If his former Reds teammate Sean Casey hadn’t hit him with the nickname, Aaron Boone could pass for “The Mayor.”
Seeing Boone walk through the Yankees clubhouse is witnessing an effortless ballet of little conversation, eye contact, handshakes, and shoulder pads, whether it’s with his players, their coaches, their superiors, or members of the media. Check it out once and you’ll understand why the Yankees saw him as the perfect successor to the most intense Joe Girardi in the manager’s office.
When Boone began welcoming his players to Yankee Stadium for Spring Training 2.0 on Wednesday, with the club’s first full training session scheduled for Saturday, he acknowledged that he will need to alter his impressive people-man routine in light of Strict rules intended to manage the coronavirus. What does the mayor do when Main Street closes? What happens when the king of connectivity faces a host of connection restrictions?
“I’ve definitely thought about them and I honestly don’t know exactly what to expect,” Boone said in a conference call. “… We will be creative as necessary. I know that in the first few days here in spring training, obviously being at Yankee Stadium, we will try to take advantage of all the facilities, the entire stadium, take advantage of some outdoor situations.
“… The reality is the first day, when I go to the team, it will probably be several different times. I will probably have to do it three or four different times when I go to different groups and that is fine. That is part of what what we have to do to get our message across. “
That message, Boone made clear: “We want to be champions.” You know that 2020 could easily (probably?) Go through like a year without champions in any sport, as prevalent and dangerous is COVID-19 and consequently as tempting are its tentacles as MLB tries to reboot.
The MLB Operations Manual for Life in the Coronavirus Age includes this passage: “As much as possible, meetings should be held virtually or, if in-person meetings are necessary, clubs should make efforts to maintain outdoor face-to-face meetings with participants separated from each other and wearing face covers as much as possible. “
Those correct limits decrease the likelihood that we will one day report on a legendary clubhouse reunion that restores the team’s course to a parade. They also ask YES Network to record Boone’s “three or four” opening addresses and transmit them at the end of the season so that we can analyze the nuances. In his fourth version, will he look as exhausted as Moe in “The Simpsons” when he repeatedly has to perform his “million dollar fry birthday trick” for eager youngsters?
Add in the social distancing and tensions associated with illness, and Boone’s (possibly) greatest strength at work will be challenged. The advantage, possibly, is that your skill set should equip you to adapt on the go.
Referring to the absence of fans at the ballpark, as well as the myriad of medical protocols, Boone said: “There is an advantage for teams that handle that in the best way, and hopefully we will do a good job of gaining that advantage. ” daily.”
Part of that, the manager acknowledged, will be “constantly holding each other accountable as we navigate these waters.” Translation: There is no extracurricular activity on the road, especially in Florida, and players need to do some self-control and group pressure on that front. Furthermore, Boone said: “There will be things that we are probably not even considering at the moment.”
So many headaches for the Yankees mayor, all with a knowing smile.
“We know there will be hits along the way and who knows where it ends.” Boone said. “My work and my focus are in the next days. Really starting to lay that foundation and try to get our guys in the best possible position to go out there and be successful. ”
It will take some new materials to build that foundation, that culture with which Boone has become synonymous. If the season really does happen, it will be fun to watch Boone find solutions, like a spiritual MacGyver, in the midst of this most unusual MLB episode.
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