CHICAGO — ”Where the hell did this come from?‘
Ah, nothing like little brother’s reaction to big brother’s promotion.
The truth is that Bret Boone received virtually the same response from his close friends and golf buddies as when he broke the news to his brother, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, that he is now the new Texas Rangers hitting coach.
Boone’s experience?
Nothing, except those playing career statistics on the back of his baseball card.
“I wasn’t looking for anything,’ Bret Boone, 56, the former three-time All-Star second baseman, told USA TODAY Sports. “I had never seen myself in a hitting coach capacity anywhere. All of this happened out of nowhere. There was no agenda. Nothing. Now, here I am, and I’ve got 12, 13 kids I’m living and dying with on every pitch every game.
“It’s surreal.’
This week, Boone will be bringing his new family of hitters to the Bronx where he hopes they can pummel his little brother’s team, just like back in the days when they were facing one another across the field playing in the big leagues.
The Rangers open a three-game series against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium, and 2,793 miles away in Buena Park, California, Bob and Sue Boone will have the big screen TV on in Bob’s trophy room, watching in fascination as their two sons go toe-to-toe for three games, just like the old times.
“This is something that Bret wanted for so long,’ Sue Boone said. “I’m so excited for him. But I was kind of torn. I rely on Bret a lot, he does a lot of stuff around the house for us, but I know this is something he wanted for so long.’
The routine for Sue and Bob Boone is sitting on their leather chairs watching the Yankees on the large TV in the middle of the room, and the Atlanta games on another – Nick Allen, who’s married to Bret’s daughter, is the starting shortstop for Atlanta.
Well, thank goodness they have three TVs now, making sure they get their game times right not to miss a single pitch. The Yankees games will remain on the main TV though.
“I watch them more intently now than when Bob was playing or the boys were playing,’ said Sue Boone, who has been married to Bob since 1967. “That’s our livelihood now, watching the games. When Bret and Aaron’s teams were playing against each other, people are asking, ‘Who do you pull for?’ They would always ask me that when the boys were playing each other. Well, you cheer for both of them. You want them both to get a few hits.’
There was nothing like that 2000 game in Cincinnati, which will forever be etched in the family scrapbook. Bret went 3-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI for the visiting San Diego Padres, only for Aaron to go 3-for-5 with a walk-off home run to give the Reds a wild 11-9 victory.
“But now that Aaron is a manager, and Bret is coaching,’ Sue Boone says, “well, it’s a little different. I know their competitive juices will really be flowing. They’re brothers, but will be enemies this series.’
So, what are the parents rooting for this week?
“I want to see the Rangers get a whole lot of hits because of Bret,’ Sue Boone says, “but the Yankees win because of Aaron.’
So, in other words, the dream scenario would be Yankees 12, Rangers 11?
“That would be perfect.’
The Boones have been watching Yankees games every night since Aaron became manager before the 2018 season. It has become a family ritual with Bob dissecting the strategy as if he was back in the dugout, laughing at Aaron’s fiery disposition which has led to 41 ejections, the most in Yankee history, while Bob was ejected just eight times in 815 games.
Scott Miller, author of the book, “Skipper: Why Baseball Managers Matter,’ sat down with Bob and Sue Boone to watch one of the Yankees’ games on TV, and devoted his entire first chapter to the family. Bob managed the Cincinnati Reds with Aaron on the team from 2001-2003, and still today, Aaron calls his dad after games to go over everything that transpired.
“If I’ve got a little question, I might ask him why did you do that, and he’ll tell me,’ Bob Boone told Miller for ‘Skipper: Why Baseball Managers Matter.’
“I could irritate him if I tell him, ‘Here’s what you should have done.’ That won’t work. But if I have a thought, I’ll tell him.’
But these days, it’s the boys who speak after games. Aaron and Bret used to talk perhaps once a week during the season, but now they talk every day.
Aaron, who was on a bus headed back to Yankee Stadium after a Yankees “Welcome Home Dinner’ in New York when Bret gave him the call, sounded even more excited than Bret when speaking to USA TODAY Sports this week that his brother is back in the game.
“The way it came together, and the speed it came together for Bret is wild,’ says Aaron, 52. ‘I don’t think he was even lobbying or trying, but I always thought they’d love to be back in the game with a team. So, I’m not surprised he jumped at this opportunity.
“He’s in a great place in his life where he’s ready for this. And I think he definitely will have a positive impact on the players.’
