Former Yankees’ star defends Aaron Boone and takes shots at analytics

In the past few hours, rumors about the New York Yankees keeping manager Aaron Boone and offering him a new contract are starting to grow. He still has believers inside the organization and one of them, apparently, is Hal Steinbrenner.

A former Yankees’ star, Alex Rodriguez, seems to believe in him, too. The 2009 postseason hero and longtime member of the Bombers offered his thoughts about the situation on The Herd, with Colin Cowherd, and defended the current skipper.

“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,” he stated (link to NJ Advance Media article here).

The former Yankees’ slugger is a known traditionalist

A-Rod, who bid to own the New York Mets before the team was awarded to Steve Cohen, has become famous for his anti-analytics takes.

“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.”

Boone’s contract with the Yankees is up after the World Series, and a sizable portion of the fans want him out. He does have supporters, though.

He has a very good regular season record, but ever since he took over in 2018, he has failed to advance to the World Series.

Is A-Rod right about Boone and analytics?