New York Yankees skipper Joe Girardi has squandered a great deal of public respect with a two-sided mentality throughout the past week.
Ever since the New York Yankees and Alex Rodriguez peacefully announced the end of their controversial relationship on Sunday, Joe Girardi has done everything in his power to become the “bad guy.”In the matter of five days, he has promised A-Rod four games on the field, directly contradicted that promise, stated that he is not here to manage a “farewell tour”, and denied the 41-year-old the opportunity to play third base in his final game.
With his first maneuver, Girardi showed an inability to formulate a game plan. Right after the organization settled the manner in the classiest of ways, he made a promise he could not keep.
For a widely known “players’ manager”, that is not too telling.
You cannot blame Rodriguez. A man with 696 homers is guaranteed to play the final four games of his storied career and is left riding the pine thereafter. How is that fair or justified in any way, shape, or form?
Following his ignorant action, the Yankee skipper completely lost his cool on reporters and had this to say:
“My job description does not entail a farewell tour.”- #Yankees manager Joe Girardi on playing Alex Rodriguezhttps://t.co/IVy0Q3xMYf
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) August 10, 2016
Let’s start by noting how asinine of a remark that was, particularly following a broken promise.
Remember this, Joe?
When did you ever express discomfort with these two men receiving special treatment in every city? Game after game, they would effectively create sideshow while being commemorated for their outstanding careers.
You were the one who ran them out there.
In fact, you were the one who placed Derek Jeter in the number two spot in the lineup which was extremely detrimental to the offense. Consequently, the team stumbled to a mediocre 84-win season.
A 40-year-old with a .256 batting average, a subpar .304 on-base percentage, and a mere four home runs was placed on the field seemingly every day for an expectation-driven 2014 Yankee team as the losses piled up. To make matters worse, he would play shortstop, a position in which he featured limited range at in the latter stage of his career.
Were you concerned with a desire to “win every game” at that point in time?
Evidently, that was not the case.
Now, a baseball legend is looking to make his final mark on the game. During this time, Girardi is not only leaving him out of the lineup but making hypocritical comments throughout the process.
Furthermore, he is denying him the chance to soak in the Yankee Stadium dirt during his final game. In reality, A-Rod — three years removed from everyday third base duties — probably has more range at third than Jeter had at short in his final days.
Besides, is nine innings of Rodriguez in the field going to define this team?
Absolutely not.
It is not as if you have to bat him cleanup or leave him out there for the entirety of the game. At this point, it is merely the thought that counts.
Girardi has not utilized thought this week.
And if you do not want him to be such a detriment, do not put him in the cleanup hole in his second to last game. How does that add any form of clarity?
Throughout the year, many have commended his ability to keep this team afloat. Now, his public perception is at an all-time low.
He did it to himself, plain and simple. The level of absurdity is ridiculous.
