NO AVERAGE JOE

Photo: NJ.com

Twitter is chocked FULL of moronic, sad, angry, "Baseball Experts".  The type that knew the better move for the club, or SWEAR to the 48 followers (they'll never know or speak to) that their baseball IQ is light years ahead of the manager, GM or player on the field.  It is laughable...sometimes.  Other times it's WAY out of line.  The attacks are bloated with piss and vinegar.  It makes you wonder, "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE?"

I wanted so much to list the twitter handles of the worst of the worst on the offenders roster.  People I follow on "ANTI-social media" because they claim to be, like me, New York Yankee fans...they aren't. 

They may claim the Bombers as their favorite team, but baseball seems to be masking deeper issue...I mean some of these characters have issues like TIME magazine.  They need a timeout, or long vacation to an island resort with no Internet, TV, radio...hell, take the paper, pencils and bottles away too!  These twisted tweeters would be scribbling there angry 140 characters, rolling them up, stuffing them in the bottle and tossing them in the ocean with hopes of someone reading them. OH!  The message in the bottle would almost certainly be amount Joe Girardi.  Bank on it.

I've never understood how the Yankee fan base can be so bratty.  Like spoiled 5 year olds.  They fuss and whine like a kid who didn't get a toy on a trip through the store.  It is a big reason why the rest of the Baseball world "dislikes" us.  We have more than anyone and still find ways to piss and moan.

I am a HUGE Joe Girardi fan.  HE IS THE ONE OF THE BEST MANAGERS IN THE GAME. PERIOD.  You can disagree.  That's your right.  Opinions vary.  You know, like people who still think the earth is flat.  Joe is better than Mr. Torre was.  He is better than Buck was.  He is the best Yankee Manager since the Old Professor.  No?  Okay, let's run down what he has dealt with and see....cool? Super.

Joe came in to replace a man, born in New York and BELOVED by the city.  Joe went to work and righted the ship.  The Yankees hit a bump in the road in 2008, but Girardi didn't blame the circumstances in Yankeeland, he took the heat and went back to work. 

GI JOE also was given the job over a former Pinstriped Captain.  The fan base hated the decision...even thought it was the RIGHT one.  Donnie is one of my favorites, but c'mon.  He isn't a manager like Girardi.  Did Joe pout that Everyone Loves Donnie like he was Brad Garrett?  Nope, he went to work.

Joe was handed some HUGE free agents in 2009.  Sure, it was a big help, but as we saw in the past it didn't guarantee a Championship...but Girardi helped deliver one all the same.  Those free agents came over with looming expiration date (TEX being the sourest of milk).  He had to then manage injury, ego and the fan's expectation...he did.  And he did better than the couch potato twitter BY A LONG SHOT!

Oh, and then there were the FAREWELL TOURS.  A tour manager has the hardest job in Rock n Roll.  Girardi had to be both a press agent and skipper to the greatest Franchise in sports....all the while wondering which AJ Burnett was going to show up that night.  Still not convinced?  Okay....moving on.

Girardi can't manage a bullpen!  Yeah, you're right, knucklehead.  What would a former big league catcher who apprenticed under Torre and Zim know about the pitching staff.  Do me a favor, take your 140 characters, swap them out for 140 bucks and donate them to St. Jude.  NO!  You wouldn't have made a better choice by going to Betances rather than Mitchell on May 18th in Detroit.  Please sit on your hands.  Leave the phone alone for a minute.  Go play the White Album or get a coloring book out. 

Photo: Getty Images

WAIT!  We forgot AROD!  The big stars aging, The Red Sox throwing at our guys (Standing up was something Torre NEVER did when that happened).  Girardi's fire for his guys was unbelievable...even the ones that would second guess him openly.

You know what?  There is simply no convincing some...I am exhausted and just hoped Joe would have stayed with this amazing new group of young talent...SOMETHING HE DOES BETTER THAN ALMOST ANY MANGER IN THE GAME!!!  Yep, he is better than Tito and kooky Joe Maddon...and Roberts and Hinch...and Farrell...

Photo: Getty Images

It's time to move on, and Joe...thank you.  Thank you from sane Yankee fans who respect the manager you've been, but more importantly the man you are.  You are accountable.  You care about the game and the big kids who are lucky enough to play it.  You've dealt with the Steinbrenners (Not always easy).  You got booed at a home playoff game (By perfect baseball minds that never make mistakes).  You are a great father, husband and son.  You've played the game of life the right way.  And, like the old Irish saying goes, "NEVER LET THE BASTARDS GET YOU DOWN!"

I don't blame you for walking away, and telling sad, angry "Yankee fans" to...




PS.  IT WAS A 'REBUILDING YEAR!!! WE RACKED UP 91 WINS!!! TOOK OUT THE TRIBE!  AND TOOK THE ASTROS TO GAME 7 OF THE ALCS!!

 
  --Mike O'Hara
BYB Contributor
Follow me on Twitter: @mikeyoh21