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Yankees: Is Girardi The Right Man For The NEW York Yankees

By Steve Contursi

Jul 2, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi (28) looks on prior to the game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 2, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi (28) looks on prior to the game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports /
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Yankees: Is Joe Girardi the right man for the job of managing the young, and hopefully teachable, talent that was recently acquired.

The next question that comes to mind following the recent series of additions and subtractions to a re-branded New York Yankees is about leadership. And more specifically, it’s about Joe Girardi and whether or not he’s the right man for the job ahead, which will largely mean on the job training for many of the new faces coming on board as early as next season.

It’s hard to believe, but Joe Girardi is in his ninth season as manager of the Yankees. Over that span, his winning percentage stands at a credible .562 and he has one championship on his resume. In short, he’s kept his job with little or no speculation about anyone wanting to take it away from him.

But the real question now has nothing to do with his baseball skills as a manager, although the overuse of his bullpen has often been a matter of controversy. Instead, it’s more about his people skills and whether or not they fit the bill for dealing with young budding talent that will need refinement both on and off the field.

Up until now, Girardi has been dealing with full-blooded professionals and veterans who have more or less managed themselves. Plus, he’s had the advantage of having guys like Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez available to help with leadership in the clubhouse. Most, or nearly all of that, is gone.

The players can say best (though I doubt they will), but the impression that comes across loud and clear with Girardi, especially during press conferences, is one of stoicism and occasionally aloofness and annoyance when dealing with the media. And if he’s that way with the media, it’s logical to reason that he’s like that with everyone.

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To put it another way, will Girardi be able to deal with some mundane (but very real) things like communicating to these kids what they’re expected to wear on the plane, or what the protocol is for cell phones and music in the clubhouse, or whether or not they have to tell him or a coach if they need to use the bathroom during a game. And so on.

To put it even another way, Joe Girardi does not appear to be Terry Collins, who has mastered his communication skills not only with the media but even more important with his players. He’s emotional when he needs to be, but he’s not Billy Martin. He’s affable and funny as often as he can be, and he (probably) runs a pretty tight ship without anyone even realizing it.

Let’s be clear. These are only perceptions that may or may not be true about both men. It’s likely, though, someone like Brian Cashman has to know if a change in leadership is warranted. And certainly, someone like Rodriguez knows and maybe he can make his first contribution towards earning his keep in his new front office job by weighing in on this question.

But it’s not too early to be thinking about next season, and especially Spring Training when all of this molding can take place. The interview process alone if the Yankees decide to make a change could take a month. Plus, once someone is hired they need to have time to assemble their staff of coaches.

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For the Yankees though, the questions and ensuing decisions that need to be made in giving answers to those questions like the one discussed here will prove to be as crucial as the player personnel decisions that they’ve made, and will presumably continue to make.

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