Why was Sean Casey hired as Yankees hitting coach? Past with Aaron Boone possibly behind former analyst's appointment
The New York Yankees were not without a hitting coach for long as they've recently named Sean Casey the successor to Dillon Lawson. There are a lot of reasons the Yankees might have hired Casey, most notably his experience hitting in the big leagues. He had a career .302 average and a 109 OPS+.
However, his connection with Yankees manager Aaron Boone may have also helped land him the spot. It doesn't hurt for Sean Casey have known the man he now reports to.
Both players were teammates on the Cincinnati Reds, which is not likely the main reason he was hired, but it is certainly a factor. Brian Cashman, who has never fired a coach mid-season until now, stated that they wanted someone in step with Boone. That appears to be Casey.
When did Sean Casey and Aaron Boone play together?
Aaron Boone is often known most as a former Yankee player turned manager. However, that's far from the only team he played for. From 1997 to 2003, he played for the Cincinnati Reds before being traded to the Yankees for his one stint in pinstripes.
Dyring that time, Sean Casey was a teammate. He was a Red from 1998 to 2005, so he outlasted Boone a little bit, but they still spent five and a half seasons as teammates with the Reds.
Now, they'll work together to try and turn the season around and resurrect the Yankees offense.