Joe Girardi Continues to Over-manage the Lineup

by jscape2000 on Aug 11, 2008 6:05 PM EDT in Analysis Comment 10 comments

Gah!!!

Just jumped over to LoHud to check out the lineups (anaconda will have the game thread up closer to game time).

Joe G. has done it again.

We're only 4 games back of the Red Sox and 3 back of the Twins for the Wild Card.

Tonight we begin a crucial series in Minneapolis. This really is make or break time, because if we lose ground to the Twins at this stage we might never catch them, even if we dominate the Sox.

The Twinkies are starting a pitcher with a 4.38 ERA and a ghastly 1.47 WHIP. This a man who gives up just under 11 hits per 9 innings. A man who strikes out fewer batters per game than the 2007 version of Mike Mussina.

But because this pitcher throws the ball with his left hand, Joe G. has taken Johnny Damon and Jason Giambi out of the lineup.

Never mind that Giambi's numbers against lefties (.247/.402/.517) are basically identical to his numbers against righties (.254/.389/.518).

Never mind that Johnny Damon has hit .363/.439/.466 over the last two weeks and would take home the batting crown if the season ended tonight. Also ignore that his .296/.377/.426 line against lefties is better than the best week Justin Christian could dream of having at the big league level*.

*Putting Christian in left also puts Melky in center, in case the Twins needed another automatic out.

I thought we were supposed to be getting a manager who understands both the statistical and the intuitive sides of the game.

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Yeah, that kind of stuff really drives me nuts about Girardi

It’s like Oh, no! A left-handed pitcher!

MUST. HAVE. ALL. RIGHT. HANDED. LINEUP. NO. MATTER. HOW. MUCH. THEY. SUCK.

by anaconda on Aug 11, 2008 7:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Christ

Is this a split squad game?

This doesn’t make any sense at all.

"Well, that kind of puts a damper on even a Yankees win."
-- Phil Rizzuto after hearing about the Pope's death

by matthaggs on Aug 11, 2008 8:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Well

You have obviously been misinformed. Girardi’s been a big disappointment so far.

by runbrettrun on Aug 11, 2008 10:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yikes...

Joe was my choice for giving the Yanks a “fresh”start. I was convinced that if he could take a bunch of bums (the Marlins) and make them a respectable club, what could he do with the Pinstripes? As it turns out…not a thing.
When in a race you don’t replace two or three players from the everyday lineup for two or three bench warmers, especially if your trying to catch the club your playing. I not only fear for Joe, but for Cash as well as he put this whole thing together. The old Boss would have canned the works by now (and rehired one or two)

by ilBrutto on Aug 11, 2008 10:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

"The Old Boss"

would have hired Mattingly. No question. Mattingly would have had this team scoring runs all over the place.

I think we all know the wrong decision was made.

by bronxbound on Aug 11, 2008 10:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

the same mattingly

that’s with the Dodgers? who are currently 13th (out of 16) in runs scored in the NL?

by Travis G on Aug 12, 2008 12:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

No chance.

Mattingly wasn’t the answer and isn’t the answer. He was a great player, a great hitter, and from what I understand a decent hitting coach, but to say he’d have the team scoring runs all over the place is insane. He has ZERO managerial experience—at ANY level.

The right decision was made, and unforeseen circumstances derailed this train—not the manager.

I will admit that Joe tends to over manage, and has cost us several times, but I just need to look at our pen to know we made the right move. At least with Girardi, we know a heart is beating beneath the NY. With Joe T. I felt that most times he was napping ala Ronald Reagan in his final term in office.

"Baseball is the background music of my life." -George Will

by Ronster22 on Aug 14, 2008 4:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Girardi, scrub player, scrub mananger

Girardi is not a younger fiery Lou Pinella, but rather Willie-Lite.

by RockinDaBronx on Aug 12, 2008 2:18 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It is killing me that sportswriters continue to defend Girardi because of the injuries
The reason we’re losing is because he can’t get shit out of the players
Just because Richie Sexson has had eighty at bats that have gone well against lefties means that we have to take an everyday power threat out of the lineup
it was an absolute embarassment watching tonights game from innings 1-9
top of second shouldve been a huge opportunity with first and third no out, but what a surprise, washed up pudge pops out and melky hits into a double play as usual
christian is fast but in his career should never be used beyond pinch running
and melky is the most automatic out one will ever see
girardi is an idiot. 95% of fans and sane people would take giambi over sexson any day, lefty or not

"The problem is we’re not winning. Not the teams in front of us," manager Joe Girardi said. "Nothing says we can’t turn things around and win eight in a row. It’s happened before and I don’t see why it couldn’t happen again."- Yahoo Sports

the real problem is, girardi cant manage one of the best teams in baseball well enough to get a single thing out of them
this franchise is about winning and girardi should be fired at the latest before next season

by jeterfan21 on Aug 12, 2008 2:38 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs