Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 sports
Thursday 7 december 2017
Boone knows he’s a rookie who has to prove himself to Yanks

By RONALD BLUM top people, I just didn’t see
AP Baseball Writer the need,” he said.
NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Boone had worked for ESPN
Boone was pulling into the since retiring as a player.
driveway of his home in He acknowledged one of
Scottsdale, Arizona, last his first tasks will be to con-
Thursday, bringing 8-year- vince his players he can do
old daughter Bella home the job.
from school so his wife “I think in short order I’ll be
could drive her to a dance able to earn that respect,
lesson, and he noticed that they’ll be able to look
a missed call from Brian at me, trust in me, know
Cashman. that I have their interest at
Boone called back the heart, but know that hope-
New York Yankees general fully I know what the heck
manager as his wife looked I’m talking about,” he said.
on and said Cashman told “That’s something that you
him: “Hey, just first and have to earn over the initial
foremost, I want to make days in spring training, in
sure you’re completely on the season.”
board and understanding Boone was assigned uni-
the commitment level that form 17, his number with
is now expected of you.” New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner, left, general manager Brian Cashman, center, and Cincinnati and Cleveland;
“If that’s the case,” Boone Aaron Boone, pose for photographers during a news conference introducing Boone as the pitcher Masahiro Tanaka
baseball team’s new manager, Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2017, at Yankee stadium in New York.
recalled Cashman saying, has the No. 19 jersey Boone
“I’m going to recommend and in some way probably and Mike Fishman, vice brenner promoted him to wore with the Yankees in
to ownership that you’re is a contributor to me being president of baseball oper- succeed Bob Watson as 2003.
the guy we move forward here today,” he said. ations Tim Naehring, senior GM. The Boones are the first fam-
and focus on.” Among six candidates director of player develop- “He took a chance on me ily to produce three gen-
And with that, at age 44 for the job, Boone so im- ment Kevin Reese, assistant back in 1998, and here I am erations of major leaguers.
Boone had secured his first pressed Cashman and his director of professional 20 years later,” Cashman His grandfather, Ray, was
manager or coaching job staff that no second round scouting Dan Giese, direc- said. a two-time All-Star infielder
of any kind since his re- of interviews was needed. tor of quantitative analysis Boone became the first from 1948-60. His father,
tirement as a player eight “The interview process is to David Grabiner, director of manager hired by the Yan- Bob, was a four-time All-
years ago. try to determine how Aaron mental conditioning Chad kees since they moved into Star catcher from 1972-90,
Boone was introduced ticks and if he an extension Bohling, head athletic their new ballpark in 2009 then managed Kansas City
Wednesday as New York’s of our philosophies or pret- trainer Steve Donohue and and since George Stein- from 1995-97 and Cincinna-
manager during a news ty close to an extension of vice president of communi- brenner died the following ti from 2001-03. His brother,
conference at Yankee our philosophies and what cations Jason Zillo. year. Bret, was a three-time All-
Stadium, where televisions kind of decision-making “There was a difference of Hal Steinbrenner, son of Star second baseman in
throughout the ballpark process he would gravitate opinion among the partici- The Boss, spoke briefly with a big league career from
showed images of him to,” Cashman said. “That pants as to who their num- Boone outside Donohue’s 1992-05.
rounding the bases in tri- doesn’t mean there won’t ber two- or three-choice office when Boone inter- “It was evident in talking to
umph after his 11th-inning be some growing pains on was, but there was little-to- viewed on Nov. 17. him and the questions that
home run off Boston’s Tim the beginning end, and no difference of opinion as Steinbrenner originally had were asked of him that a
Wakefield won Game 7 of we’re OK with that.” to who their number-one said he and his siblings great deal of wisdom was
the 2003 AL Championship Cashman recommended choice was,” Steinbrenner would meet with candi- imparted to him his whole
Series for the Yankees. Boone after consulting with said. “It wasn’t even close.” dates who reached a sec- life,” Steinbrenner said.
“It’s certainly something a smorgasbord of his mod- Cashman thought back to ond round. Boone anticipates living in
that I’m known for in my ern-day front office: assis- when he was assistant GM “When I get that kind of a New York suburb with his
baseball life, obviously, tant GMs Jean Afterman and owner George Stein- recommendation from my family. q

Indians, Twins to extend safety

netting at ballparks in 2018

By TOM WITHERS effort to better protect fans covering one more section
AP Sports Writer from hard-hit foul balls and along the first-base line and
CLEVELAND (AP) — The bats flying into the stands. two more sections along
Cleveland Indians and Min- Also, the canopy nets will the third-base line.
nesota Twins are the latest be stretched slightly farther Lower-level seats at Target
Major League Baseball down the third-base line. Field are closer to home
teams to announce plans The Twins will raise the plate than in any other MLB
to expand safety netting height of their existing pro- venue. Both the Indians
at their ballparks for the tective netting above the and Twins, in their sepa-
2018 season. The Indians dugouts from 7 feet to rate announcements on
In this Wednesday, April 13, 2016 file photo, Minnesota Twins will extend the current ver- about 9 feet. They’ll also Wednesday, said they’d
front row fans have protective netting to look through over tical netting behind home extend the netting beyond use the latest available
the dugouts as they watch baseball games at Target Field plate down the foul lines the dugouts down both technology to minimize the
where they took in the Twins and Chicago White Sox game in at Progressive Field to the foul lines along the entire obstruction of views of the
Minneapolis.
Associated Press ends of the dugouts in an Dugout Box seating area, playing field.q