Buck Could Be The 2024 New York Yankees ‘Don Zimmer’

You will get little argument from anyone that Buck Showalter knows the game of baseball inside-and-out. At 67, Showalter could easily get another thankless MLB managerial job, dependent on over-paid players, under the microscope of social media's thirst for coaches' blood. Sounds fun?

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Or, old friend, New York Yankees' general manager Brian Cashman could bring Buck back to the organization that gave him his managerial start. Cashman could put Showalter in a key role, that when filled with a grizzled veteran of the Major League Baseball managerial ranks, brought tremendous success to the Pinstripes. Showalter could be manager Aaron Boone's 'Don Zimmer.'

Zimmer was a baseball lifer, much like Showalter. Don Zimmer debuted for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1954 and died in 2014, as member of the coaching staff of the Tampa Bay Rays. Zimmer played for 6 MLB teams, managed 4 and coached 8, with over 60 years in Major League Baseball. However, Yankee fans will always be thankful that Zimmer brought all of that knowledge to New York to sit next to Joe Torre from 1996-2003 and win 4 World Series rings. Could Buck Showalter have that same effect on Aaron Boone?

The simple answer is, yes. Showalter, if willing to give up his own World Series managerial aspirations and the money that will be thrown at him to return to the broadcast booth, would an amazing asset to Boone, who sort of learned to manage a baseball team on the fly, for the most storied franchise in baseball history, in the largest media market in the world. Easy, right? Showalter, like Zimmer would bring a vast amount managerial expertise to Boone and provide a situational sounding-board that few MLB dugouts would possess.

The biggest roadblock in making this a reality for New York would likely be Buck Showalter, for the reasons stated above. However, the attraction of bringing the New York Yankees back to the World Series and being a key part of that, could be enough to entice Showalter to do this. Would Boone be threatened by having Showalter lurking in the background waiting to take over? He shouldn't be. It doesn't matter what sport or occupation, the best managers should want the best people around them, to help make the best decisions, for the team to succeed. Period. If you are scared to lose your job because the people working for you are smart, get out of your managerial role. There is little doubt you are costing your team.

I will leave you with this. Buck Showalter has managed 3393 Major League Baseball games, including 313 for the Bronx Bombers. Current New York Yankees bench coach, 43-year old Carlos Mendoza has not managed a single big league game, except when Boone gets kicked out, which can be often. Sounding-boards, rather bench coaches, provide perspective to help a manager make the best decisions. It helps when they have some. Maybe, Buck could harass the umpires, so Boone doesn't get under their skin. Just a thought. This is a win-win, for a dedicated baseball man and the New York Yankees.