Insider shares if Yankees' Aaron Boone is safe after disastrous season

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone made it known earlier this week that his future with the organization is "out of my hands" amid the final days of a disappointing season. 

It appears Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner and senior vice president/general manager Brian Cashman haven't yet made a final decision about Boone's status. 

For a piece published Wednesday, Yankees insider Bob Klapisch of NJ Advance Media reported that "one person familiar" with Steinbrenner "believes there will be 'massive' changes in the way the Yankees do business in 2024" even though it's widely thought Cashman will stay put through the offseason. 

"It’s still uncertain whether the overhaul will cost Aaron Boone his job, but Steinbrenner is committed to finding out what went wrong and how to fix it," Klapisch noted. 

Steinbrenner told Mark Didtler of The Associated Press in late August that "we’re looking to bring in possibly an outside company to really take a look at the analytics side (and baseball operations) of what we do" following what the so-called "Baby Boss" called an "obviously unacceptable" campaign. The eliminated Yankees began Wednesday at 80-77 and a whopping 18 games back of the first-place Baltimore Orioles in the American League East standings. 

One person who has spoken with Steinbrenner told Klapisch that the owner "has had enough" of falling short of goals and of the fact that the Yankees haven't played in a World Series since they won the 2009 Fall Classic. 

Boone guided the Yankees to the playoffs each year from 2018 through 2022 and repeatedly has received public support from players such as All-Star slugger and captain Aaron Judge. Klapisch wrote that his source says that "Hal would prefer to not fire" the skipper but also realizes Boone's style "has made him the players' friend" over the years. 

Such a bond is admirable but hasn't yet produced even a trip to the World Series. 

"...I don’t get the sense today’s players are afraid of their managers," one former Yankee told Klapisch. "I’m not just talking about the Yankees, it’s every team. ...Billy Martin was crazy, but the players didn’t dare cross him. And Lou (Piniella) was out of his mind. He’d get in your face. That was another guy whether you wanted to admit it or not, you were afraid of. I don’t see that with Boonie."