Comments on: Girardi is the subject on WFAN http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/10/07/girardi-is-the-subject-on-wfan/ A New York Yankees blog by Sam Borden, Chad Jennings and the staff of The Journal News Sat, 20 Mar 2010 17:40:27 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: tim http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/10/07/girardi-is-the-subject-on-wfan/comment-page-8/#comment-563268 tim Wed, 08 Oct 2008 21:16:17 +0000 http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/10/07/girardi-is-the-subject-on-wfan/#comment-563268 these trade proposals for phil Hughes are obsurd, why trade young pitchers for young hitters, pitching is far more valuable, kemp for hughes would be a horrable move. your all effing idiots. these trade proposals for phil Hughes are obsurd, why trade young pitchers for young hitters, pitching is far more valuable, kemp for hughes would be a horrable move. your all effing idiots.

]]> By: dave http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/10/07/girardi-is-the-subject-on-wfan/comment-page-8/#comment-563180 dave Wed, 08 Oct 2008 19:39:25 +0000 http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/10/07/girardi-is-the-subject-on-wfan/#comment-563180 Cash had almost nothing to do with the teams that won the world series - those were put together before he got here. he barely had anything to do with the teams of the early 2000s either because he wasnt making many if any decisions. Cash is responsible for the last three yrs in which hardly any solid pitching acquisitions were made and the team has gotten progressively worse each yr. Not to mention, Girardi is cashmans hand picked manager while cash had nothing to do with torre. This is cashmans team now, the teams in the late 90s were not at all his responsibility. Cash had almost nothing to do with the teams that won the world series – those were put together before he got here. he barely had anything to do with the teams of the early 2000s either because he wasnt making many if any decisions. Cash is responsible for the last three yrs in which hardly any solid pitching acquisitions were made and the team has gotten progressively worse each yr. Not to mention, Girardi is cashmans hand picked manager while cash had nothing to do with torre. This is cashmans team now, the teams in the late 90s were not at all his responsibility.

]]> By: Future http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/10/07/girardi-is-the-subject-on-wfan/comment-page-8/#comment-563099 Future Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:39:44 +0000 http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/10/07/girardi-is-the-subject-on-wfan/#comment-563099 You people need to get off Cashman's tail. Saying Epstein is better is just ridiculous. This is Cash's first year without a playoff since he started in 1998. When did Epstein start? 2004 i think. The Sox missed the playoffs in 2006. So, to repeat. Cashman won in 1998, 1999, 2000. Epstein won in 2004 and 2007. I dont see the logic on how you think Cashman is inferior. You people need to get off Cashman’s tail. Saying Epstein is better is just ridiculous. This is Cash’s first year without a playoff since he started in 1998.

When did Epstein start? 2004 i think. The Sox missed the playoffs in 2006. So, to repeat. Cashman won in 1998, 1999, 2000. Epstein won in 2004 and 2007.

I dont see the logic on how you think Cashman is inferior.

]]> By: Sawyer http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/10/07/girardi-is-the-subject-on-wfan/comment-page-8/#comment-563085 Sawyer Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:24:12 +0000 http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/10/07/girardi-is-the-subject-on-wfan/#comment-563085 Wow in the middle of the college and pro football season. The baseball playoffs in full swing and Francesca and Heyman have nothing better to talk about than Joe Giradi locker-room. Heyman admitted it was second hand information about Giradi’s relationship with his players. Give Joe G. a break he won 89 games in the toughest division in baseball. He must have been doing something right. In Torre’s first 15 years of managing the most he ever won was 89 games and he did that only once. Wow in the middle of the college and pro football season. The baseball playoffs in full swing and Francesca and Heyman have nothing better to talk about than Joe Giradi locker-room. Heyman admitted it was second hand information about Giradi’s relationship with his players. Give Joe G. a break he won 89 games in the toughest division in baseball. He must have been doing something right. In Torre’s first 15 years of managing the most he ever won was 89 games and he did that only once.

]]> By: Jeff http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/10/07/girardi-is-the-subject-on-wfan/comment-page-8/#comment-563040 Jeff Wed, 08 Oct 2008 16:16:52 +0000 http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/10/07/girardi-is-the-subject-on-wfan/#comment-563040 Jeff October 8th 12 noon Hi Guys: :) Also another thing which I think is sometimes not brought up enough; Girardi was CLEARLY not aggressive enough as a manager this season. I can't even begin to count how many times the yanks would get a leadoff guy on 1st base, but instead of Girardi starting the runner, what would happen? Ok everybody now: DOUBLE PLAY! Does anyone remember how many potential rallies were literally erased by no out, or 1 out double plays this year? Jeter and A-Rod were at the forefront (no doubt about it!), but the entire lineup was guilty as well! The Yanks could have easily scored 50 or more runs this year if they had been more aggressive on the basepaths. Remember, the Yanks actually gave up FEWER runs as a team this year than last year! What does that tell you? Translation: Giardi (and Dave Eiland) were very, very good in handling the pitchers/bullpen this year, but he (along with the help of Meachum and Thompson) left a LOT to de desired as far as helping the team manufacture runs! Yes, pitching is ABSOLUTELY the difference between a winning team and a losing one (no doubt about that one either!), but a CHAMPIONSHIP team combines pitching along with a balanced lineup that can manufacture runs and not pop up or strike out with LISP (see also Jason Giambi). I'm actually curious as to everyone's opinion on this. Does anyone agree with me or am I imagining most of this. Thoughts? :) Jeff October 8th 12 noon

