New Yankees hitting coach Sean Casey confident he can help
Former Reds first baseman Sean Casey speaks during ceremonies enshrining him into the team's Hall of Fame prior to a game against the Twins on June 23, 2012, in Cincinnati. Credit: AP/Al Behrman
There was no recitation of numbers.
No pithy slogans.
Sean Casey’s introductory news conference as the new Yankees’ hitting coach – for at least the rest of this season – on Wednesday afternoon contained none of those things. And the primary reason for this news conference, Casey taking over mid-season for the fired Dillon Lawson, could best be summarized by the 49-year-old himself.
“I’m a people person,” Casey said via Zoom.
Indeed, general manager Brian Cashman said on Sunday he made the first in-season coaching change of his tenure, which began in 1998, essentially because he felt this group of players will “be better served with a different messenger.”
Casey played 12 seasons in the majors, including from 1998-2005 with Cincinnati where he earned the nickname “The Mayor” because of his outgoing personality. His time there overlapped with Aaron Boone, who became a close friend.
Casey, who said Wednesday his “childhood idol” was Don Mattingly, retired after the 2008 season and spent the last 15 years as an MLB Network analyst.
His first time wearing a coach’s uniform will be Friday night in Denver when the Yankees start a three-game series against the Rockies.
“I know how to lead,” said Casey, who earlier in the news conference said during his playing career he felt he was “one of the best leaders in the clubhouses.”
And, make no mistake, those years spent in a big-league clubhouse were instrumental in Casey landing the job.
“I’m looking forward to relating to these guys,” Casey said. “There’s nothing (they’ve experienced) that I haven’t seen or experienced. I’m looking forward to connecting with them right away.”
Additionally: “MLB Network has set me up in a way to be an incredible coach. I’ve been coaching 15 years on air having to break down games, players, (situations). MLB Network has made me so ready for this job, there’s no doubt about it.”
How effective the move turns out to be remains to be seen.
And the lack of long-term commitment by either party is representative in the deal Casey reached – he signed a contract for the remainder of the 2023 season and that is all. Once the season ends, both sides will reevaluate, then discuss 2024 and potentially beyond.
Which isn’t to say Casey, with whom the Yankees talked to last January about a job on Boone’s staff, isn’t confident.
Asked if he can get a slumping offense going, Casey, who for personal reasons wasn’t in a position to take the job that was discussed in January, practically leaped through the computer screen.
“100%,” he said. “I’ve been there, where I’ve had underachieving first halves. I know I’m going to be able to tap into these guys. This team’s too talented.”
The Yankees are in the midst of a 14-17 slide since June 4, the day after Aaron Judge suffered a right big toe sprain in Los Angeles, an injury for which there still is no timetable for the outfielder’s return. The Yankees hit .218 with a .288 on-base percentage and averaged 3.8 runs per game in that 31-game stretch, with the struggles of established veterans like Josh Donaldson, Giancarlo Stanton, DJ LeMahieu and Anthony Rizzo becoming even more pronounced in Judge’s absence.
Sitting at 49-42 and in fourth place in the American League East, the Yankees, though ranked third in the AL in home runs (129) at the All-Star break, were ninth in runs (400 in 91 games), tied for 13th in batting average (.231), tied for 11th in on-base percentage (.300) and eighth in OPS (.710).
Casey, who said he’s texted with pretty much every player since being hired and talked via phone to Judge, Rizzo, Donaldson, Harrison Bader and Anthony Volpe, said, “I see some tension” in watching video of the lineup lately.
“I know in this game when you’re struggling, the anxiety creeps in … and maybe you’re chasing a little bit because you want to do so well,” Casey said. “I’m looking forward to getting in the cage with these guys.”
Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.
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