At age 41, Girardi is still an 'old-school' managerThe Marlins' salary dump has many predicting they will lose 100 games or more. But new manager Joe Girardi is embracing the chance `to build a club.'

 

BY CLARK SPENCERcspencer@herald.com

 

Here it is nearly six years later and Joe Girardi is sipping on some tall-sized Starbucks concoction, answering a cell call from his wife about drywall work being done on their new home in north Broward County and talking tough about the Marlins.

Yes, the same Marlins who just about everyone else has pegged for last place; the same Marlins who unloaded seven of their eight position players from last season, two of their starting pitchers and their closer.

The last time the Marlins tried something like this, in 1998, they lost 108 games. They lost 98 in '99. And it took them until the 2003 season to finish in the black.

With a roster brimming with cherub-faced rookies and prospects -- ''Dontrelle Willis, Miguel Cabrera and the Seven Dwarfs,'' as Carlos Delgado's agent foresaw it before his client was dealt to the New York Mets in late November -- another 100-loss season appears not just possible, but highly probable.

But Girardi -- whom the Marlins tapped to be their next manager in October and at age 41 is the second-youngest dugout leader in the majors -- heads into his first spring training with an air of optimism that might leave some wondering whether the caffeine has gone to his head.

'People might say, `He's nuts,' '' Girardi conceded nearing the Feb. 18 report date for pitchers and catchers. ``To me, anything short of a World Series championship is not a successful season. I have plans of winning every day.''

That's not to say Girardi is harboring wild illusions of a Series title in his first season as a manager at any level, majors or minors. He's not. But the pride of Peoria, Ill., is not surrendering to prevailing wisdom, that the coming campaign figures to be exasperating, not unlike one former manager John Boles unknowingly foreshadowed for Girardi in 2000.

A PROPHECY FULFILLED?

The date was June 25. The place was Pro Player Stadium. Girardi was catching for the Chicago Cubs. In the bottom of the 10th inning, Cliff Floyd connected on a game-winning home run that capped off a series sweep of the Cubs.

Floyd waltzed around the bases, finally arriving at home plate where he was engulfed by his giddy teammates. Girardi was so incensed by the spectacle that inside the Cubs clubhouse afterward he told a reporter that what the Marlins did was ``bad.''

''I think, for a young team, they have an arrogance about them,'' the miffed catcher said afterward. ``They've got a lot of flair to them for a bunch of kids who haven't won anything.''

To which Boles replied: ``Anybody who criticizes that, well forgive me for feeling good about ourselves for six seconds after a walk-off victory. Joe Girardi has been playing for the world champion Yankees and, without having been in our shoes, he might want to hold off on criticism.''

Boles went on to say that he hoped Girardi never had to endure the misery that the Marlins had gone through.

That was nearly six years ago.

Now, Girardi stands to inherit a team that could be equally as inept.

And he hasn't changed his philosophy.

He said if a Marlin hits a walk-off home run, he doesn't want them erupting like a bunch of Little Leaguers and swarming the field as if they have just won the seventh game of the World Series.

''I remember,'' Girardi said of the 2000 incident. ``But I want players to act like they've done it before. I still think you've got to do it the right way. I don't ever want to give a club any more of a reason to beat us than just the normal competition. They can celebrate, but it doesn't have to be excessive.''

Girardi said he will allow his players to celebrate dramatic victories, but would prefer the revelry be contained to the clubhouse.

That's only one of his rules.

The new manager is also ordering all players to shave. No facial hair allowed.

''I'm old school,'' he said.

Outgoing manager Jack McKeon was also called''old school.'' But McKeon wasn't fussy about mustaches , and while he secretly confided to reporters that he wasn't one for on-field frolicking, he didn't put out an edict banning it.

''I want players to be excited,'' Girardi said. ``But the key is you act like you've done it before, you're not surprised by it, and it's something you can do at any time. Go out and shake hands, but jump up and down in the clubhouse. Celebrate on our terms.''

LITTLE TO CELEBRATE

There might be precious few times to celebrate this season. Half the roster could be made up of rookies.

Girardi said that doesn't mean the Marlins will necessarily lose every game.

Yet he said he isn't sure how his lineup will look, not with so many spots up for grabs.

''The interesting thing about my club is you can't say this guy is at short, this guy is at second, this guy is at first, this is what we expect,'' he said. ``You've got to see what they can handle. From a manager's standpoint and a coach's standpoint, you've really got to learn your players during spring training, because you don't know what you have.''

It's only early February, and Girardi is of an open mind. He has no choice.

''It's amazing,'' Girardi said. 'A lot of people are like, `Good luck, but I can't believe what they did to your club.' And I'm thinking, what a great opportunity. I have an opportunity to build a club, watch them grow and win.

``What I have is what I have, and we will deal with the team I have. But losing is very hard for me to swallow. What I'm saying is I believe in my players. I don't know who they are, but I believe we're going to compete every day. And if you compete every day, you have a chance to win every game."

 

Miami Herald

I love the entusiasm Girardi has for his team, but we'll see how he's doing in August when they are 25+ games out.

While I enjoyed most of it, couldn't help harken back to the opening of spring training a few years when a Marlin-loathing Clark Spencer wrote, "It was a good day today at spring training for the Marlins, they didn't lose".

I will die laughing if Girardi doesn't allow players to celebrate at home-plate after a walkoff.

What a Debbie Downer. No excessive celebrations. Give me a break.

The date was June 25. The place was Pro Player Stadium. Girardi was catching for the Chicago Cubs. In the bottom of the 10th inning, Cliff Floyd connected on a game-winning home run that capped off a series sweep of the Cubs.

