One of the identities of the modern Yankees, at least from the outside, is a lack of accountability. Even after a season in which the Bombers ended their pennant drought, the complaints about allowing a lackadaisical culture that contributed to meltdowns like in game five of the World Series were loud and relentless.
Aaron Boone has consistently pushed back on the idea that he and the organization as a whole does not hold players accountable, and while on with BT and Sal on Tuesday, the Yankee manager shed some light on his process when it comes to accountability and navigating the demanding spotlight of New York.
“New York makes you so accountable. It’s inherent,” Boone said. “It’s a blessing and a curse. You walk through those doors every day, there’s not a more accountable place...accountability is all over these guys 24/7.”
With that in mind, Boone explained that the best course of action for the players is not always to publicly criticize or hold them accountable, at least not when his players are facing an intense level of accountability on a constant basis from outside of the clubhouse.
“In a market like this sometimes...more here than anywhere, I feel like it’s my job to also quiet some of that too,” Boone said. “That accountability, those guys feel it at their core every single day.”
Boone understands taking heat as a player from his time in the majors and during his short time with the Yanks, but he believes the presence of social media has made it even more difficult for players to give themselves a break from criticism, so it’s important to try to give his guys a break from the public spotlight whenever possible.
“I think it’s probably tougher, because you never get to escape it,” Boone said when asked about what generation of players had a tougher time quieting the noise. “Social media stories can come from that guy in his grandma’s basement. People pick up on that and run with it, and now it becomes bigger...it’s hard for people to not look.”
Boone talked about his and Aaron Judge’s desire to limit or eliminate being on their phones in the clubhouse, as it makes it easier to see social media criticism and negativity. It is something that has followed the Yanks around for years now, even after a season in which they reached the Fall Classic. It is even louder now that New York has fallen drastically since the first two months of the season, but Boone believes it is sometimes best to try and shield his players from the intensity of Gotham’s spotlight, rather than contribute to it himself.