After dismissing ex-manager Gabe Kapler following a brief two-year
stint in Philly, the fightin’ Phils are reportedly set to hire their new skipper
sometime this week. Approaching two weeks since the job has been
vacated, the Phillies’ managerial search is presumably down to three
finalists- Buck Showalter, Joe Girardi, and Dusty Baker. Though all three
would represent a vast upgrade from the aforementioned Kapler, 3x NL
Manager of the Year Dusty Baker is thought to be a distant third behind
Girardi and Showalter for the vacant role.
The Phillies are reportedly looking for a healthy blend of “analytics and
tradition” in their next manager, so that could explain why the 70-year old,
non-analytically styled Baker, despite his accomplishments, is considered a
dark horse to land the job.
The front runners for the Phillies’ managerial spot Joe Girardi and Buck
Showalter, fit the mold of what the Phils are looking for a bit better in
regards to tradition and analytics and it seems inevitable that one of the two
decorated candidates will be donned the Phillies new leader.
In this article in particular, however, I’d like to highlight Girardi and
what makes him an ideal candidate to replace Gabe Kapler.
Joe Girardi
Age: 55
Teams managed: Marlins (2006), 78-84 record
Yankees (2008-2017), 910-710 record
Awards: NL Manager of the Year, World Series Champion
Postseason record: 28-24
What makes Girardi such a good candidate for the Phils is his ability to
generate instant results, excel at making the proper in-game adjustments,
and handle the media in big-market cities. These three traits have been a
staple during his managerial career and may be what lands him another
coaching gig.
Hot Start
Girardi, who last managed in 2017 with the Yankees, experienced a meteoric rise to begin his MLB managerial career. The Illinois native led the then Florida Marlins to a 78-84 record and won NL Manager of the Year in his inaugural campaign as an MLB manager. While a 78-84 record and fourth place NL East finish don’t seem like much to write home about- and certainly doesn’t sound like the type of results ordinarily affiliated with Manager of the Year honors- it is a rather impressive feat given the context of that season.
For starters, the 2006 Marlins were one of the funkiest MLB rosters
ever assembled. Full of rookies and low-priced vets, the team boasted a
payroll of just $15M(!)- lower than multiple single-player contracts that
season. Still, with first-year manager Joe Girardi at the helm, the Marlins
greatly exceeded expectations and remained in the NL Wild Card hunt until
September. They also became the first team in MLB history to be 20 games
under .500 and finish at least one game above .500 in the same season.
Though the season didn’t result in a World Series celebration, there’s
no denying that the team’s talent was maximized under the tutelage of
Girardi and his Manager of the Year honor was well-deserved. This season
also serves as a template for what the Phillies desire. The team has long
been searching for a leader that can extract the most production possible
from his club and there is perhaps no finer example in baseball than Girardi’s
work with the 2006 Marlins. After watching the supremely talented Phillies
implode under Kapler’s watch this season, hiring an effective teacher of the
game like Girardi would do wonders for the postseason-hungry Phils.
Despite leading the team to seemingly impossible heights in his first
season with the club, Girardi was fired following the 2006 season- largely
due to his somewhat strained relationship with team owner Jeffrey Loria.
Girardi returned to YES Network as a broadcaster for one season before
being brought on as the Yankees skipper in 2008.
After missing the postseason in his first season in the Bronx, despite an impressive 89-73 record, Girardi notably led the Yankees to a World Series victory over the Phillies for their 27th WS pennant in his second campaign.
In just three seasons as a manager, Girardi had already experienced
the highs of his profession- winning both Manager of the Year (2006) and a
WS title (2009).
The ‘09 World Series pennant, though, could be the deciding factor between Girardi, Showalter, and Baker for the Phils managerial job. The Phillies front office brass has been extremely vocal about their desire to not only reach the playoffs again but bring a World Series title back to Philly. Of the known candidates currently vying for the job, only Girardi has led his team to a title victory before.
Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Continued on the page below.
Dugout Mastermind
Girardi, rightfully so, has earned quite the esteemed reputation as one
of the greatest baseball minds around. Girardi seems to possess an uncanny
ability to make the right move when it is needed most, specifically with his
bullpen decisions, something the Phillies struggled mightily with under Gabe
Kapler.
During his tenure in New York, the Yankee bullpen finished in the top
half in the league in ERA six times and top 10 four times. They also beat
their Pythagorean win-loss prediction four times under Girardi. Winning
baseball games often requires chess-like strategic ability and Girardi
possesses that in droves. A winner through and through, Girardi never
finished with a record below .500 in ten years as the Yankees skipper.
If the Phillies truly want to rid themselves of puzzling
decision-making, which they oft-suffered through under Kapler, Girardi
seems like the logical choice.
Media Presence
In a press conference alongside team CEO John Middleton and
president Andy MacPhail discussing the decision to move on from Kapler,
Phillies GM Matt Klentak stated that Kapler “had a hard time gaining
acceptance” in Philly, namely amongst the media.
Kapler seemed to always preach positivity when speaking of the highs
and (many) lows the team went through during his stint, and while it's
important to maintain an upbeat attitude and not get too down on yourself
or the team, that isn’t going to fly in a city that demands results the way
Philly does.
No other candidate for the Phils job understands this more than Girardi, who thrived under the bright lights of New York for a decade. New York media, much like its big-market sibling in Philly, does not tolerate losing or excuses. They aren’t afraid to crank up the heat and ask tough questions or flat-out question the strategy of the coaches if they feel like things could be done better.
Yankees GM and former Girardi employer Brian Cashman spoke glowingly of his former manager’s media presence in a recent interview with SNY:
“When you’re talking about somebody like Joe, he’d give you
instant credibility,” Cashman told SNY. “He’s buttoned-up, ready to
go and proven successful in the largest market you can find. And
he came out on top.
“He was here for 10 years, and some things have an expiration
date, but that doesn’t diminish the abilities the person possesses
or the quality of work he provides. I highly recommend Joe to
anybody, even our rivals, unfortunately.”
Girardi isn’t considered to be a media darling, per se, but he is
transparent, owned his mistakes, and held his players responsible. In Philly,
where nice-guy awards don’t get you too far, Girardi would be able to hold
his own against the tough Philly media and should even be able to earn the
approval of the fans in the process.
For a team that is desperate for a fearless, tactical, savvy leader with a championship pedigree, Joe Girardi simply makes too much sense to pass up for the Phillies. Hopefully, when the smoke clears at the end of the week, it’s Girardi who is donning the red pinstripes as the new skipper in Philly.
. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
