Perspectives: The Absent Manager
- Paul Semendinger
- Aug 20
- 3 min read
By Paul Semendinger
August 20, 2025
***
I with there was technology that allowed me to archive and index all of the articles I wrote and the topics I covered for easy reference. Alas! There isn't.
A few months ago, it was definitely earlier this season, I wrote that Paul O'Neill commented how Buck Showalter would talk to the players when they were warming up in the field, shagging flies, and the like. The specifics of that article don't necessarily matter; the bigger point does. The way it was explained, it was clear that Buck Showalter communicated with his players and that he was present and involved with them in their preparation.
In that article, I drew a comparison that we never hear things like that about Aaron Boone. In fact, often times when Aaron Boone is asked about a specific player he'll comment that he hadn't talked to him, or he hadn't seen the player working out, and etc...
A few seasons ago, I asked time and again how the manager of the team couldn't know that one of his players (Anthony Rizzo) had a concussion - for well over a month. I remarked on how odd this was. I wondered why the manager never seemed to have any interaction with this player. A few simple discussions with the player would have probably helped Aaron Boone realize that something wasn't quite right. Just asking, honestly and openly, "How are you feeling?" would have allowed Anthony Rizzo to mention some of the things he was struggling with. But those conversations obviously never happened.
Situations like this have been noted time and again by myself and many others on these pages. The manager of the Yankees often times seems very disconnected with his players, their progress, their development, their health, and so much more.
The definitive proof of this came out yesterday. Aaron Boone was quoted in a number of outlets (and I believe he was on one podcast and one NY sports radio show) stating that Aaron Judge might not be able to throw normally for the rest of the season. This was gigantic news that was reported widely.
A few hours later, as reported at thescore.com Aaron Judge commented that Boone basically had no idea what he was talking about. For me, the telling quote from Judge as reported in that article was the following:
"He hasn't seen me throw for the past two weeks..."
Think about that for a few minutes. The manager of the Yankees has not seen Aaron Judge, his greatest and most valuable player, throwing for two weeks. Two weeks. The manager of the team has not made himself available to watch the progress of the team's most important player as he works his way back from an injury.
This news, along with Aron Judge's direct quote encapsulates so much of what I (and many others) have believed and stated about Aaron Boone's "leadership" style. In short, he is absent from the day-to-day goings on of his players.
This news also comes a few days after Brian Cashman was asked about Boone's performance as the manager. Cashman didn't praise Boone for his understanding of the game, his tactics, his game smarts, the fact that he was very aware of each member of his team, their performance, their health, and the like. No. It wasn't any of that. Brian Cashman praised Boone for his ability to give pre- and post-game interviews without losing his cool. (Cashman didn't focus on the banality of what Boone actually said in those press conferences, just that he was able to do them without losing his cool.)
All of this together, and separate, paints a very poor picture of the priorities of the General Manager and the manager. A well-run team would expect that the manager communicates with his players. A functional team would expect that the manager oversees at least some of a player's rehab with the team (it's not like Judge is throwing at some remote location).
This is just the latest in a long long line of similar concerns.
There is something very very very wrong with the Yankees' organization. Big changes in the leadership need to be made. This seems very clear.
The priorities of the organization are not at all where they should be.
A column of conjecture with zero knowledge. All guessing. Come on Paul.
I think I can say that I agree with everything you said.
while delegating does make sense and in theory the MLB roster has 26 players, many of them are dealing with some type of treatment or another- Ben Rice is likely getting treatment today for being hit with a baseball... what? 12 times last night?
Goldy still is undoubtedly dealing with knee stuff
Stanton has stuff
apparently Jazz has stuff
I could go on!!!
it might be difficult, if not quite impossible, for Boone to have a daily conversation with each player, although I WOULD VERY MUCH HOPE, he is getting and paying very close attention to daily reports from the training staff and that they are very definitely…
I nominate Paul Semendinger to replace Cashboone; one or the other, or both.
I had the same reaction to Judge's quote.
Boone certainly did say that he thought that Judge would not throw as well as formerly he had.
he did say that he expected that the effects of Judge's injury would linger for the balance of the season and that Judge would not be throwing with the usual velocity.
Boone's comment seems to have been based on general common sense and general medical opinion rather than being based upon Judge's opinion of what best should be told to the general public.
it may be unfortunate that Boone answered reporters' questions without first coming to an agreement with Judge on what should be said to reporters.
and this is just another instance of Boone trying to make excuses for one of…