As soon as the Yankees were eliminated from the playoffs, talk began to swirl around that manager Joe Girardi would be fired. Today the Yankees made it official, announcing that he would not be returning as skipper for the Baby Bombers.
Breaking: Joe Girardi is out after 10 seasons as Yankees manager, sources told ESPN 1000's David Kaplan. pic.twitter.com/gBYk6Kj0mP
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 26, 2017
Although there seemed to be some tension between Girardi and the Yankees front office, this move is still very questionable in my eyes. In 10 years with the Yankees, Girardi’s teams went 910-710. That happens to be the best record in baseball during that span. He also won the World Series in 2009. However, with teams like the Yankees and Red Sox, the pressure is on to win at all times. If you don’t, you’re out. Right now, there are a few teams who make perfect sense for Girardi. Are the White Sox one of them?
The Front-Runners
Right now, the Nationals and Phillies both have to be in the race. With both teams currently having an open position at manager, they should both be making calls to Girardi. The Nationals are in a championship window that is closing fast. Should Girardi come to the Capital, they would once again be as good a bet as any other team to win the Fall Classic. However, Bryce Harper is sure to be on the move regardless of what happens after next season. Would Girardi want to stay knowing that?
The Phillies are another intriguing option. Although they are still a couple years away from competing, they have a young up-and-coming core like the White Sox and have the foundation set up for future sustained success. Furthermore, they have a boatload of money to spend and some say they have a legitimate chance to go after all-world player Mike Trout when he is a free agent. Surely the Angels don’t want to see Trout walk for nothing, and if that is the case, then the Phillies have the prospects to work out a trade for him as well. A combo of Girardi at the helm with Mike Trout on the team would send the Phillies rebuild into overdrive.
The Wild Cards
One wild card team I can see making a push for Girardi would be the Atlanta Braves. They currently have Brian Snitker as skipper of their club, but Girardi is obviously the better option with a prettier resume. Girardi could be a perfect fit for the young up-and-coming Braves. We saw what he did with the young Yankees team this season. He could have a similar effect with Atlanta. And while Snitker has only managed Atlanta for a year and a half, Girardi could put them on the next level.
And finally we have the White Sox. To some, Girardi seems like the perfect fit. He speaks Spanish, so he would not have a problem transitioning to a Spanish-heavy clubhouse. He also has proven he can work with young players and get the most out of them. Girardi is definitely an interesting option for Rick Hahn to think about, but at the end of the day, I think he stays with Ricky Renteria. Renteria also speaks Spanish and some say he was one of the biggest reasons why the White Sox were able to sign Luis Robert. Furthermore, his team clearly loves playing for him. The phrase “Ricky’s boys don’t quit” didn’t appear out of nowhere. Finally, he always stands up and fights for his players.
This is just one of many ejections Renteria had this year while sticking up for his players. Many times it seemed like his ejections sparked rallies from the team. He might not be the most well-known manager in baseball, but I think he remains the perfect fit for the White Sox. His culture brings chemistry to the clubhouse, he sticks up for his players, and his team loves to play for him.
Ricky’s boys didn’t quit on him last year. Expect similar things in 2018.
