On the night the Yankees won the 2009 World Series, while driving home to White Plains, Joe Girardi stopped on the side of the road to help a stranded motorist. That says it all.
One evening in the mid 80's I found a drunk kid on campus and rolled him onto his side so he wouldn't suffocate on his own puke. You might call us heroes but that just embarrasses people like me and Joe.
Replacing Joe Girardi may or may not prove to be a good move. Time will tell. Regardless , what strikes me is how some readers of this blog dismiss Joe as a poor manager that has been holding the team back. In 10 years his teams won 910 regular season games and a World Series with mainly an aging line up. While some people tend to focus on his tactical mistakes ,which all managers make, little is said of the calm leadership he has provided in the pressure cooker of NY sports. Joe did a masterful job of protecting his players from the media circus and let them focus on their play.
It is often said teams take on the personality of their managers. The 2017 Yankees were mentally tough, never quit, stayed calm in good times and bad, were a team that supported each other, worked hard and won a bunch more games than expected. Thanks for a good run Joe.
Ghost, I have been quite hard on Joey Blue Binders, however I can admit his high points. I think his greatest year was 2013 when he managed a lineup of Vernon Wells, Jason Nix, Travis Hafner, and a cavalcade of career minor leaguers to a record over .500 - he should have won manager of the year for that.
But what drove everyone nuts was his near OCD management of the bullpen and the insanity of how he determined his lineups. This guy goes in that inning because he's my 7th inning guy regardless of his recent struggles and over usage (and the starting pitcher cruising). Oh he's burnt out by August, I can't fathom why. This guy is 7-8 over the past two days, better rest him because he's a career 1-5 against today's starting pitcher and this other guy is a little better, 1-4. Players win and lose games in the end, but I can think of 7 losses off the top of my head this year that were 100% on Joe.
Years ago when I was in high school our basketball team, which was and is perennially terrible, was one of the best in the state. Team was a juggernaut that made it to the state semi's where they lost. My dad always blamed them losing on the coach. He said the guy never had any talented players and once he got it he had no idea what to do with it. I think the same holds true with Girardi, he was great managing scraps, but give him a full roster and he flounders.
I appreciate your point of view and agree sometimes Joe would make some moves you could debate. My point is that on the whole he did a good job with the teams he had. I would disagree that he flounders when he has a good team. His best teams with the Yankees were the four years from 2009 to 2013 . During those four years his teams averaged 97.5 regular season wins and won a World Series. And ,even those teams had their weak spots. The decline had begun.
That said ,he is gone. As I have said it may be a good move . Ten years is a long time for a manager,especially in NY. It takes its toll. I hope Cashman has a plan and finds a better manager. Time will tell.
Stop whining. He's gone. He was high-strung, glowering, erratic, unloved by his players, a nonstop bad-vibe generator, and an impediment to management's wishes to remain competitive in the application of advanced analytics. Cashman had to twist his arm a few years ago into using infield shifts--that sort of thing. Notwithstanding his reputation as "Joey Binders"--and every coach in every major sport consults matchup and stat charts during a game--he was really stubbornly attached to vague, subjective notions of strategy that would, over the long term, prevent this team from reaching its full potential.
Overall, I thought he was above average as a manager, and did the best that could be done with some poor teams.
Like so many NYC managers and coaches, though, he seemed to deteriorate this year. His whole attitude in the playoffs, especially after the Great Cleveland Snafu seemed really alarming. He was just unable to shuck it off.
Yes, he was generally a class act. Yes, I feel a little bad for him. No, it's not possible to feel more than a little bad for a guy who was making $4 million a year in this economy, and will no doubt soon be making that again.
Willie Randolph, publicly, was a "class act," but also widely disliked by his players and weirdly incompetent when the chips were down, like Girardi. If you want a class act, watch a Cary Grant movie--but I would never have nominated him to manage the Yankees.
