Aaron Boone is facing his first crisis as Yankees manager, and he is spouting out excuses.
After Saturday’s loss to the Red Sox, Boone offered the absence of big bats, that is Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez, along with some questionable calls on balls and strikes, as explanations for the Yankees struggles.
Some fans are questioning his motivational skills, and even his decision-making. Then there are the cries that the Yankees are showing an overall lack of energy. So far, this series with Boston has been like Little Big Horn, and Boone is Lt Col Custer.
To be fair, the breaks have gone Boston’s way. J. A. Happ, the Red Sox kryptonite, is unavailable. Rick Porcello and Nathan Eovaldi have each pitched one of their best games of the year. Boston has simply played better the last three days.
But you have to make your own breaks. And one battle does not win a war. Those jumping to the conclusion that the Red Sox are the better team have forgotten that it was the Yankees who went to the American League Championship Series in 2017. And it was the Yankees who took Houston to seven games. Yes, Boston has played better in 2018, but that doesn’t mean they are.
Regardless, whether Boston is better or not is not the point. You can’t have your leader admitting this, even if that is what he believes.
“There’s no question that they’ve established themselves right now as the best team in this league,” Boone said, according to mynews13.com. “That said, if you walk through our room right now, to a man, we know we can absolutely play with them. We know that when we’re at our best we can beat them. We acknowledge who they are right now. There’s no denying the season that they’re having.”
Imagine a General telling his troops, “The enemy is better than us. If we are at our best we might survive.” How are the troops suppose to believe they will win if their leader isn’t sure of it himself?
No excuses. The Yankees need to believe in themselves. And they need to go out and get it done.
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