SOMETIMES YOU NEED TO SEND A MESSAGE

Source: Christopher Pasatieri/Getty Images North America

Twitter and Instagram are sometimes nuts, and to be honest I am considering removing Bleeding Yankee Blue from Twitter all together.  I feel bad about that, because the majority of the Yankee and BYB fans I have built a relationship with are very good, smart people and the dialog we have is tremendous.  But there's a lot of hate out there, and when you break it down... you realize these haters don't really have lives, live behind their screens and know that no one's gonna come after them or bother them... and they can bully whomever they want.  It's kind of sick and demented.

(Oct. 4, 2017 - Source: Jason Miller/Getty Images North America)

Opinions matter though, especially if it's smart opinion and relevant to a situation. Especially if you keep it clean.  And you know what? After Friday night's devastating loss... people were annoyed, and aggravated and wanted answers as to why Girardi didn't challenge the "hit by pitch" that eventually led to a grand slam and the Indians beating the Yanks. It will haunt Joe forever if the Yankees don't win this series... that's for sure.

Now look, I found this "snipe" by Aroldis Chapman fascinating... and to be honest... it sends a message to his manager.

I'll let the New York Daily News take it from here:

"If Yankee fans think Joe Girardi’s tenure as manager should be coming to an end, it seems Aroldis Chapman might ‘like’ that idea.

The Bombers closer liked a comment on his Instagram page early Saturday morning insinuating that Girardi shouldn’t return as skipper in 2018.

'Let’s hope Joe’s contract is not renewed after the season,' the comment Chapman liked, written by user @millsjr33, reads. 'He’s an imbecile.'"

Photo: Getty Images

Does that form a "struggle" in the Yankee clubhouse now? Absolutely, but so did Girardi's lack of leadership the other night.  Will Chapman be reprimanded? Sure, he should. Punished... absolutely.  Does he care? Nope. 

And here's the thing... I side with Chapman here. Sometimes you need to send a message to management that things aren't being handled correctly.  Sometimes you need to remind them that they need to be there for the team, and not sit on your hands and do nothing.  The lack of challenge the other night was not Joe's style and that was weird to me. 

Photo: Getty Images

He's been aggressive and backing his team all year. But not the other night. 

He pulled CC too early... he didn't challenge and the binder thinking started creeping in.

Chapman sent a message. I don't care that reports are that he apologized and that the "team" said he did it accidently. What I do know is it got people talking... and regardless of the apology and team statement on the matter... it was done intentionally. 

Now it's Joe's move.