Ken Rosenthal takes most pointed shots at Aaron Boone, Brian Cashman we've heard yet from an insider

Where’s Jerry Springer when you need him? We haven’t even gotten to November yet and it already feels like an embarrassing offseason for the New York Yankees. After Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner held a press conference where he directly threw his own players under the bus, MLB insiders have gone to work breaking down the validity of his statements.  

Of course you’ve had your usual discourse regarding what player failed the most and which coaching decision truly prevented Yankees from winning this postseason. But out of all of the voices around baseball, it was Ken Rosenthal who just delivered the most poignant argument.  

In an appearance on Foul Territory, Rosenthal offered up an insightful takedown of Steinbrenner and his approach to his team’s well-known failures in the postseason. Despite one of the largest payrolls in baseball, and despite boasting one of the greatest players of his generation, the Bronx Bombers have fired off dud after dud. Over the last decade, the roster has constantly changed and players have come and gone. However, there have been two constants through that entire time. 

According to Rosenthal, the lion’s share of the blame should go to manager Aaron Boone and general manager Brian Cashman. While Rosenthal acknowledged how talented each of those men are at their respective positions, he noted a serious disconnect when it comes to bringing it all together and winning a World Series title. 

“I understand the frustration of Yankees fans asking, ‘What are we doing? Why are we doing this over and over again when it’s the same ending every year?’” Rosenthal said. 

He then referred back to Steinbrenner's now-infamous blame game with his own players. While the Yankees owner felt confident in tearing down the guys on the field, Rosenthal was quick to tear down Steinbrenner's entire argument. 

“Who picks the hitters? That’s Cashman,” added Rosenthal. “Who manages the hitters? That’s Boone.” 

With Cashman ready to enter his 30th season as the Yankees’ GM and Boone given the green light to manage his 10th season, that’s a lot of time spent picking the wrong hitters. 

The Yankees have had success under Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman, but it has not been enough 

Since Boone was hired as the skipper in 2018, the Yankees have a record of 790-565. That’s the second-best record in all of baseball during that stretch, trailing only the Los Angeles Dodgers’ record of 849-508. That’s not bad company at all. And with nine postseason appearances in 10 seasons, Boone has consistently put the team into position to compete. 

With a paragraph like that, you just know that there is a but coming. And this is a massive one. But in those nine postseason appearances, the Yankees have a lackluster record of 27-30. That includes a well-rounded World Series loss in 2024 to the aforementioned Dodgers and two separate losses in the ALCS. 

As Rosenthal mentioned, Cashman and Boone have done well at their jobs, but they have failed to deliver complete success year after year. Are the Yankees a team that just wants to be good in the regular season or do they want to win a championship? A growing list of former Yankees players have already called out the team for losing touch of the winning tradition that used to be synonymous with the franchise. 

That winning tradition used to include accountability. As of now, Cashman and Boone have not been held accountable for their shortcomings. If Steinbrenner’s press conference is any indication, that trend will continue as always. How many times can a team fail to achieve greatness while also refusing to fundamentally change how that team is run?

The players failed to execute in the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays, but it was Boone who was at the helm. The Yankees’ lineup appeared to severely miss the presence of Judge while facing off against elite Rays pitching, but it was Cashman who was in charge of making sure that his absence wasn’t too costly. Instead of just blaming the symptoms, it’s time for the Yankees organization to address the real issues that are holding the team back.        

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