Saturday, October 28, 2017

Pretty sure zero of these games will be against the Dodgers.

... "after" his departure.

While we all had a sense that Girardi wasn't an avuncular teddy bear over the past ten years, very few of the turncoat commenters were saying this stuff to his face (or publicly, on the radio).

910-710 speaks for itself.

One unsatisfying ring in a decade also speaks for itself.

He was good in some respects, better than most. He wasn't a legend by any means.

I think I am recoiling at all the sudden negativity because it's another example of a society that values style over substance.
Girardi led the Yankees to within one game of reaching the World Series, but New York decided to go in another direction when his contract expired after his 10th season in the dugout. Reports of friction between Girardi and his bosses at Yankee Stadium emerged soon after Girardi’s departure announcement, and Teixeira suspects his former manager’s personality isn’t best suited to lead the Yankees’ young, talented roster into the future.

Read more at: https://nesn.com/2017/10/mark-teixeira-knows-why-joe-girardi-is-out-as-yankees-manager/
Girardi led the Yankees to within one game of reaching the World Series, but New York decided to go in another direction when his contract expired after his 10th season in the dugout. Reports of friction between Girardi and his bosses at Yankee Stadium emerged soon after Girardi’s departure announcement, and Teixeira suspects his former manager’s personality isn’t best suited to lead the Yankees’ young, talented roster into the future.

Read more at: https://nesn.com/2017/10/mark-teixeira-knows-why-joe-girardi-is-out-as-yankees-manager/
Girardi led the Yankees to within one game of reaching the World Series, but New York decided to go in another direction when his contract expired after his 10th season in the dugout. Reports of friction between Girardi and his bosses at Yankee Stadium emerged soon after Girardi’s departure announcement, and Teixeira suspects his former manager’s personality isn’t best suited to lead the Yankees’ young, talented roster into the future.

Read more at: https://nesn.com/2017/10/mark-teixeira-knows-why-joe-girardi-is-out-as-yankees-manager/
Girardi led the Yankees to within one game of reaching the World Series, but New York decided to go in another direction when his contract expired after his 10th season in the dugout. Reports of friction between Girardi and his bosses at Yankee Stadium emerged soon after Girardi’s departure announcement, and Teixeira suspects his former manager’s personality isn’t best suited to lead the Yankees’ young, talented roster into the future.

Read more at: https://nesn.com/2017/10/mark-teixeira-knows-why-joe-girardi-is-out-as-yankees-manager/
Girardi led the Yankees to within one game of reaching the World Series, but New York decided to go in another direction when his contract expired after his 10th season in the dugout. Reports of friction between Girardi and his bosses at Yankee Stadium emerged soon after Girardi’s departure announcement, and Teixeira suspects his former manager’s personality isn’t best suited to lead the Yankees’ young, talented roster into the future.

Read more at: https://nesn.com/2017/10/mark-teixeira-knows-why-joe-girardi-is-out-as-yankees-manager/
Girardi led the Yankees to within one game of reaching the World Series, but New York decided to go in another direction when his contract expired after his 10th season in the dugout. Reports of friction between Girardi and his bosses at Yankee Stadium emerged soon after Girardi’s departure announcement, and Teixeira suspects his former manager’s personality isn’t best suited to lead the Yankees’ young, talented roster into the future.

Read more at: https://nesn.com/2017/10/mark-teixeira-knows-why-joe-girardi-is-out-as-yankees-manager/
Girardi led the Yankees to within one game of reaching the World Series, but New York decided to go in another direction when his contract expired after his 10th season in the dugout. Reports of friction between Girardi and his bosses at Yankee Stadium emerged soon after Girardi’s departure announcement, and Teixeira suspects his former manager’s personality isn’t best suited to lead the Yankees’ young, talented roster into the future.

Read more at: https://nesn.com/2017/10/mark-teixeira-knows-why-joe-girardi-is-out-as-yankees-manager/

Friday, October 27, 2017

Funny, I was thinking the same thing ...

... and I don't even think he did a good job with the Mets.

Thursday, October 26, 2017

The Simple Truth.

"Although Joe Girardi was a good manager for the New York Yankees during his decade on the job, it was time for him to go -- for his sake and, to a lesser extent, for the franchise’s."

This is an introduction to an exposition.

What will follow is a detailed argument to support the proposition, then a final paragraph in which the proposition is referenced.

Say what you're going to do; do it; then say what you just did.


"A dynasty is perhaps on the horizon at Yankee Stadium, and Girardi could have done a good enough job to lead it. A manager makes a difference, but never forget, Joe Torre became a genius only after he connected with the Core Four."

