Aaron Boone pushes back on ‘accountability' criticism after Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez rip Yankees
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MIAMI — Wearing a T-shirt that featured the face of the former Yankees captain who criticized the current club for making too many mistakes, Aaron Boone played defense.
Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez ripped the Yankees on Saturday in their roles as FOX Sports commentators — Jeter saying 'they make way too many mistakes' and Rodriguez asking, 'Where's the accountability' for those mistakes — after a game in which Jazz Chisholm Jr. was doubled off at first base on a popup to second.
'Look, we're the Yankees, and when we lose games, if it's in and around a mistake, that criticism is fair,' Boone said Sunday morning at loanDepot Park. 'It's fair game, I guess. At the end of the day, we have the pieces I think to be a really good team and that's on me and all of us to get the most out of that.
3 Aaron Boone reacts during the Yankees' game against the Marlins on Aug. 2.
AP
3 Jazz Chisholm Jr. reacts after his baserunning blunder during the Yankees' Aug. 2 loss.
Screengrab via X/@TalkinYanks
'I would disagree a little bit with the accountability factor. But the reality is we're focused every day on being the best we can be. That's how we have to do it. But I understand when it doesn't happen or we don't have the record, I think we should have, or certainly people think we should have, that comes with the territory. It's on us to change that thought.'
Boone indicated that there is more going on behind the scenes in terms of accountability that doesn't get shown in front of cameras or voiced in postgame press conferences.
The eighth-year manager has rarely pulled a player in-game for making a baserunning mistake, with his standard for benching being if he sees a player 'dogging it.'
Rodriguez claimed that if any of the Yankees he played with made a mistake, 'we would be sitting our butt right on the bench.'
Boone, whose club entered Sunday 60-51 and in third place in the AL East, said the perception that there is no accountability 'maybe sometimes' makes him angry.
3 Alex Rodriguez (second from left) and Derek Jeter (r.) are pictured during the FOX broadcast Aug. 2.
FOX Sports
'The reality is, I think we should be better than what our record is and that starts with me,' Boone said. 'We got to own that. The only way we can change that thought is by playing a more consistent brand of baseball and winning baseball games.'
As for Saturday's gaffe, Chisholm said Saturday night he would not do anything differently because he believed that Marlins second baseman Xavier Edwards was going to drop the ball purposely — which Edwards confirmed he was thinking about doing — to nail Chisholm at second.
Because of that, Boone stood behind Chisholm's decisionmaking on Sunday.
'It's borne out of some thoughtfulness,' Boone said. 'He's trying to make a play. He understands what Edwards was trying to do, we all do. Sometimes you don't have control of that. Sometimes if they execute really well on that kind of play, they're going to be able to swap out the runner. I also understand that this is a turf field and landing on the dirt, it's going to bounce a different way if they do roll the dice with a play like that.
'So Jazz, in a lot of ways, was onto that and trying to make a play. He obviously got a little too far, or his last step put him in a position to where he was vulnerable. At the end of the day, you don't want to make that out, obviously. But borne out of someone trying to make a play.'
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New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Post trade deadline, what team has the best bullpen in baseball?
Deciding how good a player really is one of those enterprises that happens equally often in barrooms and front offices, with just the same amount of agreement by all involved. But when it comes to bullpens, it's even more difficult to pin down a player's true talent. Relievers give us the smallest bits of production by which we could judge them, and yet those looks come in moments that are incredibly important to the outcome of the game. Advertisement For example, ask Yankees fans right now, and you might not get the sense that their team's bullpen is any good. And yeah, going into Tuesday's games, Yankee relievers had an ERA over five and were the second-worst unit in baseball over the last seven days. Woof. That can't really be the right way to figure this out, though. 'What have you done for me lately?' is a fine question for a fan to ask, particularly when they are reacting to a poor run of play, but the Angels 'pen is not twice as good as the Yankees 'pen simply because they have been that good over the last seven days. Looking backwards has its limits, but let's at least acknowledge that some of these bullpens have changed a ton since the trade deadline, and that seven days is not enough data to determine which bullpens are the best. Here are three bullpens that are candidates for the best in baseball, with their five best relievers listed, and their full-season numbers. These 'pens stocked up at the deadline and they are loaded when you look at them this way. First, let's start with the Yankees. Four guys who were primary closers for their teams in the past calendar year, two of whom sit in the high-90s with their fastballs, and pretty much all of them have nasty stuff. Of course, their collective ERA would look a lot better if it wasn't dragged down by a 5 in the Devin Williams' column, so it's always worth wondering what's happened to the Yankees' big offseason acquisition. It's possible the answer is not much — his stuff, command and fastball velocities are all in-line with his norms, and those are generally predictive. But with a season this bad it's probably worth pointing out that he's throwing the changeup as slowly as he's ever thrown it, and with more drop than ever, and it's being hit harder than ever. Maybe throwing that thing harder is the answer. Advertisement You can look to David Bednar to see how a small problem can rob a full season from a reliever and yet not change their career trajectory too much. Bednar didn't have a great Yankees debut, but he's a big stuff pitcher who made a couple small adjustments to get his curveball command back. He can be a great closer for them, but he's given up more homers away from Pittsburgh so far in his career and if that becomes an issue, Camilo Doval has the kind of stuff that will stay in the ballpark (though he might give up more hits). Tim Hill's peripherals don't scream sustainability, but he's so funky that he's kind of the Tyler Rogers of this crew. And Luke Weaver's stuff is down, but with a changeup like he has, he can get lefties out almost easier than righties. This is a good bullpen, even if it does have some warts. Now, let's move cross-town to the Mets. They had one of the best closers in the game and then they added one of the other best closers in the game in Ryan Helsley, and then they added the funkiest submariner in baseball in Tyler Rogers. According to the Stuff+ leaderboard, which looks at the physical characteristics of a pitch, they added two of the three best relievers in baseball at the deadline. Is there a weakness? Maybe. 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Boston Globe
3 hours ago
- Boston Globe
Here in 2025, and after four World Series titles, it's time to name our All-Quarter-Century Red Sox team
Related : As further circumstantial evidence that time seems to be accelerating, the century already is a quarter complete — more than that if you count 2000 rather than 2001 as its start, which we do here, since that's when we celebrated the century's turn while exhaling about Y2K. Advertisement With that it mind, it seemed a fitting time to put together our All-Quarter-Century Red Sox team. A few rules : We used Wins Above Replacement as a major factor, but not always the deciding factor, since sentiment and nostalgia must be at play here. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Also, our roster is 25 players, with everyone in their appropriate role. You'll see what that means. Many of the choices were easy. A couple are worthy of serious debate. One I left up to you. And every player selected won a World Series with the Red Sox. Sure couldn't have said that last century. The squad: Catcher: Jason Varitek Who else? The stoic captain of the 2004 and 2007 champs is the only player ever to catch four no-hitters, and few Red Sox have ever had a higher approval rating. From 2000 until his retirement after the 2011 season, he provided 22.3 Wins Above Replacement, more than three times the Red Sox' second-most productive catcher of this century, Christian Vazquez (6.9 WAR). Also, Varitek is the all-time leader in the wildly undervalued sabermetric stat MARETM — Making A-Rod Eat The Mitt. Advertisement Catcher Jason Varitek had a lot of memorable moments with the Red Sox, but none more memorable than when he got into Yankees star Alex Rodriguez's face. Barry Chin/The Boston Globe First base: Kevin Youkilis A.k.a. the Greek God of Walks, or, more colloquially, YOOOOOOOOOOUK! He spent plenty of time at both infield corners for the Red Sox during his 2004-12 run, playing 464 games at third base and 613 at first. 