Aaron John Boone (born March 9, 1973) is an American baseball
manager
Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business.
Management includes the activities ...
and former
infielder who is the manager of the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...
in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB). He previously played in MLB for 13 seasons from 1997 through 2009. As a player, Boone is most recognized for his 2003 campaign with the Yankees, during which he was an
All-Star and hit the winning
walk-off home run
In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. For a home run to end the game, it must be hit in the bottom of the final inning of the game and generate enough runs to exceed the opponent's score. Because the opponent will no ...
of the
2003 American League Championship Series
The 2003 American League Championship Series (ALCS) was played between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees from October 8 to 16, 2003. The Yankees won the series four games to three to advance to the World Series, where they lost in six g ...
.
Following the conclusion of his playing career, Boone was an analyst for
ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). Th ...
's ''
Sunday Night Baseball'' and ''
Baseball Tonight
''Baseball Tonight'' (stylized as ''Baseball Tonight presented by Chevrolet'' for sponsorship reasons) is an American television program that airs on ESPN. The show, which covers the day's Major League Baseball action, has been on the air since ...
'' from 2010 to 2017. He began serving as the Yankees' manager in 2018, leading the team to two 100-win records during his first two seasons and playoff appearances in all five.
Early life
Boone attended
Villa Park High School
Villa Park High School (VPHS) is a four-year suburban public high school located in the city of Villa Park, California, United States. It was built in 1964 and is one of four comprehensive high schools in the Orange Unified School District. The cam ...
in
Villa Park, California
Villa Park is a city in Orange County, California, United States. It was founded in 1962. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 5,812, the lowest population for a city in Orange County.
The city is largely zoned for single-family r ...
. He
batted .423 with 22
stolen bases for the school's baseball team in his senior year, and was named the
Century League The Century Conference is a co-operative group of California high school athletic leagues that formerly made up the Century League. Its member schools now comprise the Crestview League and the North Hills League. It is part of the CIF Southern Sec ...
's co-player of the year. The
California Angels selected Boone on the third day of the
1991 MLB draft
First round selections
The following are the first round picks in the 1991 Major League Baseball draft.
Supplemental first round selections
Compensation picks
Other notable players
*Kevin Stocker, 2nd round, 54th overall by the Philade ...
, but he had no intention to sign a professional contract.
College career
He attended the
University of Southern California
, mottoeng = "Let whoever earns the palm bear it"
, religious_affiliation = Nonsectarian—historically Methodist
, established =
, accreditation = WSCUC
, type = Private research university
, academic_affiliations =
, endowment = $8.1 ...
(USC) and played
college baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional p ...
for the
USC Trojans
The USC Trojans are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Southern California (USC), located in Los Angeles, California. While the men's teams are nicknamed the ''Trojans'', the women's athletic teams are referred ...
. In 1993, he played
collegiate summer baseball for the
Orleans Cardinals
The Orleans Firebirds, formerly the Orleans Cardinals, are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Orleans, Massachusetts. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) and plays in the league's East Division. The Firebirds play ...
of the
Cape Cod Baseball League, where he was named a league all-star and helped lead Orleans to the league championship.
Professional career
Cincinnati Reds (1997–2003)
The
Cincinnati Reds selected Boone in the third round of the
1994 MLB draft. Boone made his MLB debut in June 1997, and was ejected from the game after being called out sliding into home. On the last day of the 1998 season, the Reds started the only MLB
infield
Infield is a sports term whose definition depends on the sport in whose context it is used.
Baseball
In baseball, the diamond, as well as the area immediately beyond it, has both grass and dirt, in contrast to the more distant, usually grass-c ...
composed of two sets of brothers: first baseman
Stephen Larkin,
second baseman Bret Boone
Bret Robert Boone (born April 6, 1969) is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. During his career Boone was a three-time All-Star, four-time Gold Glove winner, and two-time Silver Slugger Award winner. He is a third generation professio ...
,
shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists wh ...
Barry Larkin
Barry Louis Larkin (born April 28, 1964) is an American former professional baseball player. He played shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1986 to 2004.
He briefly played in the minor leagues before making h ...
, and third baseman Aaron Boone.
On September 22, 2002, Boone hit the last home run in
Riverfront Stadium
Riverfront Stadium, also known as Cinergy Field from 1996 to 2002, was a multi-purpose stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States that was the home of the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball from 1970 Major League Baseball season, 1970 throug ...
in the eighth inning of the Reds' 4–3 loss to the
Philadelphia Phillies, a solo home run off reliever
Dan Plesac
Daniel Thomas Plesac (born February 4, 1962) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher with an 18-year career from 1986 to 2003. He played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, Arizona Diamondbacks, and ...