Floyd waltzed around the bases, finally arriving at home plate where he was engulfed by his giddy teammates. Girardi was so incensed by the spectacle that inside the Cubs clubhouse afterward he told a reporter that what the Marlins did was ``bad.''

''I think, for a young team, they have an arrogance about them,'' the miffed catcher said afterward. ``They've got a lot of flair to them for a bunch of kids who haven't won anything.''

To which Boles replied: ``Anybody who criticizes that, well forgive me for feeling good about ourselves for six seconds after a walk-off victory. Joe Girardi has been playing for the world champion Yankees and, without having been in our shoes, he might want to hold off on criticism.''

Boles went on to say that he hoped Girardi never had to endure the misery that the Marlins had gone through.

That was nearly six years ago.

Now, Girardi stands to inherit a team that could be equally as inept.

And he hasn't changed his philosophy.

He said if a Marlin hits a walk-off home run, he doesn't want them erupting like a bunch of Little Leaguers and swarming the field as if they have just won the seventh game of the World Series.

''I remember,'' Girardi said of the 2000 incident. ``But I want players to act like they've done it before. I still think you've got to do it the right way. I don't ever want to give a club any more of a reason to beat us than just the normal competition. They can celebrate, but it doesn't have to be excessive.''

Girardi said he will allow his players to celebrate dramatic victories, but would prefer the revelry be contained to the clubhouse.

That's only one of his rules.

The new manager is also ordering all players to shave. No facial hair allowed.

''I'm old school,'' he said.

Outgoing manager Jack McKeon was also called''old school.'' But McKeon wasn't fussy about mustaches , and while he secretly confided to reporters that he wasn't one for on-field frolicking, he didn't put out an edict banning it.

''I want players to be excited,'' Girardi said. ``But the key is you act like you've done it before, you're not surprised by it, and it's something you can do at any time. Go out and shake hands, but jump up and down in the clubhouse. Celebrate on our terms.''

 

:thumbdown

 

Are you kidding me? We are not the f*cking Yankees Joe.

 

I hate this guy already...

I actually remember that series against the Cubs that is referred to in the article. They had reason to celebrate. We all did. Looking back on those years when wins were so hard to come by I remember feeling giddy and ecstatic over every dramatic win we could get. There was no reason for them to act like the mannequins from New York or Atlanta.

 

I'm not hating on the guy and there are aspects of his personality and attitude I think are good for a young team but Girardi may be going a little overboard. Watching the team have fun makes the fans enjoy the fun even more.

I actually remember that series against the Cubs that is referred to in the article. They had reason to celebrate. We all did. Looking back on those years when wins were so hard to come by I remember feeling giddy and ecstatic over every dramatic win we could get. There was no reason for them to act like the mannequins from New York or Atlanta.

 

I'm not hating on the guy and there are aspects of his personality and attitude I think are good for a young team but Girardi may be going a little overboard. Watching the team have fun makes the fans enjoy the fun even more.

 

 

Exactly. Someone should send him a chill pill or send him some hot whore to loosen him up.

I like what he is doing he is determined to make this franchise classy and develop a strong work ethic in the clubhouse. These weird and strict policys are just there to show the players that they will act like professionals under his rule. As long as he prepares the players and gets all the effort he can out of the players I dont see what the problem is.

If anything, the 2003 team showed us that having fun and playing loose are keys to maximizing your potential.

 

I'm afraid Girardi is going to have these guys strung tighter than a banjo.

If anything, the 2003 team showed us that having fun and playing loose are keys to maximizing your potential.

 

I'm afraid Girardi is going to have these guys strung tighter than a banjo.

 

 

yup. exactly.

If anything, the 2003 team showed us that having fun and playing loose are keys to maximizing your potential.

 

I'm afraid Girardi is going to have these guys strung tighter than a banjo.

 

 

:thumbup

 

My thoughts too.

 

Keep the kids controlled but let the youth out.

The more I think about this the more I dislike it. Most season tickeholders and hardcore fans already have enough to be upset about. If we are lucky enough to witness a dramatic win are we supposed to cheer wildly in our seats while we watch the players walk stoic-faced off the field?

 

I know he's saying he doesn't like excessive celebrating but where and how do you draw that line? Are they supposed to stop and think about jumping but not jumping too high? Yell but not too loudly? Smack your teammates' helmets once but not twice? Doesn't seem very natural or spontaneous to me.

 

Muted joy isn't real joy. I think it's possible to instill discipline and professionalism without being a kill-joy. If I wanted my team to look, think and act like the Yankees I would just be a Yankees fan. I'm a Marlins fan.

I recall that game actually in 2000. When the team is bad, emotion can spill over when something good finally does happen.

 

And I remember Girardi saying that stuff after the game. I always liked John Boles, and I was glad he fired back. Floyd always did have a little bit of hot-dog in him, but I thought Girardi was a jerk for saying it, and was mostly just crying that they got swept. After hearing him on various radio shows through the years, I never came away particularly impressed, although it's still early. He called in once to a radio sports talk show while they were interviewing Canseco about his steroids book, to express his outrage. Like he was shocked Canseco would do something like this...

 

He sure seems to sweat the small stuff.

 

However if he can coach & get the kids to play for him, I could care less about the other stuff. If the players respect him, he's fine with me.

He's full of shyte. Paul O'Neill would have shoved a bat up his ass if he had told him not to celebrate after a dramatic win. If he really is as anal as he's coming across, he won't have a long shelf life.

Forget Girardi. I want my Marlins to play with emotion. I want to see a huge celebration when they hit a walk off homerun. After watching the Caribbean Series on TV, I realize how exciting it is to watch players that show their passion. It pumps me up. I am not particularly impressed with Girardi. I wish we had a manager like Ozzie Guillen. Now there's a man that knows how to get the best out of his players and lets them have a great time. Passion is so important.