When the New York Yankees have their regularly scheduled early playoff exit or another June swoon, the analytics boogeyman is usually the scapegoat. It doesn’t matter that the Los Angeles Dodgers, one of the most data-driven teams in sports, are the cream of the crop as far as number crunching goes and are back in the World Series.

Manager Aaron Boone is usually at the center of fans’ ire for more reasons than one, but the biggest objection is that he has no heartbeat and relies heavily on numbers. Ask most any fan around Yankee Stadium or on social media during games what they feel the main issue with Boone is, and they say he does everything by the book, and some may even express that the front office pulls the strings for him.

Aaron Boone is No Yankees Puppet

The idea that Boone has no say over lineups is something that Brian Cashman mentioned this week. He dispelled that notion after it was raised at the Fox Postgame desk by Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez. According to Cashman, Boone has full autonomy with his decisions.

Chris Kirschner confirmed that during his Reddit AMA. According to Kirschner, while the Yankees do have a hands-on approach to many facets of their organization, they allow Boone and his coaches to make in-game decisions.

“I know the Yankees get routinely criticized for the front office giving Boone and his staff instructions on how he should manage that night’s game,” The Athletic’s beat writer for the New York Yankees said during his AMA. “What I can tell you is that they do have conversations at every level, but Boone and his staff have 100 percent liberty to coach how they want, which includes making lineups.”

The idea that Boone is under control has been raised in the past. On one occasion, the GM said that his manager is “no puppet.”

This quote came during the 2020 postseason after another disappointing loss against an American League East rival.

Oct 5, 2020; San Diego, California, USA; New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone (left) celebrates with right fielder Aaron Judge (right) after game one of the 2020 ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images / Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images

“There’s that narrative about the manager being a puppet, none of that is true,’’ Cashman said five postmortem pressers ago, according to Dan Martin of the New York Post. “I’ve never ordered a manager to do anything. People want to believe whatever they want to believe. I just know we have a healthy, strong process and one that we’re proud of.”

While Boone has autonomy, the organization does value feedback at every level. Kirschner made mention of that in his AMA.

“The Yankees are a pretty inclusive organization, meaning all voices are heard at every level. For instance — and I know this is not the case for every team — but for the draft, they will fly in every single scout they employ and have them in the room. That goes for the most minor scout they have.”