NEW YORK -- Game time was fast approaching, and it was difficult not to look at the sprawling expanse of Yankee Stadium in all its vivid colors and see black-and-white. It was 61 degrees early on an early October afternoon before a postseason game, with bunting ringing the decks of the three-tiered ballpark and a living, breathing Yankees legend striding to the mound to throw the first pitch of the day.
NEW YORK -- The denizens on the D train, fueled by enough beer but not enough baseball as it rumbled away from a soggy Yankee Stadium, didn't seem to mind. Neither did the two managers, one of whom, the Yankees' Joe Girardi, did almost as much giggling as talking in his post-"game" press conference and the other of whom, the Tigers' Jim Leyland, opened his remarks with a joke of his own ("Heck of a game. It was great."). And, if the grinning faces and shrugging shoulders of Ivan Nova and Justin Verlander, two of the players most affected by the bizarre developments Friday night at Yankee Stadium, were any indication, the players weren't the slightest bit fazed.
The Yankees and Joe Girardi have agreed on a three-year, $9-million extension, sources confirm.
The Yankees and Joe Girardi are moving closer to a new three-year deal, sources confirmed.
The Yankees and Joe Girardi are beginning contract talks Monday that are expected to keep Girardi as manager an additional three years.
ARLINGTON, Texas -- When a visiting pitcher gets into trouble in the Ballpark here, the Rangers like to play the Johnny Cash song "Ring of Fire," as images of flames light up the LED boards attached to the mezzanine's facade that circles the field. The Yankees heard the song's mariachi horns frequently during the three ALCS games they played here -- and there were only three, because the Rangers won the third on Friday night to give them a 4-2 series victory and their first World Series appearance -- and, to many, its lyrics might have described the managerial patterns of Joe Girardi. I fell into a burning ring of fire. I went down, down, down and the flames went higher.
Watch any Yankee game, and you'll see a shot of manager Joe Girardi in the dugout, and not far from him will be a binder the size of David Robertson's postseason ERA. That binder contains staggering amounts of data on every player in that day's game. In an era obsessed with statistics, the more advanced the better, Girardi has been very open about his willingness to mine that data for information he can use to make decisions about who plays and when.
SAN FRANCISCO -- 1. Yankees manager Joe Girardi made himself the story in ALCS Game 4. It was bad enough that he put the go-ahead run on base intentionally in the sixth inning -- it was David Murphy who got the Bonds treatment. He had to compound his mistake by leaving the game, and perhaps the Yankees season, in the hands of A.J. Burnett, a guy who hadn't pitched in 17 days, hadn't beaten a winning team in 147 days and is the pitching equivalent of a loaded dump truck with no brakes trying to get down a steep mountain road.
SAN FRANCISCO -- 1. Yankees manager Joe Girardi is making the right call putting the ball in the hands of A.J. Burnett in ALCS Game 4. He has no better option that leaves him properly covered for the rest of the series.
The Cubs, from their new owner to their front-office folks, love the job that interim manager and longtime organization man Mike Quade is doing -- love it so much, in fact, that he has gone from seeming long shot to real possibility in the team's much-watched managerial derby, according to people who've talked to Cubs decisionmakers.
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Five cuts from the National League's 3-1 win on Tuesday night.
Joe Girardi has both the easiest and hardest job in his profession. It is easiest, of course, because he gets to plug All-Stars into his lineup everyday -- managing the Yankees is like playing fantasy baseball when you get all the draft picks and make all the rules.
TAMPA -- This is a new, more frugal Yankees team, one that kept their payroll to only $200 million, that declined to keep Johnny Damon and that spent more than $400 million less this year than last on new free agents.
Mollycoddle (verb): To be overprotective and indulgent toward; to pamper. -- WordNet definition
It was a busy night for New York Yankees Manager Joe Girardi -- not only did he lead his team to the World Series championship, but on his way home, he also helped the victim of a car accident get out of harm's way.
PHILADELPHIA -- It wasn't more than one week ago that one NL scout claimed it looked like Yankees manager Joe Girardi was "managing scared, like he's afraid to lose his job'' and accusations of overmanaging were coming from all quarters (including this one). But Girardi looks Northwestern smart today.
