Aaron Boone gives off a lanky surfer vibe before and after games. He is cool, calm and connected to inner peace. His eyes are mischievous, not vicious. His tone reassuring, not reverberating.
Before a recent game I went off about something bothering me in the business while we stood near the Yankee Stadium home dugout, and Boone responded by giggling at my 0-to-60 fury, giving me a look like how could someone go so quickly from making a point to unhinged?
But then games begin, and more this year than last, Boone transforms from Dr. Jekyll to certified — from serene to, well, savage.