Moreover, Girardi was far from a "class act" in repeatedly publicly denigrating Sanchez's defensive skills. That's a matter that should have been handled internally, and a five-alarm warning about his lack of rapport with developing young players. Notwithstanding his spottiness in blocking pitches in the dirt, Sanchez was above-average in throwing out runners, and his defensive WAR overall was in plus territory. His overall Fangraphs WAR of 4.4 places him first among MLB catchers for 2017--not the sort of public humiliation you inflict on the best catcher in the game. So fuck Girardi--I'm glad the spiteful, nasty prick is gone.
He did mishandle Sanchez, which was baffling. Sancho has the potential to be an amazing defensive catcher, with that arm. Girardi should have mentored him, and he didn't.
Fair enough Ghost. I should have clarified what I meant. I always interpreted those 2009-2012 teams as a bunch of stars and established veterans that managed themselves. Really all they needed what a guy to set the lineup. When he had a bunch of young talented guys all fighting for a spot he didn't really know what to do. As one of our Anonymous mentioned, how he handled Gary was a real head scratcher. The guy has 1 flaw in his game, and he gets publicly roasted by his manager. I thought that was something he should have kept private. I normally hate the YES spin zone, but I had to agree with them when they defended Gary. I don't check the advanced stats, but they said he's the best at throwing runners out and the staff's ERA is what, 1.5 runs lower than McCann and Romine caught. If the staff gives up 1.5 less runs a game with him behind the plate, are the passed balls really worth killing the guy?
I really want the world to know about this great man who brought back happiness into my life again after my husband left me and the kids 3 years ago for another women online when i contacted Dr Believe he cast a love spell for me within 48 hours my ex husband start calling me and begging for forgiveness for everything that have happened between us. I was so happy to have my family back together with love again here is the email of Dr Believe via believelovespelltemple@gmail.com a man with the great powers you can also call him or add him on Whats-app: +2348156148821 God bless you I am very grateful for your help in my marriage.
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HE IS A FINE HUMAN BEING.
ReplyDelete.....NOW LETS GET TO WORK ON 2018!
I KNOW, I KNOW....
I'M COLD.
One evening in the mid 80's I found a drunk kid on campus and rolled him onto his side so he wouldn't suffocate on his own puke. You might call us heroes but that just embarrasses people like me and Joe.
ReplyDeleteReal American Heros...
ReplyDeleteI mean Heroes!
ReplyDeleteToday's Post was of Joe, does that count as a Yankee back page or is that now an entirely new category?
ReplyDeleteReplacing Joe Girardi may or may not prove to be a good move. Time will tell. Regardless , what strikes me is how some readers of this blog dismiss Joe as a poor manager that has been holding the team back. In 10 years his teams won 910 regular season games and a World Series with mainly an aging line up. While some people tend to focus on his tactical mistakes ,which all managers make, little is said of the calm leadership he has provided in the pressure cooker of NY sports. Joe did a masterful job of protecting his players from the media circus and let them focus on their play.
ReplyDeleteIt is often said teams take on the personality of their managers. The 2017 Yankees were mentally tough, never quit, stayed calm in good times and bad, were a team that supported each other, worked hard and won a bunch more games than expected. Thanks for a good run Joe.
Ghost, I have been quite hard on Joey Blue Binders, however I can admit his high points. I think his greatest year was 2013 when he managed a lineup of Vernon Wells, Jason Nix, Travis Hafner, and a cavalcade of career minor leaguers to a record over .500 - he should have won manager of the year for that.
ReplyDeleteBut what drove everyone nuts was his near OCD management of the bullpen and the insanity of how he determined his lineups. This guy goes in that inning because he's my 7th inning guy regardless of his recent struggles and over usage (and the starting pitcher cruising). Oh he's burnt out by August, I can't fathom why. This guy is 7-8 over the past two days, better rest him because he's a career 1-5 against today's starting pitcher and this other guy is a little better, 1-4. Players win and lose games in the end, but I can think of 7 losses off the top of my head this year that were 100% on Joe.
Years ago when I was in high school our basketball team, which was and is perennially terrible, was one of the best in the state. Team was a juggernaut that made it to the state semi's where they lost. My dad always blamed them losing on the coach. He said the guy never had any talented players and once he got it he had no idea what to do with it. I think the same holds true with Girardi, he was great managing scraps, but give him a full roster and he flounders.
I THINK YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD, LEINSTERY....
