In Praise of Joe
Girardi
Over the
past few years I have been very critical of Joe Girardi. Sometimes that
criticism is justified and sometimes it isn’t but I try to justify it in some
crazy way because he does things that irritate me as both a Yankee fan and a
baseball fan. However, today I want to do nothing but shower him with praise
because of the job he’s done with the team all year, but most especially since
the beginning of August.
Sure it’s
fun to call him Joey Binders and make fun of his analytical approach, in the face
of common sense at times but when push comes to shove he knows this team well
and has pushed all the right buttons. No team other than the Dodgers has dealt
with injuries like the Yankees have this season. Also, taking into
consideration that four AL East teams are battling for playoff spots, there’s
no question they are playing in the toughest division in the game. To be able
to still be in the race at this point despite all the hardships this season has
brought forward is remarkable.
Right now at
present time I would consider the Yankees a favorite to grab one of those two
wild card spots and ride into October with some momentum. Now, with history not
on their side lately, October hasn’t been the best of times for the Bombers,
but for the first time in a long time, it’s just making the playoffs that would
be considered a success. As Yankee fans of course we want to win it all but if
they were to make the wild card game and lose there is absolutely no shame in
that. It would make plenty of Yankee haters happy and they won’t show any
sympathy but for us true fans we have to take solace in the fact we showed the
guts and heart just to make it. Who knows, maybe the October ghosts will be on
the side of the Yankees this time because of it and guide us to a storybook
ending in a storybook season. The only thing I know for sure is that no matter
what happens, Joe Girardi should be taking home some hardware for his
managerial prowess this season because for once we’re winning because of him
not in spite of him.
