David Cone’s recent thoughts on Yankees manager Aaron Boone might not sit well with fans.
Appearing Wednesday on “The Brett Boone Podcast,” Cone — who is never shy to speak his mind — went to bat for the Yankees skipper, according to WFAN.
“You could argue that Aaron has done his best managerial job this year,” the ESPN and YES Network analyst said.
“The declining phases of some players, the struggles, the injuries, everything all put together. Look, they’re still above .500. They’re right there.
“It’s hard to put your finger on how much a manager’s really worth, how many games you’re better off of because of what a manager did, but it’s very subjective.
“Keeping the clubhouse together, having the respect of your players but also maneuvering.”
Yes, Cone was preaching to the choir by defending Boone to his older brother.
And yes, it’s hard to blame Boone for the lineups he assembles daily.
Boone can’t control injuries (of which there have been many) or roster moves by general manager Brian Cashman (of which many have been questionable).
But Cone, who won four World Series rings with the Yankees, probably won’t find many people willing to join him in backing Boone.
The Yankees sit in last place in the AL East at 56-52 — 10 games behind the first-place Baltimore Orioles.
New York is 3 1/2 games back in the wild card standings.
Boone has led the Yankees to the playoffs in each of his first five seasons as skipper.
That includes a pair of runs to the American League Championship Series, in which the Yankees lost to the Houston Astros both times.
If that run ends this year — and it’s certainly a possibility — the 50-year-old could find himself looking for a new job.
Boone’s three-year contract runs through the 2024 season and contains a club option for 2025.
But FanGraphs gives Boone and the Yankees a 20.1 percent chance of reaching the postseason this year and a one percent chance of winning the World Series.
Safe to say there’s a better chance of Boone being fired than the Yankees winning their 28th title.
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