Joe Girardi Is Out. What Are the New York Yankees Thinking?

The New York Yankees and manager Joe Girardi decided to part ways on Thursday and I just don’t understand why. The Yanks could regret this move very soon.

What are we doing here New York Yankees? Just when it looks like we’re about to get rolling and start another dynasty, you part ways with Joe Girardi, the perfect man for the job.

89-73, 103-59, 95-67, 97-65, 95-67, 85-77, 84-78, 87-75, 84-78, 91-71. Those are the New York Yankees records in each of the ten seasons that Joe Girardi was at the helm. 84 games were the least he ever won, which he did in 2014 and 2016.

The 2014 New York Yankees featured Brian Roberts at second base and Yangervis Solarte at third. Not to worry though. A 38-year-old Alfonso Soriano, Kelly Johnson, and Stephen Drew were ready to come off the bench when needed. But who needs runs when you have Hiroki Kuroda, David Phelps, Shane Greene, and Brandon McCarthy in your rotation?

Joe Girardi should get a statue for winning 84 games in 2014.

Surprisingly, 2014 isn’t even Girardi’s most impressive coaching season. 2013 takes the cake.

In 2013, the New York Yankees had Lyle Overbay as their starting first baseman, Jayson Nix (who?) at third, Chris Stewart behind the plate, Vernon Wells in left, Ichiro in right, and Travis Hafner at DH. That team won 85 games! Are you kidding me?!

They should’ve renamed Yankee Stadium to Girardi Field after that one.

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Girardi has done some extraordinary things with veteran teams during his tenure as Yankee manager but what he did with the young, “retooling” 2017 New York Yankees really stands out.

This year’s Yankee team was not supposed to contend. They were transitioning from an old, expensive team to a young, athletic team that would build the foundation for their next dynasty in a few years.

Oh, wait, just kidding. They won 91 games and took the loaded Houston Astros to seven games in the ALCS.

You can’t possibly get rid of Girardi because of his on-field success. The team has overachieved just about every season he’s been the manager.

Well, perhaps he’s lost the respect of the clubhouse. Managers and coaches get fired all the time when they can’t get their players to play for them anymore.

Nope. That can’t be it.

Girardi made a huge mistake in Game 2 of the ALDS, deciding not to challenge a questionable hit by pitch call, and it likely cost the Yankees the game.

Did the Yankee clubhouse turn on their manager? No, instead they rallied around him and fought back from an 0-2 series deficit to knock off the defending American League champion Cleveland Indians.

So the players loved him, fought for him, and respected him. The fans, for the most part, loved him and wanted him back. And he won at least 84 games every year no matter what kind of roster you gave him.

Yeah, sounds like a guy who’s gotta go. I certainly wouldn’t want that man leading my team.

I thought that the only way Joe Girardi wasn’t back as manager of the New York Yankees was if his family wanted him to step back and spend time with them. A family man, I expected Joe to respect their wishes and move on.

Oh yeah, he’s a wonderful family man and just an all-around great guy too. Get him away from my dugout!

It seems that Girardi got the okay from his family to continue his managing career but the Yankees said no thanks. ESPN reported that general manager Brian Cashman, who gets to keep his job, recommended to owner Hal Steinbrenner that the Yankees move on from Girardi.

I’m not sure why the New York Yankees think they can find someone better. Girardi led them to the best record in baseball since taking over in 2008!

The Yankees will be replacing the manager who guided New York to the best record in baseball since taking over in 2008. pic.twitter.com/GfrPs2soie
— ESPN (@espn) October 26, 2017

I defended Joe Girardi during the ALDS but apparently, Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner didn’t get around to reading my article.

Every new headline I read today about the Yankees letting Girardi go makes me angrier and angrier. New York was on the cusp of their next dynasty and now I’m much less confident.

Now that Girardi is gone, will CC Sabathia decide to go elsewhere? Will Masahiro Tanaka opt out of his contract? How will all the young players respond to a new manager?

The New York Yankees’ loss in Game 7 of the ALCS was disappointing but the future was so bright. Now, just five days later, the future has quite a few question marks.

I assume the New York Yankees will look internally to find their next manager. Perhaps bench coach Rob Thomson or first base coach Tony Pena will get the job. Maybe assistant hitting coach Marcus Thames will be considered.

I really hope the next Yankees manager is already within the organization. This team is so close to being a perennial World Series contender and too much turnover could set things back.

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No matter who is hired to replace Joe Girardi, the New York Yankees will regret letting him go. Let’s just hope the Yanks can find someone to take over that won’t make parting ways with Girardi look like the biggest mistake they ever made. Because right now, it feels like it could be.

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