It all began when Bret was invited to throw out the first pitch at his alma mater, USC, two weeks ago. He got a text message from former All-Star infielder Michael Young, who was in the stands, saying, “Don’t bounce it.’ They caught up after the game, spoke for a few minutes, and an hour later, Rangers manager Bruce Bochy was calling Boone asking if he wanted to become their new hitting coach.
“I don’t think I’d be sitting here if that interaction didn’t happen,’ Bret Boone says. “I hadn’t talked to Michael in a couple of years, and we were just shooting the breeze. He says, ‘Why don’t you go back onto the field?’ I told him, ‘Nah, I like staying home and doing my podcasts. Tell C.Y. [GM Chris Young] hello and give Boch a hug for me.’
“The next thing I know, I’m flying out to Boston to meet the team wondering what am I even doing? I get in at 11:30 at night, and there waiting for me at the check-in desk is Boch.
“I knew then I was right where I’m supposed to be.’
It has been two weeks since Bret took over as the Rangers’ hitting coach, and already, he has made an impact. Texas has taken off since his arrival, going 9-4 and moving from fourth place into second entering May 18, despite All-Star shortstop Corey Seager back on the injured list.
“I’ve been scoreboard-watching,’ Aaron says. “I never paid much attention to the Rangers, but I sure do now, seeing how that offense is doing. It’s fun checking on each other every day now. All of a sudden, we have a little more in common.’
The best time of Aaron’s career, he says, was playing 2 ½ years for his dad in Cincinnati, and spending two months playing alongside his brother in 1998 – also living with him. It was Aaron’s first full season while Bret was making his first All-Star team and winning a Gold Glove with 24 homers and 95 RBI. Bret’s finest stretch that season was his first full month with Aaron, hitting .286 with five homers, 25 RBI and a .944 OPS in August.
“That was so cool playing in the same infield with Bret for two months,’ Aaron sats. “Here I am just trying to establish myself as a big leaguer, and here I am playing with my older brother where I was the third baseman and he was the second baseman.
“I’ll remember that forever.’
Then, there was the 2003 All-Star Game in Chicago, Aaron’s first time making the team and Bret’s third and final nod. They have a picture together with Aaron and Bret, alongside Bob Boone and grandpa Ray Boone. The family has combined for 5,890 hits, 634 homers and 3,139 RBI with 10 All-Star Game appearances and 11 Gold Gloves.
“I have that picture in my office,’ Aaron says. ‘Three generations of All-Stars, that was pretty neat for all of us.’
There will be plenty more photos taken this week, of course, with perhaps the two exchanging lineup cards at home plate. They may even get together for dinner on Monday’s off-day with Bret’s son, Luke, who lived with Aaron and his family last year, working in New York for MLB.
And, of course, there will be good-natured teasing, with Aaron wondering how Bret managed to keep his job after the Rangers were no-hit for six innings by Colorado Rockies rookie Chase Dollander one night and then Detroit Tigers Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal was perfect for six innings against Texas.
“When I saw they were facing Skubal,’ Aaron says, “I told him, ‘It’s about to get real. Real quick.”
Bret laughs at the irony, golfing together with Skubal just before spring training. While Skubal was shutting down the Rangers, he was teasing Boone in between innings, mimicking his golf swing, while the TV cameras remained glued on Boone’s face.
“It cracks me up,’ Bret says. “The camera is always on me. It’s the Boone factor. I’m a witch and a sorcerer. Hey, I’m not here to re-invent the wheel. These guys won a World Series two years ago. A lot of the guys in that room have a trophy in their house.
“I wasn’t coming here to flip over the lunch table. I’m just here to learn these guys, their tendencies and personalities, and sprinkle in some ‘me.’ These kids are young. Some of the guys like Evan Carter (22) and Wyatt Langford (23) were 3 years old when I retired. I tell them I can relate to every emotion you’re going to have. I know exactly how you feel. I’ve been on top of the world and I’ve been hiding in my room, not wanting to go to the ballpark because I don’t know if I’ll get a hit again.
“And if you don’t believe me, go ahead and Google me.’
If you do, you’ll find one of the greatest, most successful baseball families in history, with a deep, rich lineage and now entering yet a new chapter.
“Watching those two compete will be very cool and a lot of fun,’ said agent Adam Katz, who represented both players since the beginning of their major league careers, “but nothing new with two competitive siblings like Bret and Aaron.’
And the emotions have already begun.
“Aaron is always checking in with me,’ Bret says, “making sure everything is fine. He knows what I’m going through being back in the grind. But I couldn’t be happier. I’m back in the game, and I’m about to go face my brother’s team at Yankee Stadium.
“It doesn’t get any cooler than that.’
