Does the next Yankees manager have to have Yankee connections?
Ever since Ralph Houk took over for Casey Stengel in 1961, the majority of managers hired by the Yankees have had some connection to the team in their past — Yogi Berra, Billy Martin, Lou Piniella, Buck Showalter, Joe Girardi.
Joe Torre is an obvious exception, but, as a native New Yorker, he entered the job with a deep-rooted knowledge about all things pinstripes. He was in the stands for Don Larsen’s perfect game in 1956 and watched his brother, Frank, play at Yankee Stadium for the Braves in the 1957 and ’58 World Series, meaning he attended three straight World Series in the Bronx long before he won three straight for the Bronx.