Hi Guys: :)

Also another thing which I think is sometimes not brought up enough; Girardi was CLEARLY not aggressive enough as a manager this season. I can’t even begin to count how many times the yanks would get a leadoff guy on 1st base, but instead of Girardi starting the runner, what would happen? Ok everybody now: DOUBLE PLAY! Does anyone remember how many potential rallies were literally erased by no out, or 1 out double plays this year? Jeter and A-Rod were at the forefront (no doubt about it!), but the entire lineup was guilty as well! The Yanks could have easily scored 50 or more runs this year if they had been more aggressive on the basepaths. Remember, the Yanks actually gave up FEWER runs as a team this year than last year! What does that tell you? Translation: Giardi (and Dave Eiland) were very, very good in handling the pitchers/bullpen this year, but he (along with the help of Meachum and Thompson) left a LOT to de desired as far as helping the team manufacture runs! Yes, pitching is ABSOLUTELY the difference between a winning team and a losing one (no doubt about that one either!), but a CHAMPIONSHIP team combines pitching along with a balanced lineup that can manufacture runs and not pop up or strike out with LISP (see also Jason Giambi).

I’m actually curious as to everyone’s opinion on this. Does anyone agree with me or am I imagining most of this. Thoughts? :)

]]> By: Jeremy http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/10/07/girardi-is-the-subject-on-wfan/comment-page-8/#comment-562994 Jeremy Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:09:02 +0000 http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/10/07/girardi-is-the-subject-on-wfan/#comment-562994 This is interesting speculation, but speculation nonetheless. Throughout the year we've seen lots of innuendo about Girardi not getting along with his player. What's been missing all along is any evidence. No quotes from players or observers, even anonymous quotes. Just guesses. The burning question is whether any problems the players have with Girardi, if they exist, translated into poor performance on the field. If so, it's very hard to tell. The Yankee lineup produced well, with the exception of CF, 2B, and C. We got nothing from catcher because Posada was injured, Molina and Moeller just aren't good hitters, and Pudge didn't do much for us either. As we all know, Melky and Cano killed us. Whether that had anything to do with Girardi failing to light a fire under them is, to me, the biggest Girardi issue of all. Again, we haven't seen any evidence that this was the case. But if it was, how hard could it be just to kick their ass and make them play harder, like they did just last year? As we also know, Mussina pitched a great season, Wang and Joba went down with injuries, Hughes and Kennedy disappointed, Pettitte faded in the second half, and Rasner and Ponson pitched like the replacement players they are. Does Girardi deserve credit or blame for any of this? Almost certainly not. The bullpen was terrific. Girardi showed a real talent for managing his relievers, one of Torre's most glaring weaknesses. As upset as Rivera supposedly was, he pitched one of the best reliever seasons of all time. It's always possible to say a player could have performed better under X conditions. It's just extremely difficult to prove it because it's a hypothetical. Could Girardi have done things that would have coaxed better performance out of his players? I'm sure of it. But so could the manager of every other team that doesn't win the WS this season. By the way, Pete is being fair here because he notes that any problems with Girardi's managerial style are fixable. I'm sure he's right about that. The bottom line is Girardi did a fine job in managing the team based on decisions and strategies we could actually see. If his biggest problem is that he needs to change his attitude a bit, and he's smart enough to realize that, then we have nothing to worry about. This is interesting speculation, but speculation nonetheless.

Throughout the year we’ve seen lots of innuendo about Girardi not getting along with his player. What’s been missing all along is any evidence. No quotes from players or observers, even anonymous quotes. Just guesses.

The burning question is whether any problems the players have with Girardi, if they exist, translated into poor performance on the field. If so, it’s very hard to tell.

The Yankee lineup produced well, with the exception of CF, 2B, and C. We got nothing from catcher because Posada was injured, Molina and Moeller just aren’t good hitters, and Pudge didn’t do much for us either. As we all know, Melky and Cano killed us. Whether that had anything to do with Girardi failing to light a fire under them is, to me, the biggest Girardi issue of all. Again, we haven’t seen any evidence that this was the case. But if it was, how hard could it be just to kick their ass and make them play harder, like they did just last year?

