Aaron Boone To Be Named Yankees' New Manager
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Aaron Boone will get a chance to be a Yankees hero again.
The Bronx Bombers will hire the former big-league third baseman as their new manager, WFAN baseball insider Jon Heyman confirmed Friday night.
Boone, 44, played 12 seasons in the majors for the Reds, Yankees, Indians, Marlins, Nationals and Astros. He is best remembered in New York for his walk-off home run against the Red Sox in Game 7 of the 2003 American League Championship Series.
Boone, however, has no managerial or coaching experience and has been working as an ESPN analyst since retiring following the 2009 season.
Following his interview with the Yankees last month, Boone touted the fact that he grew up around the game as a factor that could offset his lack of coaching experience. His grandfather, father and brother all played in the majors, and his dad, Bob Boone, managed the Royals and Reds.
"Obviously, experience is very valuable and should be a check mark for somebody," Boone said. "I've been going to the ballpark since I was 3 and 4 years old, and in a way managing the game from a very young age. And then growing up where my dad was in the big leagues from the time I was born to the time I was in a senior in high school and being around great teams, great players, I've kind of lived this game as a kid."
With young stars Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez and Luis Severino on the roster, Boone inherits a team poised to contend for a world championship.
"My job as manager would be to forge really strong relationships where these players, understand that me and my staff are going to really care about them, that they're going to be able to trust us, and that at the end of the day, we are going to do things that are best for the Yankees," he said. "Those are the three things that I really want to get across to my players. We have a chance at really impacting and getting the most out of each and every guy if those three things are prevalent in our relationship within the clubhouse."
Boone was one of six candidates to interview to replace Joe Girardi, who was not offered a contract after last season, which ended with the Yankees falling one win short of the World Series. The team also interviewed Giants bench coach Hensley Meulens, Yankees bench coach Rob Thomson, former Yankees and Mets star Carlos Beltran, former Mariners and Indians manager Eric Wedge and Dodgers third-base coach Chris Woodward.
Meulens was reportedly the runner-up. He will remain with the Giants.
Thomson is headed to the Phillies as bench coach.
The Daily News reported that Beltran is expected to work for the Yankees in some capacity next season, either as bench coach, hitting coach or a special assistant to general manager Brian Cashman.
