Include me in the vast majority of Phillies fans and media who felt the organization had found their answer at manager when they hired Joe Girardi back in October of 2019. The grizzled World Series winning manager, who had seen it all, and had a unique advantage most with the same title did not, serving as a TV analyst and commentator in between stints serving as a TV analyst and commentator in between stints.
Still in the opening month of a 2022 season full of expectations fueled by the organization spending the most money in franchise history, fans have seen enough of binder Joe. While the players on the field have to perform in order to be successful, decisions made game in and game out have a direct impact on maximizing, or in this case, minimizing their chances of success.
Sure, it's easy to blame the coach when a team falls short, and hindsight is always 20/20, but when you spend the better part of each season questioning managerial decisions (or lack thereof) in the moment—which at times defy all logic and feel—at a certain point your patience runs thin.
Then comes the coddling. The days of a Larry Bowa type manager are over. The modern day athlete requires more of a gentle touch, like it or not, but there are lines that must be drawn when it comes to the madness of days off in a season where the goal is to end a decade long postseason drought.
"You can't play guys everyday."
"I can't kill the guy."
These are two Girardi quotes I find unacceptable in April, where the games mean just a much as September. Last I checked, you prepare for baseball by playing baseball. As an athlete, you work hard to become an everyday player. Through the first few weeks of the season, this team stinks (4-8 and 2-8 in their last 10 games), and needs all the work they can get. The number of different lineups adds to the stress, as it makes it near impossible for players to find their role.
There's a reason Phillies president Dave Dombrowski hasn't picked up the club option on Girardi for 2023. It's the same reason you're reaching your breaking point with the skipper. It's the same reason this column was written.
The leash is short, but how short?
