Joe Girardi Out as Yankee Manager: My Take

Today we learned that Brian Cashman and the New York Yankees decided not to offer their manager Joe Girardi a new contract. This is my take.

I will start of with something. One I do not consider myself to be an expert to all things baseball. I consider myself a knowledgeable fan just like you. However I also, like you, am trying to get a grasp on what the hell the New York Yankees are thinking in not bringing back their manager Joe Girardi. You have heard it a million times so far, the Yankees are far beyond where they should have been at the moment. They are a team that many thought would be a contender for years to come, just maybe not this year.

Going into the year there were so many things that questioned fans. Sure Judge looked intimidating with his size, but nobody expected what he did. Hell I barely even knew who he was! All of the keys that got the Yankees to the playoffs revolved around youth and a team that had a never say die attitude. Was that because of Joe Girardi?

Girardi as a manager never had a single losing record season. Neither did his predecessor Joe Torre. I will say Girardi filled those shoes well, in year number two clinching not just a pennant but a world series championship. Not one since, but we did clinch playoff berths many times under Girardi's leadership. He also is among the top in Yankee history for wins in just a short 10 seasons. So again, why ditch Girardi?

Here is the thing, much like Torre, Girardi came in with instant success. Getting that World Series ring in just his second year. Unlike Torre, that would be the only ring as the Yankees skip he would ever get. Could that be the reason? I say no. We are out of the era of the boss and seeing Billy Martin in his one of countless chances. Can we blame the Yankees coming one game shy of the World Series this year? Yet again I say no. Listen, the Yankees were not expected to be competing this year. Next or the following sure. I sit here with no reason as to why the Yankees would not offer Girardi another contract.

I have heard people say it and I did myself. Maybe this is a Buck Showalter type deal. Showalter had a team, a young one at that with a rookie Jeter, a young Pettitte, Rivera, Posada, Martinez, Williams and countless others. Yet he lost out in the playoffs in 1995 to the Seattle Mariners, the Yankees last losing season. This was the first time in quite a while the Yankees even achieved marginal success, but good ole Buck got the boot. Could the Yankees be looking for their next Joe Torre?

Girardi I think given the chance could have led this team to a handful of rings. Could have led this team to another Yankee dynasty. One where unlike the past we didn't go out and give out insane contracts or one where we had players past their prime. Jesus, our two best players this year make about a million dollars combined. The next question becomes, who will be the next Yankee skipper seeing as it wont be Joe?

A handful of names out there. I will say, they wouldn't have let him go if they didn't have an idea. John Farrell? Rob Thomson? Donnie baseball himself, Don Mattingly? I have even heard the name Alex Rodriguez floated around. Who knows, we will just have to wait and see. I will say, I disagree as a fan in not allowing Joe Girardi to come back and lead this team to championship number 28. I had said when they lost to the Astros, this is a team to fear next year. I still say that. I am just sad to see that it won't be Girardi at the helm, leaning over the railing of the dugout.