 And we are back once again here on Yankees hot stove on yes as we continue from the winter meetings in Las Vegas We spun the roulette wheel and landed on 17 Aaron Boone joining us now the Yankees manager Let's talk about the end of last season 100 wins by anybody's account a terrific regular season But you don't get to where you want to go. So how do you sort of mentally all take that in? Well, it's an abrupt end of the season You know, especially when you have a team that you feel is capable of winning the ultimate prize You know, we're one of those teams that certainly had a chance to do that So when it comes crashing down and in end so suddenly It stinks, you know and and but it's also kind of why we do this It's why you jump back into that competition and why you you love kind of being in the arena and chasing that prize and we feel like You know as a club we're in a position not only short term But continuing to be in a good position long term to have a chance to climb back up and chase it down again Aaron a couple of days after that abrupt ending you sat at Yankee Stadium Even dissected some of your own moves. Maybe you would have made a different pitching move here or there What were the greatest lessons you learned in your first season as manager and how will you incorporate them in year two? Yeah, you know I people ask me all the time about you know, do you look back and reflect? Every day is a reflection. You know, I mean you're you know, especially doing it for the first time you're learning You kind of come in and take stock each and every night when loss You know decision you made that worked out that maybe didn't So it's a constant learning situation and that continues in the winter as I'm you know, I obviously live back east now So I'm at the ballpark most days in there You know talking through ideas talking through situations Talking in the office with you know, things we're considering doing as a club as far as acquisitions and stuff So it's it's a learning experience each and every day even in the winter time It's no secret Miguel and do our had an unbelievable season. Did you ever anticipate that type of production? And what can he do to now build on that in year two? You know that level of production is hard to envision because for as good a club as we had a hundred wins As good an offensive club as we had he was really probably the one constant from beginning to end He was really consistent You know, we obviously dealt with some key guys being down with different injuries other guys struggled at times Mickey was the one guy that night in and night out just seemed so productive and You know, I think going into the season We all knew that he was capable of being an elite hitter in this league and you wonder at what time does that come? It came very early for him and he was able to repeat it basically on a nightly basis. So Not shocked, but to see a young player have as great a season as he did. That's at least a pleasant surprise All right, all the easy questions out of the way. What are you guys doing? Break some news here? What's going on behind closed doors that we don't know about who do you want? Who are you close to getting? Yeah, not much so far. I mean we're we're obviously In cash and is engaged in a lot of conversations bouncing a lot of different ideas concepts off other clubs off all of our guys in the room as we kind of brainstorm and continue to kind of keep up the Conversation frankly, we have all winter long where we're talking about ideas to to try and make us better and You know It's been slow. I would say for the most part so far today, but those conversations those text messages those those Ideas are are getting ramped up a little bit now that we are here is the conversation with regard to DD a shortstop Is that you feel that's solvable a solvable from within or do you have to go get some help? It's absolutely solvable from within, you know that said that is an area where I know cash is working really hard to kick Every kind of option through the trade market through free agency So we're certainly trying to upgrade that and and trying to at least get somebody from a stopgap to a long-term Solution in in there, but we feel like we have really good options internally, too We saw Glaber move over to shortstop for a few weeks last year. It's a position. He played throughout his minor league career so we feel like Glaber's Versatility gives us some flexibility where we go as far as do we need a shortstop? Do we need a second baseman those kind of things? Hopefully give us greater avenues to go acquire somebody and one of those solutions could be Manny Machado Obviously one of the marquee names on the free agent market You're smiling because I'm sure any manager would love to have Manny Machado penciled into the lineup But he also has to fit within the parameters that the Yankees are comfortable with What's your thought process on Machado and how he could or would fit in with the Yankees? It feels very early in the game. You know, I know cash is spoken to to to their representatives but I would say it's very early in the game and and I Don't even know if in the end we we go down that road or not, but You know, that'll something that'll kind of unfold over the probably the next week or a couple weeks where you know We start to have those conversations and if it seems like a fit then I'm sure we'll be involved But I don't think we've as an organization made that final decision if we're gonna be all that on something Brian Cashman has been very clear. He wants another starting pitcher I'm sure you win another starting pitcher as well Do you expect that to come via the free agent market or more so a trade situation? I wouldn't be surprised either way, honestly