially announced yesterday that they had chosen Aaron Boone as their manager, succeeding Joe Girardi, who lasted in the job for 10 years after Joe Torre helmed the Bronx Bombers for a dozen years.

I have nothing at all against Boone--he comes from a great baseball family, he hit the homerun against the Boston Red Sox in the 11th inning of the League Championship Series in 2003, propelling the Yankees into the World Series--but I have to really wonder about the reasons that a change was made in the first place.

The Yankees claim that Girardi did not communicate with his players that well, and even though from what I have read, no one had a problem with his communication, the team management claims that the lack of communication--in particular, with a young team like this--is something that they questioned throughout Girardi's tenure.

With the team on the brink of something special, they felt a change was needed to a more player-friendly manager, and Boone was their choice.

And if you believe all this, I have a bridge to sell you at dirt cheap prices.

No, no matter how much the Yankees want to paint this type of picture, it is quite obvious why the team dumped Girardi, and yes, it had to do with communication ...

Of the worth of his paycheck.

They can moan all they want about communication, but as I said, players that were spoken to have unanimously said that they had a great relationship with Girardi, a former player himself--a former Yankees player--who understood the clubhouse.

What it all had to do with was money, and probably also length of contract.

The Yankees over-excelled in 2017, riding on the shoulders of super-rookie Aaron Judge, a rejuvenated C.C. Sabathia, and a young core, including Gary Sanchez. They almost made it to the World Series, and few picked them to even win a series, period.

I think management thought that Girardi was taking too much of the credit, himself, for lifting the team beyond any and all expectations, and when his contract came up for renewal, they felt he was asking for way too much, and probably, way too many years.

When they could not come to an agreement, they pretty much took the easy way out, saying that whatever happened in 2017, Girardi was not going to be the manager in 2018.

And that included bringing the Yankees to the World Series, if that were to have happened.

It didn't, but who could argue that the Yankees were the surprise team of 2017?

Girardi, even if you didn't agree with all his moves during the season, had a hand in that, for sure.

But it is a smokescreen to say that Girardi did not communicate with his players well enough, because even if he didn't, look at the results on the field.

They spoke volumes about his ability as a manager.

And yes, Girardi said he was surprised that he wasn't asked back, another indication that this is all a smokescreen for something beyond his lack of communication.

Boone will be on the hot seat from the get go in 2018.

The Yankees made so much unexpected noise in 2017 that they have to be looked at as legitimate World Series contenders in 2018.

If he cannot get them that far, his tenure may be a short one.

Boone is a certified Yankees hero, but let me tell you about another certified Yankees hero, Bucky Dent.

Dent also hit a homer against the Red Sox to propel the Yankees to the World Series, and he was also years later named as Yankees manager.

Yes, the situation was a different one, but he didn't even last the season as the team's skipper.

Boone, and the Yankees, should remember this.

Nothing is guaranteed.

As a Yankees fan, I wish Aaron Boone success, but he will be on the hot seat.

He has never managed or coached at any level, and his ability as a communicator won't matter if the Yankees don't get to the promised land.

And yes, if you were wondering, Boone--whose grandfather, father and brother played in the major leagues and who has other relatives who played minor league baseball--is a descendant of frontiersman Daniel Boone.

If things don't go right for him, he will need those "Booneian" survival skills to make it through the season.

Let's hope it doesn't go that way.