1. The narrative has changed for New York Game 2 starter A.J. Burnett. He now gets the ball for his first World Series start knowing that the Yankees don't want to head to Philadelphia down two games to none. It's not a must-win situation for the Yankees, but ... In best-of-seven World Series play, the visiting team has won the first two games 14 times. Those teams went on to win the series 11 of those 14 times.
To read Lee Jenkins' five reasons the Phillies will win, click here.
1. As the postseason began, Cardinals pitcher John Smoltz gave me a stunning piece of advice about how to stop the Yankees this October. Remember, it was the powerful New York lineup that knocked Smoltz clear out of the American League and very nearly all the way into retirement with a resounding thumping back in August.
ANAHEIM -- As dusk turned to night on Monday in southern California, one thing was clear about the Yankees' Joe Girardi as a manager: he is very, very brave. Girardi made so many questionable and unconventional decisions during Game 3 of this ALCS, and meddled with his talented club so much, that he had to know that if his Yankees somehow lost the game that he'd be lambasted by New York media and fans who don't exactly react well when unconventionality leads to failure. The Yankees lost the game, 5-4, on an RBI double by Angels catcher Jeff Mathis with two outs in the bottom of the 11th. Let the lambasting start.
1. The Yankees are still in command of the ALCS. They give the ball on Tuesday night to a red-hot CC Sabathia, and, given that the Angels have no one like Sabathia, Mariano Rivera or Alex Rodriguez, New York is still likely to win the series. Joe Girardi hopes so, anyway. The Yankees manager needs to make ALCS Game 3 moot, because that game has his fingerprints, many as they are, all over it.
NEW YORK -- As clubhouse post mortems go, the Angels' atmosphere after Game 2 here wasn't nearly as deadly as many. Even after they blew a second straight game in the ALCS that left them in the very unenviable position of being two games down to this vaunted Yankees team, the Angels don't seem defeated.
When Yankees general manager Brian Cashman showed up unannounced in Atlanta to meet his struggling $200 million team, alarms went off, and shrill headlines were created. But while Cashman did meet with manager Joe Girardi in Atlanta, there's no evidence whatsoever that Girardi's in any sort of trouble.
1) Does Yankees manager Joe Girardi need to find more down time for Alex Rodriguez? Or does the New York manager keep running Rodriguez out there hoping the third baseman, who turns 34 next month and is coming off hip surgery, simply needs more at-bats to find his groove? Those questions have become more acute as A-Rod continues to slump, and Girardi will not have use of the DH option for the next nine games as New York plays in NL parks.
Also in this column: • Wright responds to MVP disagreement • Red Sox look at adding another starter • Should Clemens fire his lawyer?
Joe Girardi, rebuffing last-minute attempts by the Dodgers to become their manager, has agreed to succeed Joe Torre as Yankees manager.
Joe Girardi and the Yankees are believed to be putting the finishing touches on a contract to make him the 34th manager in the franchise's storied 107-year history.
The Yankees appear to be focusing on Joe Girardi to replace legendary Joe Torre as manager. Barring an unforeseen development, Girardi could receive the offer Monday.
The Yankees appear to be focusing on Joe Girardi to replace legendary Joe Torre as manager. Barring an unforeseen development, Girardi could receive the offer Monday.
There is, of course, Manny being Manny. But this is a case of the Yankees being the Yankees.
Also in this column: • Yankees manager update • Girardi as Dodgers bench coach? • More news and notes
Also in this column: • Four-year offer for Posada? • Coco better in the NL? • More news and notes
The Yankees' YES Network rejiggered its broadcast lineup to exclude Joe Girardi from Baltimore this week. But if they're trying to keep Girardi from changing his mind and taking the Orioles managing job, that probably isn't necessary.
Also in this column: • South Side fire sale • Gagne's veto power • Hicks goes off on Juan • More news & notes
The Orioles were so impressed with Joe Girardi's interview on Tuesday that they are expected to offer him their managerial job as early as today. If a contract can be agreed to, Baltimore will soon have its replacement for the just-fired Sam Perlozzo.
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