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Advertisement Third base: Gonna leave this one up to you, friendly reader. Welp, the analytics claim the choice is easy: Rafael Devers, whose 24.8 WAR more than doubles runner-up Mike Lowell (10.6). But no one within 100 miles or so of the 617 area code wants to go with Devers after his shenanigans this season, and hey, by the way, here's a fun fact: The Red Sox and Giants with Devers this season: 53 wins, 62 losses. The Red Sox and Giants without Devers this season: 68 wins, 46 losses. Makes you think, right? So if you remain Devers-averse, and I presume you do, take your pick at third base among the steady Lowell (Alex Bregman reminds me of him a lot), Mariano-slayer Bill Mueller, one awesome year of Adrian Beltre, or anyone but Pablo Sandoval, really. Advertisement Chad Finn's all-quarter-century Red Sox lineup, with room for readers to decide on their own third baseman. John Hancock/Globe Staff Left field: Manny Ramirez Seventeen years — yep, it's been that long — after he was traded to the Dodgers, I still miss watching him hit, and I will even beyond the day his 2007 playoff home run off Angels closer Francisco 'K-Rod' Rodriguez finally lands. Center field: Johnny Damon Yeah, yeah, he left to sign with the Yankees after the 2005 season, and helped them win their most recent World Series in '09. (Wow, it's been awhile.) Call him a traitor if you must, but nothing he could have done — or ultimately did — in the Bronx could come close in relevance to his two-homer, seven-RBI all-timer of a clutch performance in Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS. His time in New York was temporary. His time here is forever. Johnny Damon had two home runs and seven RBIs in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series against the Yankees. Jim Davis/Globe Staff Right field: Mookie Betts Betts's 42.5 WAR is third among Red Sox hitters this century, trailing only David Ortiz (52.5) and Pedroia (51.8). But they were each here for 14 seasons. Betts was here for just six, averaging more than 7 WAR per season, including a staggering 10.7 in his 2018 MVP season, when he hit .346 with 32 homers. Somehow, he's in his sixth season with the Dodgers, and anyone who wants to come out of the woodwork to say his tough 2025 season validates the Sox' foolish decision to trade him can go chew gravel. Designated hitter: David Ortiz 'He is the greatest clutch hitter you, your dad, your granddad, and in all likelihood, your unborn children will ever see. He's Big Papi, larger than life, bigger than the biggest moments.' I wrote that in June 2005, and 20 years, countless highlights, and one Hall of Fame induction later, all I'd change is including your wife, mom, and grandmother, as well. Advertisement Starting pitcher: Pedro Martinez As we said in the '80s: No duh. His 2000 season stands as one of the greatest in baseball history: 18 wins, 6 losses, a 1.74 ERA (in the juiced-hitter era, when the league average was 4.91), 284 strikeouts in 217 innings, and 11.7 WAR, the most by a starting pitcher this century. Following the greatest pitcher I've ever seen in the rotation: Jon Lester (29.9 WAR), Josh Beckett (22.3), Curt Schilling (17.7), and Chris Sale (17.0). Closer: Keith Foulke Jonathan Papelbon actually has the most WAR among Sox closers since 2000, and he closed out the 2007 World Series with style. But Foulke got many of the most tense and toughest outs in Red Sox history during the 2004 postseason. He's the choice. And I'm keeping Koji Uehara on this roster to get it to 25 players, and because he induced the least stress of any closer the Red Sox have ever had. Keith Foulke closed out the Curse-breaking 2004 World Series for the Red Sox. Jim Davis/Globe Staff Others to fill out our 25-man roster: Lefthanded setup man: Hideki Okajima. Righthanded setup man: Mike Timlin. Utilityman: Brock Holt. Player you want fielding the last out of a playoff series: Pokey Reese. Backup outfielder: Gabe Kapler. Pinch runner: Dave Roberts. Stole a base of some magnitude once, I've been told. Designated inspirational speechmaker: Kevin Millar, for the Don't Let Us Win Tonight schtick that proved prescient, and then legendary. Designated series-clinching pitcher and team goof: Derek Lowe. Pitcher who always has his spikes on just in case: Tim Wakefield. Because there's no point in having this team without Wake. Advertisement Chad Finn can be reached at
New York Times
3 hours ago
- New York Times
The Patriots are honoring Tom Brady with a statue. Will Belichick, Kraft get similar treatment?
