Clarion Content

The Clarion as long time readers can confirm was not stoked about the dismissal of Joe Torre from the post of Yankees skipper. Make no mistake, it was a dismissal. Veteran New York watchers know a one year contract in the City sports scene is one foot on the proverbial plank. The illustrative comparison can be seen with the way the New York football Giants handled Coach Tom Coughlin before last season. The Giants ownership, who get it, just as much as the Yankees ownership, knew Coughlin only had one year left on his deal. They didn't want him to go into the season as a lame duck, so they gave him a one year extension. It worked out okay. They knew that the New York media begin speculating about your job security from day one, and it is all but impossible to successfully coach when facing lame duck status. (The modern athletes one is supposed to manage know one's contract status just as well as the media.)

So Torre was forced out, but the Yankees claim to have replaced him with a younger, better product. If you'll pardon us the bad pun, there's a new Joe in town, one who was the National League Manager of the year, before being fired for getting into a dispute with ownership. The Clarion thinks the Marlins ownership is a denizen of about the 5th circle of hell, so we are willing to give Girardi the benefit of the doubt on that one. However, already three things have rubbed us the wrong about the new Joe, one tactical, one practical and one absurd.

The tactical one is pretty straightforward. Girardi has been talking about platooning Matsui some in left field to get Damon and Giambi more at-bats. Not that Giambi is to play in left, but rather Damon is not to poach his at-bats from 1st base and the DH spot, but instead from left field. The Clarion hates that plan. When healthy, Matsui is much more productive than either of those guys, still got his 100 RBIs in only 143 games last year. He is faster at this point in his career than either. He is a much more fundamentally sound player. We are willing to give Girardi the benefit of the doubt for a moment, but in our opinion Giambi is all but done. Sorry about his contract, but put him out to pasture already. Our crack sports staff would rather see Shelley Duncan get his roster spot.

Issue two is a practical one, what is this whining about the back up catcher, Francisco Cervelli, getting hurt in a home plate collision. Too bad. And sincerely, too bad because the kid broke his wrist, but what are they supposed to play the games half speed when you say so, Joe? Girardi's arrogance just oozes off of him. Worse the Yanks had to get called out on this incident by old man Don Zimmer, who told Girardi in no uncertain terms to back off. The guy who ran over the back-up catcher is trying to make the Rays, trying to give his all and get noticed. Worst yet, the baseball people present said it wasn't a dirty play. Francisco Cervelli was blocking the plate Elliot Johnson ran over him. Minus two points for whining Joe.

Issue three, they are letting Billy Crystal play? Sixty year old Billy Crystal? Play, not just trot on to the field to throw out the first ball like every other celebrity. Don't get the Clarion wrong, we love Billy Crystal, he's an American icon, but putting him in a game at 60 is another sign the Yankees are taking the wrong approach this Spring. Ya know Joe, Robin Williams sits in the same luxury box as Billy quite often, maybe you can let the two of them play the whole left side of the infield. Sweet.

Even the Cubs don't let Bill Murray play. Keep up the good work.

Labels: baseball, sports