Let him go...we'll be fine. We had maybe three or four people who even wanted this job last year...I'm fairly certain candidates will be lining up for the job with all our talent.

 

 

 

Exxxxxxx....actly! :thumbup

I think this has more to do with Loria being a prick, than about if someone could possibly do a better job

Yes, but if the end result is that we get a better manager, I have no problem with Loria canning Girardi. Loria may be a prick, but you don't publicly yell at your boss. It'll be interesting to see if Girardi ever coaches for the Yanks...I've never seen Torre EVER do that to his Boss...even with his ridiculous post-game comments and his general irrational demeanor. I thought when we hired Girardi we were getting a field General...someone who would demand respect and run a tight ship with our young troops...but not someone who chews out the President. I wanted Eisenhower...and we got Patton.

 

Let him go. Even with no compensation, I don't care. The Marlins job will be the HOTTEST managerial job in all of baseball next year, even more than the Cubs presumed vacancy. Youth...talent...and plenty of payroll flexibility with expectations that will not be much higher than wherever we finish (remember...the media credits Girardi about 100% for our current play). We'll be the first team to have two different managers win manager of the year consecutively.

 

 

 

Del, did you personally observe Girardi, "yelling at his boss"?

 

 

Its pure speculation that this occurred.

 

 

 

Let Girardi go with no compensation?

 

Let me be the first to say :lol

Let him go...we'll be fine. We had maybe three or four people who even wanted this job last year...I'm fairly certain candidates will be lining up for the job with all our talent.

 

 

 

Exxxxxxx....actly! :thumbup

I think this has more to do with Loria being a prick, than about if someone could possibly do a better job

Yes, but if the end result is that we get a better manager, I have no problem with Loria canning Girardi. Loria may be a prick, but you don't publicly yell at your boss. It'll be interesting to see if Girardi ever coaches for the Yanks...I've never seen Torre EVER do that to his Boss...even with his ridiculous post-game comments and his general irrational demeanor. I thought when we hired Girardi we were getting a field General...someone who would demand respect and run a tight ship with our young troops...but not someone who chews out the President. I wanted Eisenhower...and we got Patton.

 

Let him go. Even with no compensation, I don't care. The Marlins job will be the HOTTEST managerial job in all of baseball next year, even more than the Cubs presumed vacancy. Youth...talent...and plenty of payroll flexibility with expectations that will not be much higher than wherever we finish (remember...the media credits Girardi about 100% for our current play). We'll be the first team to have two different managers win manager of the year consecutively.

 

 

 

Del, did you personally observe Girardi, "yelling at his boss"?

 

 

Its pure speculation that this occurred.

 

 

 

Let Girardi go with no compensation?

 

Let me be the first to say :lol

It happened. Where have you been? Nobody has come out and denied that the altercation on the field wasn't what was reported...which is Girardi telling Loria to pipe down because he didn't want his criticism of the umps affect the game. If it didn't happen...Loria or Girardi would have said it was untrue...not merely declined to comment about it. The story has teeth.

 

If Loria wants to actually FIRE Girardi...not merely let him go to a new team, it is doubtful we'll be able to get compensation for him. The cubs can just wait out the firing...and get the guy they want for nothing. The pressure will be on the Marlins to fire Girardi immediately, because we will actually have to conduct a managerial search...unless we've already targeted his replacement. I doubt we've targeted anyone yet.

 

Since we've been talking all this gambling, care to make a wager?? I think you need to lay down odds though...because the Marlins will definitely TRY to get something. But, our bargaining position is WEAK. My gut tells me we get nothing.

can we trade Joe to the CWS for Ozzie?

 

 

no way....I'd rather have Joe than that a-hole.

 

Fredi Gonzalez would be an awesome manager.....some people don't know how good this guy is (used to have season tickets for single A Brevard and he was great).

Let him go...we'll be fine. We had maybe three or four people who even wanted this job last year...I'm fairly certain candidates will be lining up for the job with all our talent.

 

 

 

Exxxxxxx....actly! :thumbup

I think this has more to do with Loria being a prick, than about if someone could possibly do a better job

 

 

Ramp hit the nail on the head, although I would change the word "prick" to "idiot". I have no problem with trading Giradi for Fredi, but you do not fire a manager who will presumably be in demand and is under contract with us for two years.

 

Let's see how this plays out, but I really don't think Loria will be dumb enough to straight out fire Giradi. He was obviously talked out of canning him before on that infamous night, and I think he will be talked out of it again. This front office (minus Samson) is very sharp.

Let him go...we'll be fine. We had maybe three or four people who even wanted this job last year...I'm fairly certain candidates will be lining up for the job with all our talent.