. Boone hit a career-high 26 home runs in 2002, playing in all 162 games. The Reds named Boone their team's
most valuable player. He appeared in the
2003 MLB All-Star Game.
New York Yankees (2003)
The
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...
acquired Boone from the Reds for
Brandon Claussen,
Charlie Manning and cash on July 31, 2003. In 54 games after the trade, he hit .254 with a .720 OPS, six home runs and 31 RBIs.
[
During Game 7 of the ]2003 American League Championship Series
The 2003 American League Championship Series (ALCS) was played between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees from October 8 to 16, 2003. The Yankees won the series four games to three to advance to the World Series, where they lost in six g ...
(ALCS), Boone hit a walk-off home run
In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. For a home run to end the game, it must be hit in the bottom of the final inning of the game and generate enough runs to exceed the opponent's score. Because the opponent will no ...
in the 11th inning, off of Tim Wakefield
Timothy Stephen Wakefield (born August 2, 1966) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Wakefield began his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, but is most remembered for his 17-yea ...
, which gave the New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...
a 6–5 victory over the Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eigh ...
, thus prolonging the Curse of the Bambino
The Curse of the Bambino was a superstitious sports curse in Major League Baseball (MLB) derived from the 86-year championship drought of the Boston Red Sox between and . The superstition was named after Babe Ruth, colloquially known as " Th ...
. The ''New York Daily News'' dubbed the play the "Curse of the Boonebino". This home run was rated the ninth-best home run of all time on ''Baseball Tonight
''Baseball Tonight'' (stylized as ''Baseball Tonight presented by Chevrolet'' for sponsorship reasons) is an American television program that airs on ESPN. The show, which covers the day's Major League Baseball action, has been on the air since ...
''. Afterward, some Red Sox fans called Boone "Aaron Fucking Boone," much as they called Bucky Dent "Bucky Fucking Dent."
In January 2004, Boone tore the anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of a pair of cruciate ligament
Cruciate ligaments (also cruciform ligaments) are pairs of ligaments arranged like a letter X. They occur in several joints of the body, such as the knee joint and th ...
in his left knee during a pick-up basketball game. The game violated the standard MLB player contract, which forbids taking part in off-season basketball, skiing and surfing. The Yankees immediately hinted that they would terminate his contract.
Soon after trading for Alex Rodriguez
Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez (born July 27, 1975), nicknamed "A-Rod", is an American former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman, businessman and philanthropist. Rodriguez played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the ...
to play third base, the Yankees released Boone on February 27, 2004.
Cleveland Indians (2005–2006)
Boone signed a two-year contract with the Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive Fi ...
in June 2004. He earned $600,000 for 2004, $3 million for the 2005 season, and a club option for the 2006 season worth $4.5 million. After missing the entire 2004 season, Boone played 154 games in 2005. He batted .243 with 16 home runs and 60 RBIs. The Indians exercised an option on Boone's contract for the 2006 season. In his second season with Cleveland, he batted .251 with seven home runs.
Florida Marlins (2007)
On December 29, 2006, Boone signed a one-year contract with the Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park.
The fran ...
worth $925,000.[ He batted .286 in 69 games for the Marlins in 2007.
]
Washington Nationals (2008)
On December 6, 2007, Boone signed a one-year, $1,000,000 contract with the Washington Nationals. In 104 games, Boone hit .241 with 6 home runs and 28 RBIs in 2008.
Houston Astros (2009)
On December 18, 2008, Boone signed a one-year $750,000, plus incentives, deal with the Houston Astros. He played in only 10 games in 2009, reaching base only once—on a hit by pitch—in 14 plate appearances.
In March 2009, Boone underwent open-heart surgery to replace a bicuspid aortic valve
Bicuspid aortic valve (aka BAV) is a form of heart disease in which two of the leaflets of the aortic valve fuse during development in the womb resulting in a two-leaflet (bicuspid) valve instead of the normal three-leaflet (tricuspid) valve. BA ...
, a condition that he has been aware of since childhood but which routine tests indicated had recently worsened. Boone stated that doctors told him he could play baseball when he recovered, but he was not sure if he would choose to do so. Boone returned to baseball on August 10, when he began his rehabilitation with the Corpus Christi Hooks
The Corpus Christi Hooks are a Minor League Baseball team of the Texas League and the Double-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. They are located in Corpus Christi, Texas, and are named for the city's association with fishing. The team is owned by ...
