And his name is Joe Girardi.
The Yankees formally introduced the former three-time Yankee World Series Champion as their new manager on Thursday. Girardi signed a three-year deal worth in the neighborhood of $7.8 million. I say "in the neighborhood" because the contract contains incentives for winning each playoff round and for winning Manger of the Year.
Girardi is the 32nd skipper in team history and will wear No. 27 since the Yanks will be searching for their 27th World Series championship in 2008. Girardi wore numbers 25 and 45 during his time as a player from 1996-1999 and number 52 as Joe Torre's bench coach in 2005.
This is the first "acquisition" for the new look Yanks. It's been a season of change for the Bombers and we're barely into November. The familiar faces are gone -- Joe Torre, Don Mattingly, Alex Rodriguez -- and there may be more on the horizon in Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte. I'd like to see all three of those guys return to the pinstripes, but if I had to choose the one most likely to be back I would pick Rivera. There are reports that the Yanks are working on a
three-year deal worth around $40 million for the closer, but the media has gotten every single Bomber maneuver wrong so far (Torre will return, Mattingly is the next in line, A-Rod will sign an extension) that I don't know what to believe anymore.
Reports also indicate that Andy Pettitte will either exercise his option and return to the Bronx for 2008 or call it quits. I'm not sure what to think about this one either. Pettitte said the same thing last season before signing with the Yanks. Is this something else he's picked up from his buddy Roger Clemens? Still, I'd like to see Andy give it one more go-round.
As for Girardi -- I guess I'm going to take a wait-and-see approach. There are too many variables about how this team is going to look to give an opinion on how he's going to do. There seems to be a split among Yankee fans however (at least the ones I know) about the decision to hire Joe. There are some that feel that he's the perfect guy for the job -- young, energetic, smart and knows what it takes to win in New York. And then there are those who say that he's inexperienced (his one season in Florida notwithstanding), battled with management while with the Marlins and could have a difficult time dealing with the players he once played with (although there aren't that many left) on the Yanks.
I'm still in semi-shock that Mattingly didn't get the job. I'm also still reeling that Joe Torre will be wearing Dodger Blue next season. And it looks like Donnie Baseball will be following him to La-La Land along with last season's third base coach Larry Bowa.
Sigh.
I wanted Mattingly, but I have to regroup and get behind Girardi now.
He may need all the support he can get.
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I have made my opinion known about my feeling about the yankees hiring Girardi, however I do root for the laundry not the person that washes it so I do hope all works out with Mighty Joe.