As we also know, Mussina pitched a great season, Wang and Joba went down with injuries, Hughes and Kennedy disappointed, Pettitte faded in the second half, and Rasner and Ponson pitched like the replacement players they are. Does Girardi deserve credit or blame for any of this? Almost certainly not.

The bullpen was terrific. Girardi showed a real talent for managing his relievers, one of Torre’s most glaring weaknesses. As upset as Rivera supposedly was, he pitched one of the best reliever seasons of all time.

It’s always possible to say a player could have performed better under X conditions. It’s just extremely difficult to prove it because it’s a hypothetical. Could Girardi have done things that would have coaxed better performance out of his players? I’m sure of it. But so could the manager of every other team that doesn’t win the WS this season.

By the way, Pete is being fair here because he notes that any problems with Girardi’s managerial style are fixable. I’m sure he’s right about that. The bottom line is Girardi did a fine job in managing the team based on decisions and strategies we could actually see. If his biggest problem is that he needs to change his attitude a bit, and he’s smart enough to realize that, then we have nothing to worry about.

]]> By: Irabu's Son http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/10/07/girardi-is-the-subject-on-wfan/comment-page-8/#comment-562986 Irabu's Son Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:52:53 +0000 http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/10/07/girardi-is-the-subject-on-wfan/#comment-562986 Know what would be fun? If Girardi got fired and Jeter became player-manager like Pete Rose in 1987 Know what would be fun? If Girardi got fired and Jeter became player-manager like Pete Rose in 1987

]]> By: Mike http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/10/07/girardi-is-the-subject-on-wfan/comment-page-8/#comment-562980 Mike Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:12:47 +0000 http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/10/07/girardi-is-the-subject-on-wfan/#comment-562980 Sorry Peter but this is a lame excuse ! . These pre-madonas are getting paid MILLIONS and MILLIONS of dollars . .That should be enough motivation to win ! . At this level i don't think you need a manager to hold your hand and pump you up before every at bat ! . John Heyman and everyone should realize that the reason why we haven't won is because of our PITCHING !!!!!!! not Girardi. Girardi may have cost us 20 games . . But our pitching alone and inconsistent hitting cost us about 60 games ! Sorry Peter but this is a lame excuse ! . These pre-madonas are getting paid MILLIONS and MILLIONS of dollars . .That should be enough motivation to win ! . At this level i don’t think you need a manager to hold your hand and pump you up before every at bat ! .

John Heyman and everyone should realize that the reason why we haven’t won is because of our PITCHING !!!!!!! not Girardi. Girardi may have cost us 20 games . . But our pitching alone and inconsistent hitting cost us about 60 games !

]]> By: Mark http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/10/07/girardi-is-the-subject-on-wfan/comment-page-8/#comment-562975 Mark Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:29:21 +0000 http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/10/07/girardi-is-the-subject-on-wfan/#comment-562975 Transitioning from Torre's experienced professionalism was going to be tough on anyone. Can Girardi lead? He took an annonymous group of Marlin kids into contention and won NL Mgr of the year. He was a highly respected clubhouse guy in his playing days. He has flaws and figures to improve. It's interesting though that the long-term flaw master--Cashman, who built this 3rd place team is coated in teflon. I'm sure that Brian is more popular with the players since he has overpaid most of them.Don't think it's about popularity,3rd place will get old and 4th place next year isn't out of the question. By then Cashman will have another "hand picked Manager" and will escape blame again. Transitioning from Torre’s experienced professionalism was going to be tough on anyone. Can Girardi lead? He took an annonymous group of Marlin kids into contention and won NL Mgr of the year. He was a highly respected clubhouse guy in his playing days. He has flaws and figures to improve. It’s interesting though that the long-term flaw master–Cashman, who built this 3rd place team is coated in teflon. I’m sure that Brian is more popular with the players since he has overpaid most of them.Don’t think it’s about popularity,3rd place will get old and 4th place next year isn’t out of the question. By then Cashman will have another “hand picked Manager” and will escape blame again.

]]> By: Tom K http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/10/07/girardi-is-the-subject-on-wfan/comment-page-8/#comment-562974 Tom K Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:20:20 +0000 http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/10/07/girardi-is-the-subject-on-wfan/#comment-562974 "200 million shouldnt be able to buy a world series but if cash did his job right 200 million in payroll should at least give us a spot in the playoffs." ==== There is a flaw in this argument that always seems to be overlooked - it's not like Cashman starts at $0 every year and builds up to $200 million. If he was able to scrap all contracts and start over with a budget of $200M, it would be very hard to beat the Yankees. Thankfully, sports don't run like that. “200 million shouldnt be able to buy a world series but if cash did his job right 200 million in payroll should at least give us a spot in the playoffs.”
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There is a flaw in this argument that always seems to be overlooked – it’s not like Cashman starts at $0 every year and builds up to $200 million. If he was able to scrap all contracts and start over with a budget of $200M, it would be very hard to beat the Yankees. Thankfully, sports don’t run like that.

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