The board of the New York Yankees officially confirmed today the appointment of Aaron Boone as his manager after signing it for three seasons.
The expelotero and current television commentator overcame in the selection process five other candidates, among whom was another player, the Puerto Rican Carlos Beltrán.
Boone comes to the job to fill the vacancy left by Joe Girardi who was fired after the Yankees were eliminated at the conclusion of the American League Championship Series against the Houston Astros.
The team also announced that the official presentation of Boone will be made on Wednesday at the Yankee Stadium facilities.
“I firmly believe that Aaron (Boone) has the qualities to follow the tradition of great Yankee managers,” Yankee owner Hal Steinbrenner said in a statement.
“According to all reports, he is an excellent communicator who has the ability to cultivate and strengthen ties.” Aaron (Boone) has also had a whole life immersed in baseball, which allows him to possess a unique and intimate knowledge of what facilitates the success of a team, “Steinbrenner stressed.
Boone, 44, has never been a manager or even a coach of any category since he retired as a baseball player after the 2009 season.
His hallmark is the homer he hit in the eleventh inning against knuckleballer Tim Wakefield who clinched victory in the seventh game of the 2003 American League championship series for the Yankees against the Boston Red Sox.
“Aaron’s name was already part of the history of the Yankees,” Steinbrenner said. “This opportunity will allow him to continue contributing a positive impact for this organization in different and significant new functions”.
Boone played third base in the Major Leagues between 1997-2009 and was selected to the All-Star Game in 2003, when the Yankees acquired him from the Cincinnati Reds in the transfer deadline.
Boone’s career with the Yankees was short after he broke the anterior cruciate ligament of his left knee during a basketball game in January 2004, and was dismissed, saying he broke a clause in his contract that prohibited him from playing that sport.
The Yankees replaced him with the Dominican Alex Rodriguez, from the Texas Rangers.
He is part of the first family that produced three generations of Major League players.
Boone’s grandfather, Ray, played as a boxer from 1948 to 1960 and was twice elected to the All-Star Game. His father, Bob, was a recipient from 1972 to 1990 and came four times to the Summer Classic.
His brother, Bret, was a second baseman who was summoned three times to the All-Star Game in a career between 1992-05.
Boone will be part of the third pair of father and son who lead in the majors. George and Dick Sisler, and Bob and Joel Skinner were the others. From 1995 to 1997, Bob Boone was a Kansas City Royals pilot, and he led the Reds from 2001 to 2003.
Five days after the Yankees lost the seventh game of the Championship Series to the Astros, the team’s general manager, Brian Cashman, announced that a new contract would not be offered to Girardi, who led the team for 10 seasons.
Although Girardi had won the twenty-seventh title of the World Series for the New York franchise in 2009 and achieved a winning record of 910-710 in the regular season competition.
Boone was among six candidates interviewed by the Yankees to fill the post, and surpassed Rob Thomson, coach of the team reserve and Eric Wedge, former driver of the Cleveland Indians and Seattle.
He was also preferred to Hensley Meullens, assistant manager of San Francisco; Chris Woodward, trainer of third of the Dodgers of Los Angeles, and to Beltrán, ex-gardener of the Yankees, who retired like pelotero a month ago, after conquering his first title of the World Series with the Astros.
“All of them had the potential and knowledge to have directed the Yankees, but in the end the decision was made based on the knowledge that Boone has in all the facets required to be in charge of a franchise that always seeks excellence and fight for the title of champions, “said Cashman.
