Girardi’s legacy will forever be tainted by this debacle
CLEVELAND — Joe Girardi luxuriated in champagne Tuesday night, a celebratory bath earned with a maestro performance in which he expertly read the moment and his players to piece together 26 winning outs from his bullpen.
The good vibes and goodwill lasted three days — enough distance from wild-card euphoria against the Twins to Division Series anguish against the Indians; Joe McCarthy to Art Howe in a few easy lessons.
Girardi did not have a good Game 2 on Friday night, but his sixth inning stands as the lowest moment in his 10 years as Yankees skipper. A Stump Merrill inning. A Bucky Dent inning. An inning that served as the trigger for a 9-8 Indians win in 13 innings and what is now the Yankees’ likely extinction from the 2017 season, trailing 0-2 in this best-of-five.
A lot was questionable in the bottom of the sixth — removing CC Sabathia after just 77 pitches and sticking with Chad Green when there were overt signs he lacked his best stuff. But this game — this excruciating game for the Yankees — will be remembered for Girardi not challenging a hit-by-pitch, for ignoring clear cues he absolutely should have.
The Yankees led 8-3. There were runners on second and third, two outs. Green delivered an inside pitch to Lonnie Chisenhall that redirected from the hitter into catcher Gary Sanchez’s glove. Home-plate ump Dan Iassogna called it a hit-by-pitch.
But the first cue to Girardi that he should have challenged the play was the fact Chisenhall made no initial movement to first as if he had been hit. Chase Headley said he was screaming from the bench Chisenhall hadn’t been hit based just on that. Plus, Sanchez, told the manager the ball hit the knob of the bat.
Girardi held up the game to wait for word from his replay crew to see if he should challenge. But here is the thing — just challenge. It was the sixth inning. He had two challenges in his pocket. This was the last, best chance the Indians were likely to have to get back into this game. Plus, from the seventh inning on, the umps can review a play they deem questionable even if the manager is out of challenges.
Girardi said several times afterward that he did not want to “break a pitcher’s rhythm” with a challenge. But that is ludicrous for a variety of reasons, including that perhaps no catchers go out to the mound more frequently than Yankees catchers. They are breaking the rhythm of the pitchers all the time.
Girardi said he did not want to wait two minutes and find out that it was a hit-by-pitch and then Green would have to find his pace again. But if that really were a problem, he could have just brought in David Robertson, who was warmed up.
Another huge mistake was, “I told them after 30 seconds we weren’t challenging.” The sport is indeed trying to speed the game up. But at that point, Girardi should have made the umps restart the action, not give them approval to do so. This would have allowed him to wait longer for all the information to come in.
For it was not long after that Headley noticed Girardi get a phone call and grow frustrated. The super slow motion view had taken a little longer, but showed the ball had indeed caromed off the knob into Sanchez’s mitt for what should have been the final out. Girardi expressed frustration that these are the rules — 30 seconds to decide. But again, make the umps legislate the 30 seconds. Plus, after this much time, Girardi knows the super slow mo takes a bit, underscoring the necessity to just go ahead and challenge anyway.
“Obviously that was not optimal, it was a huge play in the game,” Headley said.
But Girardi’s malfeasance went beyond that. Green normally is dominant, overmatching even the best hitters. But Yan Gomes, perhaps the softest mark in the Cleveland lineup, fouled off three 1-2 pitches before ripping a double to make it second and third, and then Chisenhall fouled off four 0-2 pitches before getting “hit” to load the bases.
Gary Sanchez pumps his fist after hitting a first-inning, two-run home run. Anthony J. Causi Starlin Castro gives a "thumbs down" to the Yankees dugout in celebration of his double in the first inning. Charles Wenzelberg Corey Kluber hands the ball to Terry Francona, as the Yankees force his exit in the third inning. Getty Images CC Sabathia celebrates after a strikeout in the second inning. Getty Images Aaron Hicks (right) jumps up to high-five Starlin Castro after giving the Yankees a big lead with a three-run home run in the third inning. Getty Images Greg Bird (right) meets Didi Gregorius at the plate after hitting a two-run home run in the fifth inning. AP Francisco Lindor rounds the bases after hitting a grand slam off Chad Green in the sixth inning. AP Jay Bruce rounds the bases after tying the game on a solo home run off David Robertson in the eighth inning. Getty Images Ad Up Next ‘Vegan Bernie Madoff’ freed from Rikers So-called “Bad Vegan” Sarma Melngailis was freed from Rikers Island... 8 View Slideshow Back Continue Share this: Facebook
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These were signs Green did not have his put-away stuff. Robertson was warmed up. Girardi said he stuck with Green because he had pitched well against Francisco Lindor, Cleveland’s terrific leadoff man. In 2017, Green had struck out Lindor both times he faced him.
But it was just two at-bats. Why would that be more important information than how Green looked at that moment? Green tried to throw a backdoor slider to Lindor at 1-0, hung it and Lindor crushed it for a grand slam.
“I feel I have to take the blame,” Green said. “I have to do a better job of getting out of that inning.”
Sure, that’s true. But he is still a young player. He has an experienced manager in the dugout who needs to read the moment, feel the urgency, get the signals better.
On Tuesday night, Girardi did that and his team advanced to the Division Series.
On Friday night, he managed perhaps his worst game with the Yankees. His team now trails 0-2. This will be excruciating forever.