The Michael Kay Show presented a fascinating equation for the Yankees and their fans yesterday. It was unique. It was different. It would be a first in baseball today.
Michael Kay brought up the idea that what if the Yankees moved current bench coach Carlos Mendoza to the third base coaching spot following the firing of Phil Nevin and hired Buck Showalter as the bench coach while retaining Aaron Boone as the manager?
Many fans, including myself, would rather see Showalter (rather Bruce Bochy) take over the manager’s position and Boone likely find himself a job with the Padres but it makes you think a bit.
Retaining Boone and hiring Showalter may not be the worst thing in the world and Boone would likely embrace having an old-school mind in the dugout. With the use of analytics in today’s game, many argue they’re too involved in decision making. Rather, have the information and make your own decisions instead of being married to the analytics no matter what.
By adding Showalter to the coaching staff, you add a guy that’s managed for two decades and has won over 1,500 games. The knowledge, wisdom and experience can only help Boone and the Yankees. Someone to push back on the analytics when needed, someone to push Boone to leave a guy in when he’s dealing and not be in a rush to get to the bullpen. Someone to keep a hot Giancarlo Stanton in the lineup and not give him a day because it’s on the schedule. Little things like that have ended up costing the Yankees in the long run, not benefited them.
The only downfall for Boone is that he will have to answer questions about who is really calling the shots. But those questions have already been asked with the front office’s involvement in the day-to-day operations with the team. Give the info to the coaches, let them decide what they want. It doesn’t seem like too much to ask.
Will the Yankees do this? Doubt it, however it’s not a bad question to ask with Boone’s future still up in the air. With three coaches already gone, more changes are still to come.
PHOTO: NJ.com
