Boone, entering third year, is now longest-tenured NY coach
BRADENTON — After just two full seasons and half of a spring under his belt, Aaron Boone is suddenly the longest tenured manager/ coach in the New York City area. With the early morning news Saturday that the Nets and Kenny Atkinson had “parted ways,” Boone is the dean.
“Hopefully that continues! I just take it one day at a time! I put my pants on one leg at a time, you know?” Boone said laughing when congratulated on the feat. “We’re hired to be fired, right?”
Boone has taken the Yankees to the postseason in his first two years. They won the AL East for the first time since 2012 and went to the ALCS.
LOAISIGA AUDITIONING
WIth a spot open in the
Yankees rotation, Jonathan Loaisiga is pitching for a lot this spring. The 25-year-old right-hander has impressive “stuff,” but between injuries and his struggles with putting away hitters at times, he has come to a point in his career where the Yankees are getting ready to define him as a starter or reliever.
“Obviously you love the stuff and the athleticism. I feel like the delivery, he’s been really clean especially the last couple times out. Sometimes he can get a little out of whack with that,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “There was one live session where he was a little off. I feel the next time out he was able to correct it and really get into a good rhythm with his delivery. That’s what we have seen out of him the last few times.”
Loaisiga allowed two runs,
both on a home run to former Yankees catcher John Ryan Murphy, in two innings work Saturday against the Pirates at LECOM Park.
“He was one pitch away from being finished and probably wishes he had the choice of pitch back,” Boone said of the homer. “Ahead in the count and just a mistake down the middle, fastball, they ride out of the ballpark. I think if he had it over he’d probably go breaking ball there but, he worked hard, especially with their lefties today really going to work in his changeup a lot. I thought he threw a number of good ones, threw some ones that were just okay. But all in all I thought a pretty good day’s work for him — continues to get ahead and attack with his pitches.”
Loaisiga said he isn’t concerned about the role he plays this season, whether it’s in the rotation or the bullpen.
“It doesn’t matter what it is, doesn’t matter if it’s one out, it doesn’t matter if it’s multiple innings, wherever,” Loaisiga said through Yankees interpreter Marlon Abreu. “Wherever the team needs me to be, I’ll be right there for the team.”
In four games this spring, Loaisiga has pitched well. He has allowed just those two runs on two hits over seven innings pitched. He has struck out 11 and not walked a batter.
STANTON STARTING UP
Giancarlo Stanton was back running on the anti-gravity treadmill Saturday, Boone said. The left fielder is rehabbing a strained right calf and getting back to some limited baseball activities.
“He’s throwing and teeand-toss today, then running again on the Alter-G,” Boone said.
Stanton is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day, but the Yankees are hoping this “slowplay” of his recovery will lead to a somewhat healthy season. Stanton played just 18 regular season games last year because of biceps, shoulder, calf and knee injuries. He missed playoff games with a right quad strain.
PITCHERS REHABBING
Ben Heller is nearing his first spring training game, Boone said Saturday. The 28year-old right-hander — who replaced CC Sabathia on the playoff roster when he went down last season — came into spring training with a “back issue,” Boone explained.
“Heller, before he got down here, had some back issues. He was slow-played along. He should be ready to go in a game here in the next day or two,”
Heller would be a potential bullpen arm for the Yankees.
Chad Bettis, the righthander the Yankees signed as a minor league free agent this spring, has also been “slow played,” so far.