Breaking News: Yankees Give Girardi 3 Year Extension

The Yankees have agreed to a 3 year $9MM deal with Joe Girardi. The deal is said to be done, and includes $450-500K in ALCS and World Series bonuses. To be honest I have no real feeling on Girardi and feel completely indifferent to this signing.

The Yankees have to be happy to get this out of the way, because I'm sure they'll have a busy offseason. They are also lucky the Cubs signed a manager before their season was over, so they didn't have to deal with any kind of bidding way for Girardi.

Yankees Losing Patience With Joba

"It's time for him to step up," Girardi told the New York Post on Monday, one day after Chamberlain had an ineffective outing against the Mariners. The Yankees have pampered Chamberlain all season with the "Joba Rules," but his ERA remains an inflated 4.73. The Post added that Chamberlain is unlikely to start in the ALDS now that Andy Pettitte is healthy again. Girardi will likely go with CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Pettitte as his first-round starters (ESPN)."

I personally can't stand Joba, so I am glad that he is falling apart. It was really interesting to read that Buster Olney said "his pure stuff is just not the same as it once was". I think the Yankees are ruining this guy. I have said it from the beginning that he is the same player as Papelbon and should be treated as such. He is a reliever and possibly a closer down the line....not a starter!

Joba Going Back To The Bullpen?

"Well, if Joe Girardi listens hard enough to the clamor in New York, that's where he'll send his struggling 5th starter. Just listen to former Yank Goose Gossage: "This guy was their savior two years ago when they didn't have a set-up guy. They wouldn't have made the playoffs without Joba. He'd be the perfect [set-up] guy. If you could impact three or four ballgames a week instead of one...I think you're wasting a tremendous talent." Yesterday we mentioned that Girardi could consider Sergio Mitre as a fifth starter (ESPN)."

I have been saying this from day 1. Joba is a closer in the making. He doesn't have what it takes to be a starter, and there is nothing wrong with that. Rivera is not far from retiring, and the Yankees should get Joba ready to take over. The Yankees bullpen has been a joke all season, and I really think they would be much better off having Joba be part of 3-4 games a week rather then just 1. With Joba as a setup man and Rivera holding down the closer spot the Yankees could really shorten the game to 7 innings.

CC Sabathia Injury Update

"New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia left the game against the Florida Marlins in the second inning with tightness in his left bicep. A team trainer went out to look at Sabathia while he was warming up for the inning. He gave up a one-out double to Brett Carroll, then Yankees manager Joe Girardi and a team trainer went out to check on the left-hander again before taking him out of the game. The team said Sabathia is day to day and that no tests are planned (Sportsline)."

This all sounds like it was just precautionary, but Girardi seems to be losing control of his team. Girardi has gone out of his way to challenge A-Rod. It isn't working, and A-Rod is not a guy who likes to be challenged. CC came out and said that he pleaded with Girardi to let him stay in the game. I agree with Girardi that at this point in the season you have to play it safe. It just seems like the Yankees are getting ready to throw this guy out on the street. I never thought the Yankees should have got rid of Torre. I don't understand how you can let someone like him walk, but now it seems like they are paying the price, and if CC goes down the Yankees season is over...

Girardi Might Be Smoking Crack

"The Yankees' lineup will have a new look this season. Derek Jeter will be the leadoff hitter and Johnny Damon will bat second, a top of the lineup switch the Yankees will use for the rest of spring training (Sportsline)."

A lot of people are flipping out about this, and I can understand why this move seems to make no sense. Damon is a natural leadoff hitter. He has been doing the same thing since 1996. That being said I think Jeter will do fine there, and I don't see it affecting too much. What I do see affecting the team is Girardi's plan with Mariano Rivera. He plans that anytime a lefty starts a 9th innings, he is going to use Igawa then Rivera. That is fucking stupid. Rivera still is one of the top closers in the game, and there is no reason to baby him. Igawa is a joke, and I think no matter what he will get crushed. There is a lot of pressure pitching in the 9th, and I don't see Igawa doing well (especially in NY).