, the Astros' Double-A minor league affiliate. He played five innings and was hitless in two plate appearances. Boone stated after the game that his goal was to return to the major leagues by September 1, the date that major league rosters expand. Boone was activated on September 1, and added to the Astros' expanded roster. On September 2, Boone made his season debut, playing at first base and going 0 for 3. On September 16, Boone stated that he was leaning towards retirement, and on October 4 he played his last game.
Broadcasting career
Boone served as a guest analyst for the MLB Network
The MLB Network is an American television sports channel dedicated to baseball. It is primarily owned by Major League Baseball, with Warner Bros. Discovery through its sports unit, Comcast's NBC Sports Group, Charter Communications, and Cox C ...
coverage of the 2009 ALCS
The 2009 American League Championship Series (ALCS), the second round of the 2009 American League playoffs, was a best-of-seven game series matching the two winners of the 2009 American League Division Series. The AL East Division champions, th ...
between the New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...
and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team h ...
.
On February 23, 2010, Boone announced his retirement and that he would become an analyst for ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). Th ...
. Boone appeared on ''Monday Night Baseball
''Monday Night Baseball'' was a live game telecast of Major League Baseball that aired on Monday nights during the regular season.
These games formerly aired weekly on ESPN. The game started at 7 p.m. ET, following ''SportsCenter'', and usually l ...
'' and for ''Baseball Tonight
''Baseball Tonight'' (stylized as ''Baseball Tonight presented by Chevrolet'' for sponsorship reasons) is an American television program that airs on ESPN. The show, which covers the day's Major League Baseball action, has been on the air since ...
''s pregame show on Sunday night.[ Boone called the ]2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
and 2015 World Series
The 2015 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2015 season. The 111th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the National League (NL) champion New York Mets and the American Leag ...
for ESPN Radio with play-by-play announcer
In sports broadcasting, a sports commentator (also known as sports announcer or sportscaster) provides a real-time commentary of a game or event, usually during a live broadcast, traditionally delivered in the historical present tense. Radio wa ...
Dan Shulman
Daniel Shulman is a Canadian sportscaster with Sportsnet as well as the American network ESPN.
Shulman serves as a play-by-play announcer for select Toronto Blue Jays telecasts on Sportsnet and during 2018 and 2020 he hosted the baseball-the ...
. He and Jessica Mendoza
Jessica Ofelia Mendoza (born November 11, 1980) is an American sportscaster and former softball player. Currently, she serves as a color commentator and analyst for ESPN's coverage of Major League Baseball and Los Angeles Dodgers coverage on ...
became color commentators on '' Sunday Night Baseball'' with Shulman in 2016. Boone and Shulman continued to call World Series games for ESPN Radio through 2017.
Managerial career
2018 season
After the 2017 season, the Yankees decided not to retain Joe Girardi
Joseph Elliott Girardi (born October 14, 1964) is an American former professional baseball player and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). Girardi played the catcher position for the Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, New York Yankees, and S ...
as their manager
Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business.
Management includes the activities ...
. The Yankees hired Boone to succeed him on December 4, 2017. The Yankees started the 2018 season with a 6–1 win against the Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
on March 29, 2018. On September 2, 2018, Boone was suspended for one game for making illegal contact with an umpire. He finished his first season with a 100–62 record, good for second in the American League East, and led the Yankees to the wild card game against the Oakland Athletics, despite losing star outfielder and team leader Aaron Judge for two months with a wrist injury. On October 3, 2018, the Yankees defeated the Athletics 7–2 to advance to the American League Division Series
In Major League Baseball, the American League Division Series (ALDS) determines which two teams from the American League will advance to the American League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring e ...
, giving Boone his first postseason win as a manager. The Boston Red Sox eliminated the New York Yankees three–games–to–one in the American League Division Series
In Major League Baseball, the American League Division Series (ALDS) determines which two teams from the American League will advance to the American League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring e ...
2019 season
The Yankees started the 2019 season with a 7–2 win against the Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. As one of the American League's eight charter ...
on March 28, 2019. On September 19, after winning against the Los Angeles Angels
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team h ...
9–1, the Yankees clinched the American League East, becoming AL East Division Champions for the first time since 2012 and also earning their 100th win. Boone became the first manager in MLB history to have 100 or more wins in each of his first two seasons. The Yankees would go on to lose to the Houston Astros in the American League Championship Series.
Following the 2019 season, Boone was named a finalist for American League Manager of the Year award
In Major League Baseball, the Manager of the Year Award is an honor given annually since 1983 to two outstanding managers, one each in the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner is voted on by 30 members of the Baseball Writ ...
