World Series Analysis: Tim Wakefield Made Aaron Boone Yankees Manager

On Wednesday night, I watched episode one of The Comeback. The episode reinforces every negative feeling I’ve ever had about the New York Yankees. They’re (rightfully) portrayed as vile, holier-than-thou people who think baseball is something other than a game. Not that you need reminding, but the 2003 Red Sox season that’s highlighted in that episode was ended by Aaron Boone’s walk-off home run in game seven of the ALCS. Tim Wakefield pitched a great game, but in the 11th inning, he threw a knuckleball that didn’t quite knuckle and found its way to the seats.

Fast forward to 2018, and the Yankees are looking for a new manager. Rather than hiring someone with coaching experience, they hired Aaron Boone. Boone jumped from TV analyst to boss of the Yankees in one off-season. There could have been other teams interested in hiring Boone, but his status as a Yankees hero may have played some part in the decision. (Note: Despite beating the Red Sox, the Yankees did not win the 2003 World Series).

By Yankee standards, Boone’s tenure has been unsuccessful. While they’ve consistently been in the playoffs, this is the first year they’ve advanced to the World Series. In Boone’s first World Series game last night against the Dodgers, he made the decision to insert Nestor Cortes in the game with one out in the bottom of the tenth inning. Some might describe the decision as questionable, but I would describe it as certifiably insane.

Cortes is a pitcher who relies on command and deception above all else. His stuff is okay, but he lacks velocity and often uses trickery to keep hitters off balance. He also hadn’t pitched in over a month entering tonight’s game. You don’t put a pitcher on your roster if you don’t think they can provide something in the series. You also don’t put a pitcher who relies on command in the game with the bases loaded and three former MVPs coming to the plate for his first appearance in several weeks.

Hindsight is 20-20, but what was Boone thinking? Cortes will come in and suddenly start throwing 95 MPH with pristine command? Did he think this was a direct-to-TV Disney movie starring a crafty lefty with a shitty mustache? Was he expecting Cortes to sneak a 92 MPH fastball by Freddie Freeman? No, he thought Cortes had been throwing the ball really well recently.

I don’t want to give Aaron Boone advice, but he should consider the situation the next time he makes a decision like this. Cortes had been throwing the ball really well over the last few weeks — against nobody. Throwing a bullpen during rehab is very different than pitching to future Hall-of-Famers with a World Series game on the line.

In short, thank you, Tim Wakefield, for throwing a knuckleball that didn’t knuckle. It was an integral domino in the series of events that led to reversing the curse, and ensuring the Yankees have an absolute bozo calling the shots.