 

 

 

Exxxxxxx....actly! :thumbup

I think this has more to do with Loria being a prick, than about if someone could possibly do a better job

Yes, but if the end result is that we get a better manager, I have no problem with Loria canning Girardi. Loria may be a prick, but you don't publicly yell at your boss. It'll be interesting to see if Girardi ever coaches for the Yanks...I've never seen Torre EVER do that to his Boss...even with his ridiculous post-game comments and his general irrational demeanor. I thought when we hired Girardi we were getting a field General...someone who would demand respect and run a tight ship with our young troops...but not someone who chews out the President. I wanted Eisenhower...and we got Patton.

 

Let him go. Even with no compensation, I don't care. The Marlins job will be the HOTTEST managerial job in all of baseball next year, even more than the Cubs presumed vacancy. Youth...talent...and plenty of payroll flexibility with expectations that will not be much higher than wherever we finish (remember...the media credits Girardi about 100% for our current play). We'll be the first team to have two different managers win manager of the year consecutively.

 

 

 

Del, did you personally observe Girardi, "yelling at his boss"?

 

 

Its pure speculation that this occurred.

 

 

 

Let Girardi go with no compensation?

 

Let me be the first to say :lol

It happened. Where have you been? Nobody has come out and denied that the altercation on the field wasn't what was reported...which is Girardi telling Loria to pipe down because he didn't want his criticism of the umps affect the game. If it didn't happen...Loria or Girardi would have said it was untrue...not merely declined to comment about it. The story has teeth.

 

If Loria wants to actually FIRE Girardi...not merely let him go to a new team, it is doubtful we'll be able to get compensation for him. The cubs can just wait out the firing...and get the guy they want for nothing. The pressure will be on the Marlins to fire Girardi immediately, because we will actually have to conduct a managerial search...unless we've already targeted his replacement. I doubt we've targeted anyone yet.

 

Since we've been talking all this gambling, care to make a wager?? I think you need to lay down odds though...because the Marlins will definitely TRY to get something. But, our bargaining position is WEAK. My gut tells me we get nothing.

I agree we would get nothing...Girardi is the finest young manager around...Loria is not a very good owner in any way or form. He barely can afford a team let alone a team in the 5th largest market in baseball. he should sell the team and buy the Royals

I'm tired of the general media making Girardi out to be this great manager because our team is exceeding their miguided, uneducated pre-season expectations for our team. Anyone who predicted a 60 win season obviously did not evaluate the talent on this team, but looked solely at our less-than-stellar payroll. I'm not getting into whether Girardi is a great manager or not. I've made my position crystal clear already. I judge a team's manager by his in-game management, and not by the overall record of the team, or by the sound bytes of its current players.

 

Notwithstanding, I'm willing to accept wagers from anyone who believes that our record will decline next year (we will lose more games) if Girardi leaves.

 

 

 

 

 

Your not going out on a limb very far by predicting the team will win more games next year without Girardi.

 

Hmmm.....lets see, everyone will have more big league experience, a real CF will be brought in and an arm or two will be brought in to shore up the bullpen.

Well, if everyone thinks he deserves all this credit for winning games, I think it is going out on a limb to suggest we'll win more games next year with anyone else as manager. And BTW, there is no guarantee we bring in a real CFer or an arm or two to sure up the bullpen.

 

How about 5 games??

 

 

 

 

 

Lets wait till the season (regular season :mischief2 ) ends and then we'll discuss.

 

I'll give you action but right now I'm leaning towards the under on 7.5 more wins.

Wait a minute...you think the marlins will win 7.5 more games next year...without knoing ANY personnel moves...and no matter who replaces Girardi???? Exactly how wany games do you think we'll win if we add a CFer, 2 bullpen arms and keep Girardi (who you think is phenomenal)??? 100, right?

 

 

 

:plain

 

 

Read my post.

 

 

I said I'd take the UNDER on a 7.5 game improvement (translation- I think the marlins will not improve by more than 7 games next year)

I read it...if you're setting the over under at 7.5, you must think that the Marlins could win 7 more (I said 7.5...you can't win a half hame) with a presumably WORSE manager and before any personnel decisions are made. I offered that we'd win at least 5 more games, because I think Girardi has cost us at least 5 games due to his poor in-game management skills. But, since you're a constant Girardi supporter...how many games do you think we'll win if Girardi stays??? That was my point.

