Joe Girardi on Yankees: 'I Wanted to Finish What We Started This Year'
Former New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi chatted with Mike Francesa on WFAN in New York on Monday afternoon to discuss the team's decision to part ways with the manager after 10 years.
“I wanted to finish what we started this year," Girardi said. "From that standpoint, I was disappointed.”
He later added that the Yankees are very set up for the future with its young core of stars, which includes Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez.
Girardi finished up his four-year deal worth $16 million before the team decided not to bring him back next season. Girardi led the Yankees to within one game of reaching the World Series before the team lost to the Houston Astros in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series. He told Francesa that he thinks it was "very possible that it would be a different outcome" if he had reached the World Series.
Girardi managed the Yankees for 10 years and won the 2009 World Series and reached the playoffs six times. His teams never finished below .500 in a season.
In his interview, Girardi also noted that there is a "pretty good chance" that he will make a return to the broadcast booth but is also ready to manage again. Girardi said that he would be OK with managing a team in its rebuilding phase and finds it enjoyable.
After his dismissal, reports surfaced that some players on the Yankees did not get along with Girardi. He said that he was not aware of any rift between players.
“From the standpoint of relationship issues, there were none," Girardi said. "And if there were, I didn’t know about it.”
Francesa singled out Sanchez as a player that Girardi may have been tough on but Girardi said "we didn't have issues" and was focused on helping him understand his importance to the team. Girardi said there was also no truth to any issues with Aroldis Chapman even after the closer liked a comment that called for Girardi's firing after a loss in the American League Division Series against the Cleveland Indians. The Yankees came back after an 0–2 deficit to win the series in five games. Several players said they were motivated to win the series for Girardi.
On Monday, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman held a conference call with reporters and noted that 'communication and connectivity' in the clubhouse were primarily a reason for change.
