Girardi

"The Yankees were already well on their way to a drubbing in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday when reliever Nick Goody unleashed a pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning that the Baltimore slugger Chris Davis swung at and missed. But in a manner fitting for how the day — and the week — unfolded for the Yankees, the pitch eluded catcher John Ryan Murphy and bounced to the backstop, allowing Nolan Reimold to coast home from third.

That put the Orioles ahead by 10-2.

Or so it seemed. Because a moment later, Yankees Manager Joe Girardi signaled to the umpires that he wanted to challenge the play, believing that Goody’s pitch had nicked Davis in the foot. If it had, the play would be dead, and Reimold would have to return to third.

As it turned out, Girardi was correct.

As it also turned out, it mattered little. The Yankees lost, 9-2."

I give him credit for watching this game because I surely had tuned out. 

"Girardi led the Yankees this season, which ended quietly with a 3-0 loss to the Houston Astros in the American League wild-card game Tuesday night, in what has become his distinctive manner — chin out, homework finished and fingers itching to push the right buttons.

If Girardi seems to be forever seeking windmills at which to tilt or hills that he can push boulders up, Sisyphus-like — or pitching changes to execute — that is because that is exactly what he is doing. Tuesday’s showdown with the Astros was hardly the only game he managed this year as if the season depended on it.

Whether he has been too relentless in that approach now seems open to question, particularly because the 2015 Yankees faded as the season drew to a close. Still, he remains the man trusted to push the team as far as it can go. And as Girardi himself might point out, the 2016 season is a mere six months away."

Overall, the team exceeded expectations.

I thought Girardi failed to push the team down the stretch, actually, growing over-confident with a big lead in the AL East and an easy travel schedule.

 

"He was criticized for overusing Dellin Betances, who threw more innings than any other reliever in baseball this season, including a recent appearance against the Mets when he was called upon in the eighth inning with the Yankees ahead, 5-0. But Girardi’s small circle of trust probably affected the Yankees more on the offensive end.

Is it a coincidence that the only players who looked fresh at the end of the season were Didi Gregorius, Greg Bird and Rob Refsnyder (all 25 or younger) and 38-year-old Carlos Beltran, the only regular who was given frequent rest over the first half of the season?

Alex Rodriguez (40 years old), Brett Gardner (32) and Chase Headley (31) all played more than 150 games — and Mark Teixeira (35) was on pace to do so when he broke his leg in August. Jacoby Ellsbury (32) played in 111 of the 119 games in which he was not on the disabled list. And Brian McCann (31), who had three extra-base hits after Sept. 1, started 119 games at catcher — his most since 2010.

Whether Girardi will trust promising young players like Murphy, the versatile Dustin Ackley, Refsnyder or a young outfielder like Slade Heathcott or Mason Williams to take on a bigger role next year is uncertain. Bird might be back in the minors so he can play regularly if Teixeira and Rodriguez return in good health, Cashman said.

Meanwhile, there is little doubt that over the winter, Girardi will examine any data, conduct his due diligence and head to spring training with plans and contingencies. As Cashman said, he does not take anything lightly.

Which may or may not be a problem."

I'd say the bullpen management is an ongoing strength. He rode his old, expensive players too much and should have seen the breakdowns coming. He also clearly doesn't possess the "emotional intelligence" that Torre possessed, and that counts for something.

We knew Young would get the start on Tuesday, but it was a bold move to bench Ellsbury instead of Gardner. 

Gardner rewarded this loyalty with and 0-for-4 and 3 strikeouts.