On this day in Yankees history: Brett bangs and Boone gets tossed
One year ago today the Yankees became savages in the box.
During the bottom of the second inning in a two-two game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium, Aaron Boone had some choice words for rookie umpire Brennan Miller.
Miller, who was behind the plate for only the fifth time in his career, made numerous calls that made the Yankees players and managers question his accuracy.
It started in the top of the first when Miller called three straight balls for Domingo German, whose pitches seemed pretty spot on. Gary Sanchez, who normally doesn’t have much to say, turned to Miller in disappointment and said something but nothing really came of the interaction.
Brett Bangs
The bad calls didn’t end there. In the bottom of the 1st after a double by DJ LeMahieu, Aaron Judge was called out on seemingly low strikes.
But everything really got heated in the bottom of the 2nd. Brett Gardner was called out on a 1-2 pitch and wasn't happy about it at all. Gardy returned to the dugout and slammed his bat repeatedly into the bat rack and dugout roof. This moment affectionately becomes know as the “Brett Bangs” moment. Later in the season, players wore shirts that depicted the moment and mimicked Gardner.
Savages in the box
As Gardy banged and Boone started to yell, DJ made his way to the plate. It only took one pitch for the quietest guy in the league to turn to Miller and say, “Brennan, that’s so far outside, that so far outside right there."
Miller was now faced with DJ and Boone having something to say simultaneously which lead him to ejecting Boone.
It still wasn’t over. Boone quickly sprinted out of the dugout, got into Miller's face and started on the rant no Yankee fan will ever forget.
“My guys are f— savages in that f— box!”
Yankee fans and players alike cheered as Boone made his way off the field.
It was Boone’s third ejection of the season and seventh of his career as a manager.
“Savages in the box” became the rallying cry in the Bronx for the remainder of the 2019 season.