Around the basepaths
– Contrary to popular belief, it’s a long shot that Pete Rose will be elected into the Hall of Fame when he’s first eligible in 2027.
You don’t have to look back any further than the ballot two years ago when Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens didn’t even receive four of the required 12 votes needed by the 16-person committee in December 2022.
Yet, despite never being suspended, fined or testing positive for PED use, they didn’t come close to election.
Do you really think that Rose, who committed baseball’s cardinal sin of gambling and lied about it for 15 years, will be suddenly forgiven by the executives, Hall of Fame players, writers and historians on the committee when they quickly dismissed baseball’s all-time home run king and a seven-time Cy Young winner?
The voters realize that if Rose is let into Cooperstown, there will be no compelling reason to keep out Bonds, Clemens and Sammy Sosa, or even Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez, who were suspended for steroid use. If you can allow managers who bet on baseball and players (Shoeless Joe Jackson) who took money from mobsters to throw games, what’s a little PED use?
Remember, the Hall of Fame instructs voters to base their choices “upon the player’s record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship and contribution to the team(s) on which the player played.”
– The value of Rose’s merchandise and memorabilia has spiked since Commissioner Rob Manfred reinstated Rose from baseball’s permanently ineligible list.
– When the Hall of Fame hears that it can’t be a true museum of history without baseball’s all-time hit king, their officials point out there are 31 artifacts from Rose already in the Hall of Fame – so his story is already being told without his induction.
– Several teams, including the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers, are closely monitoring Colorado Rockies infielder Ryan McMahon in case he’s traded this summer.
– If the Boston Red Sox are still looking for a first baseman at the trade deadline, Rhys Hoskins of the Milwaukee Brewers could be the perfect fit. Hoskins, a free agent after the season, will be available if the Brewers aren’t in the playoff hunt.
– Barry Larkin’s ownership group aiming to get an MLB franchise in Orlando, Florida, remains a viable option if the Rays don’t soon have a resolution in the Tmapa Bay area.
– Yankees starter Marcus Stroman’s trade value is actually increasing by being on the injured list. Now that he’s sidelined, he won’t be able to automatically exercise his player option since he’ll fall short of 140 innings.
There were several teams that had interest in Stroman during the winter but balked at the possibility of being on the hook for $18 million in 2026.
– If the Brewers are out of the race by July 31, they are expected to be flooded with calls for ace Freddy Peralta, who has a club option for just $8 million next season.
– Maybe it’s not so much a coincidence that the White Sox have played better since Pope Leo XIV took office, considering his affinity for the White Sox.
“It’s been exciting obviously to have someone of that significance be a White Sox fan,’ White Sox GM Chris Getz said. “Since he’s been announced to become the Pope, the White Sox have tacked on some wins. So perhaps a higher power is on our side.’’
– Scouts who watched Dodgers rookie Rōki Sasaki in Japan were convinced that he was hurt after watching him pitch this season and their suspicions were verified when Sasaki was placed on the IL with a shoulder impingement. Sasaki, who was recruited by virtually every team in baseball, has a 4.72 ERA with just 24 strikeouts in 34⅓ innings through his first eight big-league starts.
– How much of a regular guy is new Pittsburgh Pirates manager Don Kelly?
He not only has been a part-owner of a Jimmy John’s in the Pittsburgh area, but he would regularly fill in making sandwiches or delivering orders.
– The Athletics of West Sacramento shelled out $67 million for Luis Severino to be the ace of the staff and provide a smooth transition from Sacramento to Las Vegas.
What they didn’t factor in is that Severino would have a tough adjustment to hitter-friendly Sutter Health.
“It’s tough to pitch here,” Severino told reporters after being shelled by the Yankees. “You’re just not used to it. You have a routine your whole life, then you come here and just (have to) work around whatever you have here.”
While Severino typically would walk into the clubhouse in between innings or even jump on the exercise bike to keep his legs moving, the A’s clubhouse is located behind the left-field fence, keeping Severino trapped in the dugout.
The impact?
Severino’s ERA at the A’s temporary home is 6.75 in six starts.
His road ERA is 0.95 in three starts.
– Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, who drove in six runs May 16 from the leadoff spot to tie a franchise record, is also the first Cubs player to hit at least 12 homers, drive in 30 runs and steal 10 bases in the first 45 games of the season.
“It’s fun to see a player take another step,’ Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “He’s taking a step up defensively. He’s taking a big step offensively. It’s an impact player.’
– Phillies starter Aaron Nola, who has badly struggled this year (1-7, 6.16 ERA), will miss his first start since 2017 after hitting the IL. Nola had been baseball’s ultimate workhorse, pitching an MLB-leading 1,482 ⅓ innings with 217 starts.
