Aaron Boone is a strong candidate for AL Manager of the Year, but what puts him above the rest of the competition.
Most people know Boone as the player who hit a walk-off home run for the Yankees against the Red Sox way before my time. Thus, I know simply know him as the skipper of the Yankees for the past two years. Although this is his first managing job, he has done very well. In the past two seasons, the Yankees have made the playoffs twice. Last year, they were eliminated by the eventual champions, the Red Sox, and this year they are playing in the ALCS. Boone has shown that he can hold his ground, but not be a frequent ejection.
Boone has utilized the players he has, as well as the team’s new talent. Despite having a record number of injuries this season, he still managed a 100-plus win team. The 2019 Yankees were able to hit an astonishing 306 home runs, just one less than the record-setting Minnesota Twins. The Yankees managed this with Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, only hitting a combined 30 home runs. To put that in perspective, in 2017, the pair hit a combined 111 in 2017 while Stanton was with the Marlins and Judge was a rookie with the Yanks.
When he started before the 2018 season, many fans were surprised Boone got the job. Despite Joe Girardi, the previous manager, having not led the Yankees to a lot of success in the previous years, many fans didn’t think he should have been fired. Aaron Boone wasn’t the most qualified candidate the Yankees could have picked, but it seems they made the right decision. After these two successful years, it would be amazing to see Boone win Manager of the Year. His main competition is considered to be the Astros’ A.J. Hinch, the Rays’ Kevin Cash, and the Athletics’ Bob Melvin. Melvin is the reigning Manager of the Year and he could provide a very hard challenge for Boone.
Directly out of high school, Boone was drafted by the Angels on the third day of the 1991 MLB Draft. He opted to attend USC and re-enter the draft in 1994. In that year, the Reds drafted him in the third round.
Boone played for six teams in his 12-year career. Boone was dealt to the Yankees in July of 2003. In that same year, he hit a walk-off home run in the 11th inning to win the ALCS pennant for the Yankees. That was his most memorable play, but the following year, he was released by the Yankees. His career continued until 2009, but Boone never had as much success as he did in that 2003 season.
Despite no World Series trophy to his name yet, Aaron Boone is definitely worthy of being Manager of the Year.
