Yankees’ Aaron Boone ‘pretty fired up’ in closed-door meeting

A Yankees player described manager Aaron Boone as “pretty fired up” for at least a moment during a closed-door meeting before Wednesday’s Wild Card Game.

NEW YORK — Yankees manager Aaron Boone didn’t want to get into the message he had for his players in a closed-door meeting Tuesday. 

“We’re ready,” Boone said was the gist. “And, you know, it was just for our room.”

Several Yankees players also declined comment on the speech before the Yankees took on the Oakland A’s in the American League Wild Card Game at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday.

But one player let slip that Boone got “pretty fired up.” The player spoke on the condition of anonymity because he didn’t want to be identified discussing private team matters.

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Boone said that he gathered the Yankees briefly following their workout Tuesday.

“I spoke to the team (Tuesday) briefly, short and sweet,” the rookie manager said. “So, you know, I try and communicate with the guys as much as I can individually, collectively, throughout the year. But I did address them as a club yesterday just for a couple of minutes.”

Boone has gained a reputation for being mostly calm and reserved, particularly when speaking to the media, and as a good clubhouse communicator.

But there have been times when Boone has tried to rile up his players.

After the Yankees clinched a playoff berth in late-September, he was video recorded telling the team, “Let’s go finish this deal this week and go beat some ass” in the playoffs just before the team popped the corks on its champagne bottles and celebrated.

Brendan Kuty may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.