New York Yankees fans boo Joe Girardi

The Yankees faithful booed their skipper the night following a costly managerial mistake.

The New York Yankees were well on their way to evening up the best-of-five series against the favored Cleveland Indians. They were in complete control heading into the later innings of Game 2 in Cleveland. With the Yankees leading 8-3 in the bottom of the sixth, Lonnie Chisenhall was awarded first base on a hit by pitch, loading the bases for the Indians with two outs. Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez heard the ball hit the bat, which then landed in his glove. He pushed for Yankees skipper Joe Girardi to challenge to play, but he didn’t heed the advice of his All-Star backstop. Said Sanchez:

“I didn’t think it hit him, because he never reacted. He stood there. But it’s just stuff that happens in the game.”

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If overturned, the Yankees would have exited the inning up 8-3, with their lock-down back-end of the bullpen due to close things out. Girardi elected not to challenge the play, which ensued a grand slam by the following batter, Francisco Lindor, cutting the deficit to one run. The Indians later tied the game in the eighth, then outlasted the Yankees 9-8 in a marathon 13-inning classic. Girardi later explained his take:

“There was nothing that told us he was not hit by the pitch.”

I disagree, Girardi. Your own catcher told you clearly that the ball did, in fact, hit the bat. You can make all the excuses in the world, but you royally messed up, squandering a huge opportunity to go back to New York with the series tied 1-1.

When the boys in pinstripes returned to New York, the Yankees skipper was booed, and rightfully so:

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Girardi’s contract expires at the season’s end, which will be sooner rather than later with miscues like Friday night’s. Once the Yankees are eliminated, they are best to part ways with their manager in the offseason, while finding a skipper who listens to his players, for one, as one who is in touch with the game would be a start.