Yankees Analysis: Is There A Viable Replacement For Joe Girardi?

Yankees manager Joe Girardi’s contract will be up at the end of the 2017 season. Do the Yankees need to re-sign him or is there another option out there?

The Case for Keeping Girardi

Current Yankees manager, Joe Girardi, first took the role as manager for the then Florida Marlins in 2006, where he won National League Manager of the Year. After longtime Yankees manager Joe Torre left for Los Angeles in 2008, Girardi became his successor. The very next season, he would lead the Yankees to the American League pennant and their 27th World Series title. He is, of course, also in the final year of his contract.

As a manager, he’s always been relatively successful. He has a career winning record of 897-723 and has always been on the positive side in the win-loss records for the Yankees. So now the issue becomes whether or not the Yankees want Girardi around for a bit longer.

Team owner Hal Steinbrenner has elected to keep the tradition of his father and delay talks of an extension until the end of the season. For Girardi, it’s best for him to focus on the season ahead and impress in his contract year.

Replacement Options

Should the Yankees decide to move on from Girardi, there are a few managers who will also be without contracts. There’s Mets manager Terry Collins. The problem with Collins is retirement, both if he is offered a new contract or he isn’t.

Another expiring contract is Nationals manager Dusty Baker. They’ve already declared they are open to re-signing Baker to an extension. John Gibbons of the Blue Jays is also due for a new contract. He wants an extension before Opening Day, so he may not even be an option at season’s end.

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Other options coils are Tigers manager Brad Ausmus or Royals manager Ned Yost. The problem with many of these managers is age and success. Collins, Baker, and Yost are all in their 60s, and for a younger, rebuilding team, you want a younger manager. Girardi is one of the younger managers in the league. And regarding success, Girardi has a longer and better career and record than most of them.

I just don’t see any viable options that currently lead teams unless someone relatively as successful is fired. The question there, of course, is “why were they fired in the first place.”

Former Yankees As Manager

No. I’m not suggesting Don Mattingly is leaving the Marlins to come back to New York. I’m suggesting recent players. Past players as say one Alex Rodriguez. Yes, this is the biggest rumor flying around right now. Hal Steinbrenner has said he wants A-Rod to have an expanded role with the Yankees. He’s going to be at Spring Training, so his presence is already happening.

I don’t see it. I can’t see Rodriguez as the next Yankees manager it just doesn’t make sense. Many Yankees fans, including myself, already dog him as never being a true Yankee. So anointing him as the leader of the rebuild before say Derek Jeter, would be downright larcenous. With ‘Baby Jeets’ on the way, it is pretty far-fetched to claim Jeter will be the Yankees manager soon.

While he didn’t completely fill Jeter’s shoes as team leader, I will say A-Rod did take a leadership role. And because of how young he still is, specifically for a manager, he can relate more to the youth movement and play the kids. I still just don’t buy into him being a viable manager, especially replacing a great one such as Joe Girardi. I think the type of role he would be better in would be in the front office.

Just Sign Him Hal

As Shia LaBeouf so famously said, “just do it!” Girardi is the best option as a manager. He’s committed to playing the youngsters where they fit and to an actual rebuild.

Next: Yankees Taking Right Approach With Girardi

They already have a position filled successfully with Girardi that they don’t need to overthink. Hal Steinbrenner is fine playing the waiting game, and I would be to, so long as Girardi receives an extension. It’s wise for the Yankees to sign him to a short contract where they can observe how he fares with a rebuild. They at least owe it to Joe Girardi to give him the chance to lead a rebuilding team and go from there.

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