ReplyDeleteTHE "OCD MANAGEMENT OF THE BULLPEN"....
GIRARDI WAS "GREAT MANAGING SCRAPS, BUT GIVE HIM A FULL ROSTER AND HE FLOUNDERS."
BOY, THAT LAST SENTENCE SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT POINT.
Leinstery,
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your point of view and agree sometimes Joe would make some moves you could debate. My point is that on the whole he did a good job with the teams he had. I would disagree that he flounders when he has a good team. His best teams with the Yankees were the four years from 2009 to 2013 . During those four years his teams averaged 97.5 regular season wins and won a World Series. And ,even those teams had their weak spots. The decline had begun.
That said ,he is gone. As I have said it may be a good move . Ten years is a long time for a manager,especially in NY. It takes its toll. I hope Cashman has a plan and finds a better manager. Time will tell.
Stop whining. He's gone. He was high-strung, glowering, erratic, unloved by his players, a nonstop bad-vibe generator, and an impediment to management's wishes to remain competitive in the application of advanced analytics. Cashman had to twist his arm a few years ago into using infield shifts--that sort of thing. Notwithstanding his reputation as "Joey Binders"--and every coach in every major sport consults matchup and stat charts during a game--he was really stubbornly attached to vague, subjective notions of strategy that would, over the long term, prevent this team from reaching its full potential.
ReplyDeleteGOOD RIDDANCE.
Overall, I thought he was above average as a manager, and did the best that could be done with some poor teams.
ReplyDeleteLike so many NYC managers and coaches, though, he seemed to deteriorate this year. His whole attitude in the playoffs, especially after the Great Cleveland Snafu seemed really alarming. He was just unable to shuck it off.
Yes, he was generally a class act. Yes, I feel a little bad for him. No, it's not possible to feel more than a little bad for a guy who was making $4 million a year in this economy, and will no doubt soon be making that again.
Willie Randolph, publicly, was a "class act," but also widely disliked by his players and weirdly incompetent when the chips were down, like Girardi. If you want a class act, watch a Cary Grant movie--but I would never have nominated him to manage the Yankees.
ReplyDeleteMoreover, Girardi was far from a "class act" in repeatedly publicly denigrating Sanchez's defensive skills. That's a matter that should have been handled internally, and a five-alarm warning about his lack of rapport with developing young players. Notwithstanding his spottiness in blocking pitches in the dirt, Sanchez was above-average in throwing out runners, and his defensive WAR overall was in plus territory. His overall Fangraphs WAR of 4.4 places him first among MLB catchers for 2017--not the sort of public humiliation you inflict on the best catcher in the game. So fuck Girardi--I'm glad the spiteful, nasty prick is gone.
ReplyDeleteHe did mishandle Sanchez, which was baffling. Sancho has the potential to be an amazing defensive catcher,
ReplyDeletewith that arm. Girardi should have mentored him, and he didn't.
Fair enough Ghost. I should have clarified what I meant. I always interpreted those 2009-2012 teams as a bunch of stars and established veterans that managed themselves. Really all they needed what a guy to set the lineup. When he had a bunch of young talented guys all fighting for a spot he didn't really know what to do. As one of our Anonymous mentioned, how he handled Gary was a real head scratcher. The guy has 1 flaw in his game, and he gets publicly roasted by his manager. I thought that was something he should have kept private. I normally hate the YES spin zone, but I had to agree with them when they defended Gary. I don't check the advanced stats, but they said he's the best at throwing runners out and the staff's ERA is what, 1.5 runs lower than McCann and Romine caught. If the staff gives up 1.5 less runs a game with him behind the plate, are the passed balls really worth killing the guy?
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI really want the world to know about this great man who brought back happiness into my life again after my husband left me and the kids 3 years ago for another women online when i contacted Dr Believe he cast a love spell for me within 48 hours my ex husband start calling me and begging for forgiveness for everything that have happened between us. I was so happy to have my family back together with love again here is the email of Dr Believe via believelovespelltemple@gmail.com a man with the great powers you can also call him or add him on Whats-app: +2348156148821
God bless you
I am very grateful for your help in my marriage.