Personally, the move to fire Girardi stunned me, as a frequent user of Twitter I do see many Yankee fans (after a loss) furious at Joe Girardi, but I did not think the front office would side with them. Joe Girardi has never had the easiest job, even compared to other managers. New York is not a city for weak people, as the fans and media in New York do not mess around. The Yankees in particular have had a reputation of winning, one that Girardi live up to, with the team having a winning record in every single year he managed.
I have always strongly supported Joe, throughout all the complaints from fans. This move is very nearsighted, the Yankees front office was upset with how Joe lacked human touch. Joe was the manager who helped veterans and rookies flourish — he had faith in the 2017 Yankees before anyone else did. He defended his players intensely.
The biggest question remains: can the replacement for Joe be any good as he was? The Yankees have expressed interest in a manager who values analytics, which is overall a positive. The Yankees are at a serious crossroads now, after just barely missing the World Series before many of the top prospects were in the majors. The manager needs to make sure the newest Yankee Dynasty begins on schedule.
Brian Cashman may have just made a dire mistake — manager changes represent a new clubhouse culture. This team could become incredibly good, perhaps even better and letting go of Joe Girardi could risk the potential of the team. Thank you Joe, even when times were darker you stuck through with the team and somehow kept it afloat. Here’s to the future of the Bronx Bombers, this is going to be interesting.
Featured Photo: Frank Franklin II | AP
