Don't Let Yankees' Win Over Indians Overshadow Aaron Boone Setting Bullpen up to Fail

Don't simply box score scout and assume everything is rosy around the New York Yankees following an extra innings win over the Cleveland Indians.

While most Yankee fans have to be pretty happy with Aaron Boone's job as manager, one area where Joe Girardi was demonstratively better was bullpen management. Sunday's game (along with Friday and Saturday) encapsulated that perfectly.

After Chad Green opened with two solid innings and Nestor Cortes pitched three excellent frames, Boone went to Tommy Kahnle, who didn't have it from the first pitch. Rather than give him a quick hook, he let Kahnle struggle on the mound, which allowed four runs to cross the plate and put the Tribe within one.

But forget about what happened today. Boone pretty much was happy punting the first two games of the series after the team went down by two runs with three innings to go.

On Friday he threw in David Hale after the Yankees blew a two-run lead and then he went to Jonathan Holder on Saturday after the exact same scenario. The result? Hale gives up a run to extend the Indians' lead to three and Holder gives up three runs to extend the deficit to five. While Hale's run didn't end up being a big deal, Holder's were, as the Yankees scored two runs the very next inning which would have tied the game.

Yes, Boone didn't give up those runs, but these are moments where managerial acumen can shine, and he's failed at these junctures. Whether it's bringing in the wrong guy, letting fresh relievers continue to rest, or overworking others, something's off here.

Boone is the type of manager who deploys Holder regularly, will use Adam Ottavino in the sixth inning, and only puts Aroldis Chapman into the game during save situations. The Yankees have an excellent bullpen, but Boone is committed to making every game a nail-biter through poor management of his relievers.