Joe Boots It

A recurring theme of this blog will be my ever growing conviction that Joe Girardi is not a major league manager.  My sons may offer conflicting opinions, but I find Girardi to be inadequate.  On Sunday, he once again demonstrated his penchant for making the wrong decision at the wrong time.  The result was a loss in a game the Yankees should have won.

The Yankees led 4-3 going into the 8th inning.  Brian Bruney had set the Royals down 1-2-3 in the 7th.  In the 8th, Girardi brought in Damaso Marte.  Marte is supposed to be the 8th inning guy this year, so this move appeared to be the right one.

Marte was not super sharp, but he got the first two hitters, both left handers.  The Royals then pinch hit Billy Buter, a right handed hitter.  Since Marte is supposed to be the 8th inning guy and not just a left handed specialist, you would think he would face Butler.

But Girardi decided it was time to overmanage.  He brought in Jose Veras.  Simultaneously, he told Phil Coke to get loose.

Veras threw five pitches, four of them balls, putting Butler on first.  Now Girardi panicked.  He yanked Veras and brought in Coke, even though Coke was not ready.  Naturally, Coke was shelled.  By the time the smoke cleared, the Royals led 6-4, a lead they did not relinquish.

Girardi has demonstrated a repeated propensity to make the wrong decision at the key moment in the game.  Today was just the first occasion in 2009.  In 2008, I counted at least 6 games where a Girardi blunder cost the Yanks a win.  Had they won those six games, they would have had 95 wins and tied the Red Sox for the wild card.

Girardi may be the Andy Reid of baseball.  Reid has built some fine Eagle teams, but he is a horrible game coach.  So is Girardi.  If the Yankees insist on keeping Girardi as manager, they need to find him a strong bench coach to call the game.

Mark this down as blown game number one for 2009.  I’ll keep track as the season progresses.

View gormanb's Profile      Subscribe via RSS