FOXBORO, Mass. — For the first time since June of last year, Tom Brady will be back at Gillette Stadium. He's returning this time for the latest in a string of moments orchestrated by his former team, the New England Patriots, to commemorate the most decorated player in NFL history. Back on that star-studded summer night when the Pats inducted Brady into the franchise's Hall of Fame, owner Robert Kraft surprised fans by also retiring Brady's No. 12 and announcing that he had commissioned a 'larger-than-life bronze statue to perpetuate the legendary legacy of the great Tom Brady.' Advertisement The plan was for a big reveal that fall centered around a Patriots game. Yes, Brady was embarking on his debut season as the top color analyst for Fox, which complicated his schedule. But the Patriots figured they'd unveil the statue outside the stadium near the team Hall of Fame when Brady returned for a national broadcast. They tentatively earmarked a Week 5 game in early October against the Miami Dolphins as the date for Brady's return. It would be an opportunity to showcase the statue with Brady in attendance. But the Patriots started the season 1-4, and the Dolphins lost quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to an injury in Week 2. So Fox pivoted and sent Brady and the top broadcast crew to call the Arizona Cardinals-San Francisco 49ers game. The Patriots weren't considered for Fox's top billing after that. So the 12-foot statue — get it? 12 feet? — has remained in hiding. Not even Brady has seen it yet. But at long last, Brady is returning Friday for the team's preseason opener against the Washington Commanders for the unveiling of his statue, which will sit on the pavilion outside the team Hall of Fame. What would you want the @TomBrady statue to look like? 🤔@TheHall | #NEPats — New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 4, 2025 It'll be a great celebration for a great player. But it also opens the door for several tricky questions looking forward: How will the Patriots eventually commemorate legendary coach Bill Belichick? And what will they do for Kraft? Will all three get a similar treatment, perhaps three statues next to each other outside the stadium? And, awkward as it may be, when do they honor Belichick, especially considering how icy the relationship clearly still is after he took offense to comments from Kraft insinuating that hiring Belichick in 2000 was a risky decision? The most likely answer seems to be statues placed near Brady's outside the stadium. But there are rarely easy answers when it comes to how to commemorate the greatest runs — and figures — in your sport's history. Different franchises and different sports handle the question differently. The New York Yankees installed Monument Park beyond the centerfield wall as a place to recognize the franchise's best players. The Montreal Canadiens installed statues of the four best players from their various dynasties. Advertisement But there is no precedent to what the Patriots accomplished in the NFL this century, which complicates how you celebrate their six Super Bowl titles in 18 years. Teams with that level of success have put in varying rules for retiring numbers. The Edmonton Oilers will only retire a player's jersey if he's inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Surely, Brady isn't the only former Patriot headed to Canton, Ohio. Rob Gronkowski should be a shoo-in when he's eligible in 2027. Julian Edelman, who is being inducted into the team Hall of Fame this September, will present an interesting debate when he's eligible next year. Regardless, Brady's No. 12 may be the lone number from the dynasties retired by the Patriots. They've already given out Gronk's No. 87 and Edelman's No. 11 multiple times. (They are currently worn by Jack Westover and Joshua Dobbs, respectively.) But beyond the number and statue, how can they continue to celebrate Brady? And how will they commemorate Belichick's and Kraft's roles in the franchise's success? With Brady, surely the team would love to have him back as often as possible. How else can they pay homage after the last two years? Perhaps it's by celebrating various teams. For example, 2026 will mark the 25th anniversary of the first Super Bowl team, while 2027 will mark the 10th anniversary of the last Super Bowl team. When there are six championship teams, you can find a lot of excuses to get those groups (and, thus, Brady) back together. But the Belichick of it all is where things get a bit uncomfortable. It's been well documented that he and Kraft didn't end up on the greatest of terms. But he's still the best coach of all time, and as such, his accomplishments should be celebrated. It's made more difficult by the fact that he is still coaching at North Carolina, and it seems likely he'd jump at the chance to return to the NFL if he gets one. Should the Pats wait until he retires to honor him? And when they do it, how creative should they get? NFL franchises have taken different approaches to memorializing their greatest coaches. The Chicago Bears practice in Halas Hall. The Packers play at Lambeau Field (though Curly Lambeau did more than just coach). Despite their multitude of memorable players, the Cowboys have only one statue outside their stadium: of Hall of Fame coach Tom Landry. Advertisement One option for the Patriots comes from the college game. A number of universities have celebrated former coaches by naming the field after them — but without changing the stadium name. Nebraska plays on Tom Osborne Field, which is inside Memorial Stadium. Alabama plays on Saban Field, an addition made without changing the name of Bryant-Denny Stadium. No NFL team has named its field, and the league has no restrictions blocking such a move. Perhaps that's too much for the Patriots, considering how things ended. But a statue of Belichick seems likely, perhaps with a star-studded event similar to Brady's when they eventually induct the coach into the franchise's Hall of Fame. Then again, it wouldn't be without precedent to not make as big of a deal for the former head coach. To commemorate their dynasty, the Chicago Bulls put up a statue of Michael Jordan, maybe Brady's lone peer in American pro sports. But there has been little public celebration from the franchise of former coach Phil Jackson — who, like Belichick, won six titles before leaving unhappily — and there's no statue or special area of the United Center celebrating him. Finally, there's the issue of how you honor Kraft. The Pittsburgh Steelers commissioned a statue of former owner Art Rooney two years after he died in 1988. Something similar seems likely for the NFL owner with the most Super Bowls ever. Maybe that means three statues near each other outside the stadium. Maybe it's something more complex. Either way, the greatest player in NFL history is set to return to Foxboro on Friday for a celebration that both immortalizes Brady and generates questions about what is to come for the other figures so central to the franchise's successes. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