I mean those are even today the conversations that we're having with other clubs about trade options Obviously, we're engaged with with guys that are free agents that that could impact our staff. It's certainly a big-time priority for us and something that we're Involved heavily in with I would say right now But I would would not be surprised sitting here if it came from either one It's funny because people looking at the Yankees will have to do something because the Red Sox won the world series But as Jack said earlier, you guys want a hundred games. I Don't think you're that far off and you know the president the Yankees Randy Levine said a week ago I think we're just as good as the Red Sox if not better the way we're presently constituted So is that a delicate balance? We like what we have here because we want 100 games. Do we have to do that much? I Think that's fair. We do feel like we're one of the elite clubs in Major League Baseball And I think there's no arguing that the Red Sox were obviously a little bit better than us a little bit better than everyone In the season that they had but I think hopefully Hopefully, you know in years that we just had hopefully When we win a championship You're always going to be tinkering with things You're always going to be trying to make improvements and that's gonna happen Hopefully when we climb to the top of the mountain as well because it's inevitable that things change and evolve and and I think you've got to constantly be Making little moves that that help help Let you grow I guess Aaron one of the players that is a cornerstone of this team and is so important to the future is Gary Sanchez Brian Cashman in the past has called him a budding MVP candidate hit under 200 last year had some issues defensively How do you make sure that the Yankees get the best out of Gary Sanchez? Yeah It's something that we're all really invested in I think we as an organization Me certainly really believe in the player really believe in Gary really believe in in the person that he is And and and really hope that going through a season that he just had where he dealt with some injuries Obviously he had some struggles Offensively struggled at times behind the plate, but I think we also saw a lot of progress in a lot of areas defensively You know, I thought we saw a lot of the receiving things take up We still see the massive potential he has and really slowing down a running game. I feel like he did really well at Calling a game having executing the game plan And we really feel like, you know, some of the offensive struggles that he dealt with I Think a lot was a little bit unlucky and then as a hitter man And I'm nowhere near as good a hitter as Gary will be or as has been It can snowball and you know, you start pressing a little bit when you're not getting results And I think that happened with him a little bit But I think we all see and and you guys probably on the desk and people within the industry understand His potential his ceiling it's on all of us including Gary to get that out of him And hopefully we'll see see that return next year and him continue to grow while it was still a productive season For John Carlos Stanton it was a bit of a roller coaster of a season for him with ups and downs His agent came out and said he's going to be a different player this time around more comfortable Did you notice him getting more comfortable as the season went on and do you expect a different player? I just had a conversation with someone actually walking over here and you know, and I and I I think conveyed this throughout the year I think you guys witnessed it to some degree His buy-in the person that he was day in and day out He was awesome. He was such a pro He was so invested in being part of the team and getting comfortable in pinstripes getting settled into a new situation And yeah, he had some up and ups and downs, but he ends up with you know, 38 homers 100 RBI's massively productive Over the course of it, but but I do believe yeah, there's a lot more in there Even with John Carlos even the season he just had and hopefully him being settled him being comfortable in his environment now Will allow him to have an even more consistent season. Are you guys looking for first baseman or is your first baseman either void or bird? Yeah, I would say it's void or bird now And Luke certainly, you know grab that position with what he was able to do the final two months of the season He kind of has earned That position and that performance has staying power you think Luke's I do and and and you know When you watch his at bats last year and and again I go back to a lot of our guys in the front office that Identified him behind the scenes as a guy. They believed Could be the kind of player he was when he came here And and to witness it to watch him really control the strike zone to have quality at bats Not just come up and hit 10 homers in a month and just run into balls. It was good at bats throughout his time time with us and and hopefully it's a it's something that he can build on and but we also Believe in Greg bird and his ceiling and hopefully if he can come in healthy Push Luke Luke create that kind of competition if you will You know inevitably there'll be an opportunity For bird to jump in there and we still believe that there's a real high ceiling for him But you never know where the off-season is going to go either with Different conversations. We're having different moves that kind of changed the game a little bit So that's all up in the air, you know in these next couple months Aaron great stuff as always if you're holding the 17. Do you hit are you solo the gambler? I meant to play last night. I will try and play tonight and hopefully Thanks for joining us