From Joe to Joe: Girardi the Choice for Manager

The Yankees have selected Joe Girardi as the next manager of New York Yankees. In my humble opinion, this is an excellent choice. Girardi has a reputation for being an excellent tactician, something that was sorely lacking during the Torre era. Furthermore, he represents more of a break from the past than either Mattingly or Pena, both of whom served under Torre last year. I happened to have felt that the Yankees should have retained Torre. At the same time, I understood that it may have been time for a change. Once it was decided that a change was in fact neccessary, Girardi represents the cleanest break from the previous regime. Entering the managerial search, I suggested that the Yankees could not go wrong with any of the choices. However, the fact that the Yankees made the best BASEBALL selection is encouraging, specifically because it illustrates that Cashman remains in charge, being that Big Stein was said to have favored Mattingly. There are some that believe that this selection will negatively impact the Yankees chances with Posada, Rivera, and Pettitte. With the possible exception of Pettitte, I believe that this will not in fact make a difference. Money usually talks, and these players are lifelong Yankees. If the money is there, they will return regardless of who is filling out the lineup card. All in all, I feel this decision helps salve the wounds of losing Alex earlier on this wild day in Yankeeland.