Sean Casey believes TV work prepared him for Yankees job

Earlier this week, the New York Yankees raised a few eyebrows, hiring former All-Star and baseball analyst Sean Casey as interim hitting coach. While some may doubt how Casey will fare, he believes his work on television as a baseball analyst will be an invaluable asset at his new job. 

Speaking with reporters Wednesday, Casey likened his time with MLB Network to being on the bench.

"MLB Network has made me so ready for this job," Casey said, via Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. "I've basically been a coach for a long time." 

After retiring from baseball in 2008, following a 12-year career, Casey didn't stray far from the game, joining the flagship station for baseball while also serving as the color commentator for the Cincinnati Reds, with whom he played eight seasons from 1998 to 2005. 

With the Yankees mired in a teamwide hitting slump, they fired hitting coach Dillon Lawson on Sunday, turning to Casey, buddy and former teammate of manager Aaron Boone. Casey said he's eager to see his players in the cage and live game-action but noticed "tension" throughout the lineup on film.

"I know in this game, when you struggle, the anxiety kind of creeps in a little bit," Casey said, via SNY. "You're chasing a little bit more. You're swinging earlier than you would like because you want to do so well."

The longtime first baseman's baseball resume may speak for itself, but whether or not he can add a successful coaching credential to it remains to be seen. The task in front of Casey is a tall one, attempting to turn around a Yankees lineup ranked 27th in average (.231), 26th in on-base percentage (.300) and 21st in OPS (.710).