Tim Britton, who was filling in for Byran Hoch this weekend over at MLB.com, dug up this gem from Joe Girardi after yesterday's game:When asked after Sunday's 4-3 win if he thought his ejection helped his team come from behind in the eighth inning, Joe Girardi just shrugged his shoulders and said, "Sometimes I think I should get thrown out in the first."Let's hear it for Joe Girardi and his super-clutch ejection, ladies and gentlemen. Play. Of. The Game.
If he had just came out to argue the call without getting thrown out, who knows what might have happened...
- Would Cito Gaston decided against intentionally walking Mark Teixeira, instead leading to an improbable, line-out-step-on-the-bag double play?
- Would Jason Frasor still have tossed the wild pitch with A-Rod up that allowed Gardner to score and tie the game?
- Could A-Rod still have managed to strike out on a pitch right down the middle of the plate if Girardi hadn't lit a fire under his ass like that?
- Would Robinson Cano, who only had a meager 81 hits (two earlier in the game) and 43 RBIs coming into that at-bat have finally woken the fuck up and done something for this team!!1?1!/??
- Could Joba Chamberlain still have given up that run in the bottom half of the inning without the inspiration from Girardi's magical ejection?
- Where would Mariano Rivera have found the motivation to throw a perfect ninth inning had Joe not been tossed?
In all seriousness, this is an example of a manager thinking he matters way fucking more than he actually does. The Yankee rally was in full swing when Girardi got tossed. The Blue Jays already hit Cervelli and Gardner with pitches to start the inning and then Derek Jeter ripped a double, driving in a run and putting men on second and third, still with no one out. At that point, the Yankees' Win Expectancy was at 59% - a single gives them the lead, an out ties the game and they got multiple opportunities for both. Even after Swisher "struck out", they had a greater than 50/50 chance of winning the game and an even better chance of at least tying it right there.
The players were probably pretty ticked off at the terrible call by the umpire. Could that lead to a rally in some cases? Maybe. Did what Joe Girardi did help the team in any meaningful way, shape or form? I highly fucking doubt it. Players win games, not managers by getting ejected from them.
But keep telling yourself that getting thrown out of the game "fired the team up" or what have you, Joe. You came up huge yesterday. Great work. Just don't throw out your elbow patting yourself on the back.
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Jay,
ReplyDeleteLove all that you do. Reading on LoHud I get the impression that Giradi's comment was totally tongue-in-cheek. The full question I believe was why do his teams always seem to win when he gets ejected or something like that. So not intending to come to Giradi's defense but I don't think he for one minute thinks that his getting ejected lights a fire under the team.
I think you might be right that the comment is somewhat tongue-in-cheek, Link, but Joe basically said he came out with the intention of getting ejected and it's not the first time he's done so.
ReplyDeleteI honestly think he considers the ejections to be a tool or move of sorts and believes they serve some sort of a purpose, otherwise he'd stay between the lines when he went out to argue. He's very much under control and disciplined most of the time and I think if he wanted to, he could maintain his composure, even in the face of a ridiculous call that the one on Swish.
Or maybe he was just joking around when he made that comment and you should take it a *tad* less seriously.
ReplyDeleteHe came out with an intention to get ejected because the ump was making bullshit calls the whole game. Before this at bat Jeter was mouthing off to him, Joe came out to 1. Defend his players and 2. To get Swisher to stop argueing so he didn't get ejected.
ReplyDeleteTongue.In.Cheek.
The point is that Girardi didn't get ejected when he came out to argue, he got tossed for what he said and did when he came out. He could have acted like a normal human being instead of putting on the ridiculous display that he did. He meant to get tossed, and I doubt that he'd do it because he just lost control. Whether it was to shame the umpires, motivate the team, or both, there was a purpose to the tirade.
ReplyDeleteAnd first Anon, it's not like I'm really taking this seriously. I'm trying to make some jokes in there and use some strong language for affect, but I'm not actually upset about it.
RELAX..........
ReplyDeleteSeriously dude, chill out. You're gonna end up as bad as PeteAbe. No one likes a PeteAbe.
ReplyDeleteJay,
ReplyDeleteI got you now. I know it seems like a self serving idea that an ejection fires up the team but certainly Girardi is not the originator of this thought. I have even heard players quoted saying that it fired them up for their manager to get ejected. Either way they won because they scored more runs than the Blue Jays, and that probably would have happened whether Girardi was watching from the dugout or the clubhouse lol.
On an aside, is there a way I can save my user name so I don't have to always put it back in?
Jay,
ReplyDeleteLove it. Loyal followers of the blog understand this post is more in line with with the older style of posts you used to write. I come for the analysis and stay for the vulgarity. Thanks for giving us a bit more of the latter in light of something ridiculous that happened last night in the Yankee Universe. That's why you have always done best, and most understand you're not taking it too seriously. (it's quite obviously the opposite of that)
If we wanted more a more serious dose of boring we'd go to RAB. If we wanted more idiocy we'd go to IIH IIF IIC. (kidding, both those blogs are awesome for what they deliver)
You create a great hybrid of both styles and I love it. Keep up the great work!!!
Sorry for the typos. iPhones suck
ReplyDeleteEither the most effective sarcasm of all time...or not...
ReplyDeleteLOL @ PeteAbe comments...I should have started reading blogs to find kindred spirits RE: my hatred of PeteAbe before he left LoHud.
And just to toss in my 2 cents, the umpire was chickenshit bad yesterday. He was looking for any excuse to screw with Swisher because Swish argued a call in the 3rd inning. Replay showed he was nowhere near swinging and he didn't even get a chance to appeal to the 3rd base umpire.
Joe should argue that call no matter what. He's gotta defend his players in some way. Joe got tossed within 10 seconds because the ump was a twat. Joe didn't get animated until after he was tossed. I also think the question was brought to him by reporters because I've heard the stat that the Yankees are undefeated in games when he's been tossed mentioned either on air or in print somewhere.
Of course he knew he was going to get tossed as soon as he left the dugout, he was arguing a check swing and balls and strikes. That's what happens.
ReplyDeleteIt was no sillier than any other manager's tirade, and it's sheer idiocy to even jokingly criticize him for it ...
ReplyDeleteI do genuinely believe that there is a correlation between Joe getting kicked an the Yankees suddenly doing better, but I don't think for a second that it's anything more than coincidence.
ReplyDeleteJoe's number one reason for ejections seems to be arguing balls and strikes (I'm getting this just by searching Girardi + ejections in MLB video and tallying what I see... fairly unscientific). This seems to indicate that he goes out there knowing he's going to get tossed, because seriously, why else would a manger argue balls and strikes?
But timing-wise, Joe's ejections do seem to come during the midst of extended periods of crappy play (hence his 'I'm going to fire up the team' mentality). But really, with the Yankees talent, they are more than likely to get out of slumps by themselves. If Joe gets kicked during an extended slump, chances are the team was already about to come out of it on their own. We saw this late in 2008 when he got tossed against Boston, we saw it last year when he got tossed against the Braves, and we may see it this year too... of course we play shitty teams for the majority of the month.
Oh, and by the way, never stop this style! I love the more sarcastic and vulgar posts - plust they always seem to draw more comments and discussion.
ReplyDeleteI come here for joking over-reactions, black and white fotos and vulgarity. Thanks for delivering again, Fackington T. Youkaford.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the comments - mostly because I already don't like Girardi as a coach. There are times - I think I could coach this team and still win. I'm leaning towards the ejection was pointless, despite his efforts. He rarely looks sincerely mad and I doubt he's convincing his players as well...I guess if you have a couple world series rings, it can get to your head a bit.
ReplyDelete