Joe Girardi was fired by the New York Yankees back in late October. Girardi was let go after a decade with the Bronx Bombers. The decision was made after the manager failed to reach the World Series after losing Game 7 against the Houston Astros in the ALCS. Girardi then stated that he felt “Surprised” and “Disappointed” with the decision. Here’s what Girardi left behind after his last year as manager of the New York Organization.
A Strong Foundation
The Yankees look promising. As he departs, great talent stays. Pitcher Luis Severino did quite well, finishing the season with a 14-6 record and a 2.98 ERA. His performance earned him a well deserve contender spot for the Cy Young Award. Gary Sanchez batted .278 for the season with 90 RBI. Last, but by all means not least, outfielder Aaron Judge had an amazing season. “The Judge” put up ridiculous numbers on offense and broke Mark McGwire’s rookie home run record (52 HRs). Judge batted .284 in 2017, leading his team in OBP (.422), RBI (114), runs scored (128), and of course, home runs He is a finalist for both the AL MVP and Rookie Of The Year.
On top of all that young talent, the Yankees also have a very experienced group of players to help the youth even more on their development. Brett Gardner, CC Sabathia, and Jacoby Ellsbury are a few examples. Their experienced players know the ropes very well.
They Put Up A Fight
They did more than expected. Under Girardi’s management, the 2017 New York Yankees had an extraordinary postseason. Some might argue that they did not reach the World Series, which makes the season a failure. That falling short in the ALCS is nothing but a lost season for the Yankees. Nevertheless, this Yankees team had no other goal than building a team for the future. Not only did they accomplish that, but they also gave the Astros a run for their money. Despite going cold on offense at times, these Yankees were not afraid of going “mano a mano” with far more capable teams. These players will win Game 7s in the near future.
He Is Gone
Like it or not, Girardi is gone. While it is true that the Yankees did not win it all this year, there is no justification for kicking the manager out of New York. There is also no consistency at all. The Steinbrenner organization gave him the ball for the 2016 season. Last year was not nearly as kind as 2017 for the Yankees and they still had confidence in him. Now, after a nice run during postseason, he gets the ax. The only word to describe this is unfair, simply unfair.