Also, the shamefully forgotten Bernie Williams, the most prominent member of the dynastic Yankees who is not included in the Core Four. Maybe because Core Five doesn't rhyme.


"This is probably a good move for Girardi; he's a man who always stresses family first, and he's leaving a job that has ground him down and kept him away from his loved ones for most of the year."

I pretty much disagree with all of Marchand's observations, but I surely don't think the employed should speak on behalf of the recently unemployed.


"Interestingly enough and perhaps tellingly, this year Girardi seemed a bit calmer, more at ease. Maybe he knew this was it for him. He might be harder to replace than it appears. But this was the right time for him to go."

And so it concludes.

I read the whole thing and didn't see any reasons why this was a good time for Girardi to go.
Girardi will never catch Torre, his overall record is mediocre if playoff success is the criteria, and his overall regular season record is fantastic (910-710). He's sort of boring and terse with the media. He isn't particularly beloved by the fans.

Still, all the time he gets to spend with his family? Throwing batting practices to his son? Four million dollars per annum eases the separation anxiety.

I think the current team is particularly geared around Girardi's strengths, so the 2018 - 2020 Presumptive Dynasty might not come to fruition if the new manager doesn't handle the bullpen or handle the young superstars.

They Showaltered him.

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

One of my favorite players.

Got rid of the tee shirt when he joined the Mets, but I always liked him on and off the field. I'm surprised he can't help out the team as a pinch-hitter.

Monday, October 23, 2017

Funny how this works.

This is why everybody wants to be an underdog. All the Judge strikeouts will not be ignored if the Yankees fall short next season.

Sunday, October 15, 2017

For crying out loud, the Yankees are playing clean baseball ... other than the hitting.

Bird is slow as molasses on his best day. He missed most of the season with an ankle injury. The hi-fi, 4-D, super slo mo instant replay analysis doesn't do justice to human scale and human biology. Yes, it was a bad slide with his foot to the inside of the plate. It's asking a lot to expect him to be agile and dexterous enough to nimbly wisp across the inside corner of the plate ... he isn't Gumby.

Judge missed the cutoff man. But even that decision clearly didn't cost the Yankees a run because the throw home was in plenty of time. Sanchez missed a short hop and the runner scored. If the Yankees were hitting, no one would have paid it any mind.

Gardner can be properly criticized for making the third out at third base, but the guy hitting behind him is hitting approximately .000 ... it's time to be aggressive perhaps? It's time to hope for a wild pitch instead of a base hit? Not that he or the third base coach analyzed it to that degree in the heat of the moment, but maybe if the team was hitting he wouldn't feel the need to force the issue?


That's it?

Over the course of two games, that's the evidence for inexperience or sloppiness?

I've seen the Yankees make far more misplays in a playoff series. In fact, I've seen the Yankees make more misplays in one game. In fact, I've seen Championship-caliber Yankees make more misplays in one inning. In fact, I've seen Tommy John make more misplays on one play.


2017 ALCS: No errors, no wild pitches, no passed balls, no bad throws, no runners picked off, no botched bunts, no ground balls to the pitcher thrown into CF, no errant pick off throws rolling down the first base line, no hit and runs where somebody missed the signal from the third base coach, no fly balls dropping between two outfielders who are both yelling, "I got it."


The Astros totally made two REALLY GOOD throws from the outfield. Nothing I haven't seen before, but amplified for sure because it's the playoffs and the games are close.

The Astros also made about 250 consecutive really good throws from the pitcher's mound towards home plate and that's why they're up 2-zip.

Or Judge can throw to the cutoff man.

Or somebody can get a hit.

Sanchez blows the game, the headline screams!

This analysis of the final play doesn't even properly identify the cutoff man. It wasn't Didi, it was Castro.

But, whatever.

In two games, the Yankees have scored 2 runs with 10 hits and struck out 27 times.

Sanchez is not a good fielder, in case you hadn't heard. Most catchers probably make the scoop and apply the tag ... extending the game for at least one more batter. Why would anyone presume the Yankees would have won the game in extra innings? Or Chapman would have gotten the next batter out?

Judge and Sanchez have already combined for 109 HRs in their short careers.

That's whey they're on the field.


Saturday, October 14, 2017

Bird's a champ.

1.001 OPS in the playoffs, .286 batting average, and 3 HRs already.

Now he's getting criticized for his secondary lead off second base, he inability to accelerate as quickly as Rickey Henderson, and for an imperfect slide into home plate.

Friday, October 13, 2017

The Daily News with an article about ARod.

I mean ... is there anything else going on in New York City baseball?

Reminder to praise forgotten hero Tommy Kahnle from Game Four.

Mopping up Betances's mess.

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Declines a start?

In the playoffs?

Because you're feeling under the weather?

You can do that?

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

The Yankees have proven me wrong all year.

A win in Game Five would sure be a feather in Girardi's cap.

Monday, October 09, 2017

Chapman didn't surprise me ...

... I am still surprised that Sanchez was catching in a late, close playoff game.

Sunday, October 08, 2017

Easy target, I guess.

Jeering Girardi after the season he had?

Why would he even want to come back?

Barring an unlikely playoff comeback, I think Girardi might get fired. He will be rehired by another team in about three seconds.

Saturday, October 07, 2017

Yankees have to win 3 games in a row.

Three different Yankee starting pitchers will have to start all three of those games.

The starting pitchers will be Tanaka, Severino, and Gray.

What difference does it make when they pitch?:

"So how does Joe Girardi redeem himself for that indefensible decision not to challenge the now-famous missed call in Game 2?

I’m not sure he can, to be honest. Certainly he took an important step on Saturday at his press conference by taking responsibility for it, saying, 'I screwed up,' a dramatic shift from the excuse-making on Friday night in Cleveland."

A very important step, yes. The Yankees won the game after the umpires reviewed Girardi's postgame press conference.


"In his heyday The Boss might well have fired Girardi before Game 3 over such a preventable misstep, and while Hal Steinbrenner has shown no such impulsive behavior, the outcry among fans and media is such that you have to wonder if he’ll feel the need to act."

Ridiculous.

George fired managers in the middle of a playoff series?

That would help the Yankees defeat a superior Indians team?


"Girardi’s contract expires when the season ends, and the Yankee brass is well aware that he’s not terribly popular among fans - though that shouldn’t be a basis for evaluation."

No. John Haper's column in the Daily News should be a basis for evaluation.


"So how does the comeback begin?

Here’s where I think Girardi has already missed another opportunity: I’d start Luis Severino in Game 3 and push Masahiro Tanaka back to Game 4.

Sure, they both have to pitch if the Yankees are going to get this thing back to Game 5, but I wouldn’t want to lose the series without ever giving the ball to my best starting pitcher.

And I have to believe Severino has a gem in him after what happened in the wild-card game, when he clearly was overwhelmed by the moment, pitching his first post-season game.


You tried to explain why Severino should start Game Three, but you didn't give any good reasons why Severino should start Game Three.


"If nothing else, the Yankees should want to find that out because if Severino somehow were to struggle badly again, it would be cause to wonder about his ability to handle big-game pressure."

Right.

That would be important to know because ... ummm ...


"Tanaka, meanwhile, didn’t pitch against the Indians during the season, but he hasn’t fared particularly well against them in his career, going 1-2 with a 4.63 ERA.

More significantly, with Tanaka you never know what you’re going to get, especially this season. When he was on his game he was brilliant, never more so than in his final start of the season, striking out 15 Blue Jays’ hitters while pitching six shutout innings."

This is all true.

So are the Yankees going to trade for Justin Verlander prior to Game Four?

I am reading it and kind of not believing it. Like Girardi is going to get a parade down Fifth Avenue when the Yankees lose in four games instead of losing in three games.


Girardi's job security is another matter.

He had a great season, once again showed his knack with young players and with the bullpen, had a nice game in the Wild Card, then a disastrous game in the ALDS, is not a very charismatic guy. Like most Yankee fans, I could take him or leave him. Ten years, if you can believe it.

As for this series? The Yankees are sunk. The Indians are better at just about everything, including managing. I think we all knew that before the series started.

Girardi admitted he was wrong.

Now his soul can be released to Heaven and the Indians can sweep in peace.

Also, the Yankees get the grand slam back, so they win the game.

"Ineptitude and arrogance."

Just be honest here. Girardi's real crime is arrogance.

Chad Green blew it. A pitcher who has allowed 0.5 HRs per 9 innings this season.

Girardi is blamed for a quick hook with Sabathia when, earlier in the week, he saved the season by pulling his Cy Young candidate after 1/3rd of an inning.

Also, note the lack of arrows directed towards everybody's favorite li'l utility man getting picked off second base. Nice play, "To." Are you a secret agent playing for the Indians, or something?

When a team loses 9-8, it's isn't one pitch or one bad umpire's call or one managerial screw-up.

Bad ump call, bad managerial decision to avoid the (very stupid, horrible, awful, get rid of it) super-slo-mo instant replay.

Deal with it.

Strike the next guy out and get Tanaka ready for the first game in a best-of-three.

Winners get the next guy out.

The Indians are winners. The Yankees are not.

Thursday, October 05, 2017

Feeling down? Need a laugh?

There is an entire John Harper article prior to the punchline:

"Gardner's not Jeter but he's as much as captain in every respect. Maybe more so."