Aaron Boone subtly attributes success of Rays' ruthless team-building strategy to lower fan expectations: "They can do a lot of things we can't do"

As the manager of the New York Yankees there are expectations on Aaron Boone to take certain decisions in particular ways.

That is clearly motivated by factors such as the enormous payroll, heavy fan expectations and just the pressure of playing in a big-league market like New York. As the Yankees play out their series against the Rays, this becomes more evident.

In a post match interview after the 5-4 loss to Tampa Bay in the opener, Boone talked about how Rays' succes can be attributed to their organisational structure.

The Yankees manager hinted at this ruthless structure and just the $60 million payroll that helps the Rays in dictating certain terms. The difference in the $230 million with the Yankees is a result of the Rays offloading players before they sign huge contracts.

“They can do some things that we can’t do,” Boone said. “I’ll just say that. They can do a lot of things that we can’t do.”

In the longer run the effect of the fanbase on the team's ability to please them also becomes important. The Rays make it easier for themselves by not letting fans get attached to a certain player over the longer run. By trading away strong talents they do not ensure loyal fans but also do not lose out on the expectations graph.

Aaron Boone explains that an organisation's success doesn't need to depend on the money

Aaron Boone also said that a franchise's direction isn't determined by how much they're spending:

"I’m just saying: It’s not always about money,” Boone said. “I think every team, every organization has their challenges. Every organization has their advantages. We always just point to the money part of it, and certainly, that’s a big one to consider. The ability to have [a big] payroll or not.

“It’s just not always black and white. The bottom line is they got a great organization and know what they’re doing, obviously. But I believe that with us, too.”

Aaron Boone's words truly reflect the difference in the styles of handling a baseball club. Regardless of the style, both sets of fans will be hoping their team wins some silverware at the end of the year.