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Yankees Rumors: NYY eyeing controversial candidate for YES Network job

OAKLAND, CA - MAY 22: Carlos Beltran #36 of the New York Yankees is congratulated at the dugout during the game against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland Coliseum on May 22, 2016 in Oakland, California. The Yankees defeated the Athletics 5-4. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - MAY 22: Carlos Beltran #36 of the New York Yankees is congratulated at the dugout during the game against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland Coliseum on May 22, 2016 in Oakland, California. The Yankees defeated the Athletics 5-4. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images)

Well, this would be one hell of a way for the Yankees to replace Buck Showalter in the YES Network family and take a shot across the bough to Flushing, huh?

When it comes to replenishing their broadcast talent this offseason, the Yankees will be looking to pick up pieces from all angles.

Ken Singleton, after hinting at retirement for a number of years, is finally stepping away in earnest, leaving a play-by-play vacancy for a number of premium games.

And speaking of “vacancy,” David Cone will have his minutes restricted moving forward, too, to account for his role in ESPN’s national booth. Add in Showalter’s departure from postgame coverage, and New York’s broadcasts are about to sound very different — and the names we’ve heard as potential replacements have run the gamut.

Recently-retired fan favorite Cameron Maybin is rumored to be involved in the conversations, and he endorsed his own hire after the rumors leaked. CC Sabathia would be a natural fit, but only if he’s allowed to go suit-less, as he’s told us before. David Wells in Coney’s place? Jeff Nelson, who’s a rumored addition? CC’s partner Ryan Ruocco taking over the play-by-play to let Michael Kay focus on his ManningCast with A-Rod? The possibilities are endless.

And, according to the latest rumors, they include a name who’s been away from the game for a bit: Carlos Beltran.

Yankees could turn to Carlos Beltran for YES Network analysis.

No, Beltran will not be replacing Aaron Boone anytime soon, as much as some of us might want him to. He also won’t be Boone’s new Swiss Army knife after the departure of Eric Chavez, also to the Mets, which occurred a few weeks prior.

Beltran would certainly bring an interesting perspective to the booth, though, as both a recently-retired former player and someone who was blackballed from the game after his ties to the Houston Astros’ scandal leaked.

The 20-year veteran and future Hall of Famer (at the time) had to tear up his Cooperstown speech and hand in his Mets cap and jersey in the wake of the trash can reveal, resigning as manager of the team before he’d even begun.

Could the Yankees be the ones to offer him a hand after being connected to him in so many different ways before word of Houston’s cheating got out?

Before Beltran was known for nefariousness, he was widely accepted as one of baseball’s foremost gurus at legal sign-stealing. He’s a student of the game and a master at picking up tells and tricks, something Alex Cora not-so-subtly alluded to after his Red Sox team lost the London Series against a Yankees team that had Beltran as a special advisor.

Thanks for the wink, Alex! Really worked! People (read: Red Sox fans) began to suspect Beltran of doing something untoward with the Yanks … because that’s exactly what Cora wanted them to think.

It’s been strange, since early 2020, knowing that Cora and AJ Hinch both got managerial jobs back (Cora, in fact, got the same one, welcomed back with open arms) while Beltran was sent away to think about what he’d done, without a second chance.

A YES Network broadcast gig probably isn’t exactly what he was envisioning for that chance, but he’s certainly an intriguing option who’d provide an expert opinion to an incomplete booth.

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