. He finished runner-up to Minnesota Twins manager, Rocco Baldelli
Rocco Daniel Baldelli (; born September 25, 1981) is an American former professional baseball outfielder and coach who is the manager of the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball (MLB). As a player, Baldelli quickly progressed through the min ...
.
2020 season
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
, the Yankees as well as the other 29 Major League Baseball teams only played a 60-game regular season. The Yankees started off the shortened season with a hot 16–6 start, but then lost 15 out of their next 20 games evening their win loss record at 21–21. The Yankees then won 10 straight to finish the season 2nd in their division with a 33–27 record, seven games behind the division champion Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since its inception, the team's home v ...
, who they lost eight of 10 games to in the regular season, in the AL East, but good enough for the 5th seed in the American League due to MLB's postseason expansion for the season. The Yankees would sweep the Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive Fi ...
in a best-of-three Wild Card Series to advance to the American League Division Series
In Major League Baseball, the American League Division Series (ALDS) determines which two teams from the American League will advance to the American League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring e ...
against the Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since its inception, the team's home v ...
, but their struggles against the Rays would continue, as they were eliminated in five games.
2021 season
During the 2021 season, the Yankees had what was called one of the "streakiest eamsin recent memory. Through July 4, the team struggled to a 41–41 record with half of the season left to play, then went on a 51–29 run to end the season at 92–70. Between August 14–28, the Yankees won 13 consecutive games, tied for fifth-longest in franchise history. Following the winning streak, the team stumbled, going 3–12 between August 28 and September 12, and finished tied for second in the American League East behind the Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since its inception, the team's home v ...
, but lost the Wild Card Game to the Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eigh ...
6–2.
Following the season, Boone signed a three-year contract with the Yankees with a club option for 2025.
2022 season
In 2022 he was ejected nine times, four times more than any other major league manager. At the end of the regular season, the Yankees finished first in the AL East and earned home field advantage in Games 1, 2, and 5 of the ALDS. They beat the Cleveland Guardians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive Fi ...
in five games, but got swept by the Houston Astros in the ALCS, marking Boone's fifth straight playoff exit.
Managerial record
Personal life
Boone is the son of former catcher and manager Bob Boone
Robert Raymond Boone (born November 19, 1947) is an American former catcher and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB) who was a four-time All-Star.
Born in San Diego, California, he is the son of MLB player Ray Boone, and he is the father o ...
, the brother of All Star and four-time Gold Glove winner Bret Boone
Bret Robert Boone (born April 6, 1969) is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. During his career Boone was a three-time All-Star, four-time Gold Glove winner, and two-time Silver Slugger Award winner. He is a third generation professio ...
, the brother of former Cincinnati Reds minor leaguer Matt Boone, and the grandson of former major leaguer Ray Boone. As children, Aaron and Bret spent time in the Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has been Citize ...
clubhouse with fellow sons of other major league players, including Pete Rose Jr. Boone is a descendant of pioneer Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone (September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyond the we ...
.
Boone's wife, Laura Cover, was a ''Playboy
''Playboy'' is an American men's Lifestyle magazine, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from H ...
'' Playmate
A Playmate is a female model featured in the centerfold/gatefold of ''Playboy'' magazine as Playmate of the Month (PMOTM). The PMOTM's pictorial includes nude photographs and a centerfold poster, along with a pictorial biography and the "Playm ...
(Miss October 1998). Boone lives in Scottsdale, Arizona
, settlement_type = City
, named_for = Winfield Scott
, image_skyline =
, image_seal = Seal of Scottsdale (Arizona).svg
, image_blank_emblem = City of Scottsdale Script Logo.svg
, nick ...
. Boone and Cover have four children: two biological children and two adopted.
Boone, who had open heart surgery in 2009, had surgery to implant a pacemaker in March 2021. Boone was quoted as feeling “awesome” after being on the bench for two weeks following the procedure.
See also
* Third-generation Major League Baseball families
References
External links
, o
Retrosheet
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boone, Aaron
1973 births
Living people
National League All-Stars
Cincinnati Reds players
Cleveland Indians players
New York Yankees players
Florida Marlins players
Washington Nationals players
Houston Astros players
Major League Baseball third basemen
Chattanooga Lookouts players
Indianapolis Indians players
Louisville RiverBats players
Jupiter Hammerheads players
Columbus Clippers players
Orleans Firebirds players
USC Trojans baseball players
Baseball coaches from California
Baseball players from California
Major League Baseball broadcasters
MLB Network personalities
People from La Mesa, California
New York Yankees managers
Billings Mustangs players
Corpus Christi Hooks players
Gulf Coast Nationals players
Round Rock Express players
Winston-Salem Warthogs players
Anchorage Glacier Pilots players