TAMPA — He hit one of the most memorable homers in major league history against the Red Sox one October day.
That is basically how Bucky Dent got to be Yankees manager. Aaron Boone, too.
Let’s face it: If Dent pops out against Mike Torrez in the seventh inning on Oct. 2, 1978, or Boone singles to lead off the 11th inning against Tim Wakefield on Oct. 16, 2003, do they even get considered by Yankees decision-makers?
I have thought about Dent a lot lately because of the Boone comparison, remembering just how ill-prepared Dent was to manage, lacking in high-end communication skills or a sense of calm or gravitas — or the kind of baseball intellect that could overcome the other deficits.