Joe Girardi Is an Idiot; Charlie Manuel Is a Genius

Obviously, Cliff Lee was the story in Game 1 of the World Series; what an incredible pitching performance. Any true baseball fan would rather watch a guy like Lee attack the strikezone with surgical precision and keep hitters off balance by changing speeds than watch some meathead throw 100 miles per hour right down the cock.


I almost consulted my physician as Lee’s mastery of his craft gave me an erection that lasted perilously close to four hours last night.

There will be a litany of words written about Cliff Lee today – most of it gushing prose by respected members of the baseball establishment who get paid a lot more than I do to espouse their opinions. There’s no need for me to add any kindling to that burgeoning fire.

Instead, I want to talk about the very real possibility that Joe Girardi will over-manage the Yankees to a second place finish. To be fair, it’s not just Girardi who deserves to be subjected to the unholy firestorm of unrelenting verbosity I’m about to unleash.

It’s all 21st century stat geek managers who think starting pitchers can only throw 100 pitches an outing and rely on completely outlandish mathematical evidence: “So and so is hitting .280 against Pitcher A on odd numbered Thursday nights” and “Pitcher B’s effectiveness against left-handed hitters falls by 15% depending on the current phase of the moon.”

Last night was a prime example: with his team down 2-0, Girardi brings in Phil Hughes from the bullpen to start the eighth. Hughes continued his downward spiral and walked the first two hitters. Girardi gets him out of there and brings in Damaso Marte. Good move. Marte gets Utley (two bombs at that point) and Howard on seven pitches. Great move.

Then Girardi brings in David Robertson. Why, why, why, why, why, why, why, WHY???????

I have no idea who Damaso Marte is but I’m pretty sure his arm isn’t going to fall off after seven pitches; plus, he just retired the two top hitters in the Phillies’ lineup. It’s almost like Girardi thinks he’s managing in Little League and he’s trying to get everyone into the game so some drunken baseball Dad doesn’t follow him into the parking lot to complain that little Timmy never got off the bench.

So, what happened? Robertson comes in and promptly walks Werth and then gives up a two run single to Raul Ibanez. 4-0. Game over. Nice job Joe.

Conversely, Charlie Manuel managed last night’s game perfectly. How? By not doing a thing.

He sent Lee back out to the mound inning after inning; pitchers are in the bullpen for a reason. They are not good enough to be starters. Why would you take your best pitcher out of the game for some plug who only throws an inning at a time before the wheels come off?

I was ecstatic when Lee sprinted out of the bullpen for the ninth. When Jeter sent a duck snort to centre and Johnny Damon followed with a humpback liner to left, Joe Buck and Tim McCarver hollered for Lee to be taken out. Why? The Phillies had a six run lead and the Yankees had been stymied by Lee all night long. You let Lee try to finish that game until the tying run comes to the plate. Manuel, being a genius, agreed with me.

Was Lee fazed by two cheap little singles? The next three batters went fielder’s choice, strikeout and strikeout. I had picked the Yankees to win it all, but if their starting pitchers can’t hand the ball off to Mariano Rivera then Joe Girardi’s micromanaging trying to bridge that gap with his bullpen will end up killing the Yankees.