– Don’t look now, but the Colorado Rockies, after firing manager Bub Black and employing their third hitting coach in six weeks, are off to the worst start in baseball history and are now on pace to go 26-136, obliterating the White Sox’s record of 121 losses set last year.
The Rockies are hitting just .184 on the road where they’ve gone 2-21, and entered May 17 having been outscored by 145 runs.
– The only team in Tigers history that had a better run differential (87) than this year’s edition after 45 games is that famous 1984 Tigers team, who went wire-to-wire.
– The Atlanta organization was pleased that Ronald Acuña Jr. apologized to manager Brian Snitker and his teammates for his social media comment last month criticizing Snitker for not benching outfielder Jarred Kelenic when he did not run hard out of the batter’s box after hitting a ball that he mistakenly thought was a home run.
“If it were me,’ Acuna said, “they would take me out of the game.”
Acuña said he simply was frustrated being away from the team when he tweeted out his comment.
“I was in the wrong,’ he said in a press conference this week. “I shouldn’t have done that. But thankfully I was able to apologize to Snit, man-to-man, to his face. I was able to apologize to my teammates. And now we’re just turning the page and moving on.”
Acuña, who is recovering from his second ACL tear, should be able to return in time for Atlanta’s next home stand beginning May 23.
–Can we go ahead and give the Comeback Player of the Year award to Detroit Tigers center fielder/shortstop Javy Baez? He played in just 80 games last season hitting .184 with a .516 OPS and was in danger of being released, even with three years and $73 million left on his contract.
These days, he is hitting .307 with a .855 OPS and has played brilliantly defensively in center field. He has already matched last year’s total of six home runs and his 28 RBIs are just nine shy of last season.
‘It just goes to show, you can’t write guys off,’ Tigers starter Jack Flaherty told reporters. “You can’t give up on guys, especially a guy like that who is as talented as anybody who has ever played that game and someone, who as I’ve gotten to know him, is going to work hard. The adjustments he’s been able to make, even just embracing the move to center field, I’m so happy for him. It’s awesome to see.’
– Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman still needs 90 minutes of treatment on his surgically repaired right ankle just to play each day, is hitting .358 with a 1.097 OPS, and credits his soft single off Pirates ace Paul Skenes’ changeup on April 25 for his soaring confidence.
“That’s when my confidence in my swing kind of skyrocketed, was after that hit,’ said Freeman, who was hitting .250 at the time. “Sometimes you just need a result.’
Freeman says his ankle probably won’t be 100% until at least after the All-Star break.
– Who would have thought that the best rookie in baseball this year would be Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson, who is hitting .341 with a .853 OPS, with his 58 hits trailing only Aaron Judge?
– In 1975, pitchers threw a complete game once every 3.7 starts.
Now, look at what’s happened, according to Codify Baseball.
- 1985: 1 of every 6.7 starts
- 1995: 1 of every 14.7 starts
- 2005: 1 of every 25.7 starts
- 2015: 1 of every 46.7 starts
- 2025: 1 of every 247.2 starts.
– You know the AL Central is a whole lot stronger than envisioned when the Minnesota Twins win 12 consecutive games and pick up only three games in the standings.
– The New York Mets not only are winning on the field, but at the gate, too.
They are fifth in attendance this year, averaging 37,027, behind the Dodgers, Padres, Yankees and Phillies.
A year ago, they were 17th, averaging 29,484.
– The San Francisco Giants are 9-0 when Robbie Ray starts.
They are 17-19 when he does not.
– The first-place Chicago Cubs, with the White Sox, Marlins, Reds, Rockies and Nationals on their upcoming schedule, don’t play a team with a winning record again until June 6 when they face the Tigers.
– The glory age of putrid: Since 1961, when baseball went to a 162-game schedule, 14 teams have lost 110 games or more in a single season.
Well, seven of those have occurred since 2013, including five of the last six seasons with the Rockies now making sure that streak continues.
– Welcome back, 37-year-old Clayton Kershaw and 78-year old coach Gene Lamont.
Kershaw, who tied a franchise record by playing in 18 seasons with the Dodgers, entered the May 17 game with 2,968 career strikeouts, 32 shy of becoming only the 20th pitcher in major league history to reach 3,000.
Lamont is joining the Pirates as a special adviser to Don Kelly. It will be his third stint with the Pirates organization, originally joining the Pirates in 1986 as one of Jim Leyland’s coaches.
Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale
This post appeared first on USA TODAY