A boss must be able to trust and respect the work of his employees. If that is not possible, the company's goals will be compromised. I know a good man of you like Girardi and throw Loria under the bus any moment you can, but one owns the club and the other merely has a contract. It is up to BOTH of them to work things out and if they can't, you know which one will not be a Marlin next year. That said, I don't think these and other leaks to the press help the situation. This may be damage control by Loria and staff to discredit Girardi's role if the case they can not work things out (perhaps there hasn't been adequate progress in one's mind) or Girardi wishes to leave for greener pastures.

 

 

I have long suspected the Marlins leaks about supposed boneheaded moves Girardi wanted to make were either damage control (for now after the squabble between him and Loria and later when he is fired) or trying to induce Girardi to quit or get himself fired. I am leaning a lot more toward the latter at this point. Loria was ill advised if he was told it would be a good idea to put out these leaks now. They are doing a lot more damage than good to the Marlins image. Girardi has been somewhat of a media darling and a front runner to win a Manager of the Year award. Loria and the Marlins FO just need to hunker down at this point and weather this out since they will just be adding more fuel to the fire now.

 

 

I'm sick of hearing about this high school "laguna beach" style drama. Let Joe go in the offseason and this team will DESTROY the Cubs in the future!

John Henry is the only real owner this team has known

 

And by far its worst (Huizenga's the worst landlord)

 

loria should not let personal matters with joe come into this. it should all be about the team's performance on the field.

 

Believe or not, but the two are connected in some ways.

John Henry is the only real owner this team has known

 

And by far its worst (Huizenga's the worst landlord)

 

loria should not let personal matters with joe come into this. it should all be about the team's performance on the field.

 

Believe or not, but the two are connected in some ways.

rferry care to explain?

I think Girardi had done a great job, but thats not to say that if we didn't have any other manager we wouldn't be doing this well. There is no way to know that...

 

 

I do know that the Marlins front office is like a mafia, Sampson and Loria can do no wrong in the others eye. Regardless of how Sampson f***ed up the situation w/ the city and county Loria refuses to replace him w/ a real negotiator to get this done. To add to what someone also mentioned earlier I definitly think Loria is irratated that Giaradi is getting all this praise...Loria wanted this season to a shitstorm so that he would have more leverage w/ the city/state/county and it hasn't turned out that way.

 

I think this team has a great chance of making a run at the WC but I think that the FO and Loria def. don't want that...I mean their plan was to make this team terrible in the immediate future but still worth a sh*t so that they could compete as soon as they got the stadium. I don't see how Beinfest doesn't make a move for a RP or a CF, the team has quite a few games w/ the Phillies, Reds, Cards, etc. not making a move lends more credance to the idea that Loria wants a failure this year...

 

Loria surrounds himself with people he trusts. If Girardi's not one of those people, he obviously has no right to be part of the Florida Marlins.

 

But I don't get your conspiracy theories. How does the team doing poorly help him with local politicians? Why would local politicians be more willing to align themselves with a weak and unpopular entity? Makes no sense. Those in positions of power to do things know the situation. They know the Marlins are in a poor financial situation at the Huizenga-owned Dolphins Stadium regardless of record, manager or weather.

 

And why do you assume that because you see something and the team doesn't follow up on it means that they're opposed to it. Perhaps they just don't share your conclusions. Perhaps they thought the price was too high. That it would disrupt their ability to win a World Series (their #1 stated goal) in the future to acquire a CF or reliever (for whom the price was high after the Reds-Nats trade) for then a slim chance at the wild card. They've kept Willis and Cabrera (even making them unavailable for teams to enquire about them during the final days of the July trade deadline). They were rumored to be looking at some outfielders and pitchers. In the end, they didn't pull the deal. Don't be a brat. Just because you want something and Mommy and Daddy didn't give it you, doesn't mean they hate you.

 

Wait a minute...you think the marlins will win 7.5 more games next year...without knoing ANY personnel moves...and no matter who replaces Girardi???? Exactly how wany games do you think we'll win if we add a CFer, 2 bullpen arms and keep Girardi (who you think is phenomenal)??? 100, right?

 

Young players typically get better with experience

 

I think Loria wanted to force the city/state into giving him the money he needed to bridge the gap. When he found out that wasn't goint to happen he dismantled the team citing fiscal concerns. I just think he thought that the shittier the team was the more leverage he'd have, I'm not saying that makes sense but it seemed to be their plan.

 

Also I don't think its being a brat to want my team to do well. I think they have a huge opp. and not making a move doesn't help them. They need to improve in certain areas. I do agree that maybe the price was to high at the deadline and we had just lost a handful of games to Philly. Things are different today and we are in a better position then we were then. The team should make a move even if its not for a started, they need to continue showing that they are trying to win. Yes that is their responsibility even if 20k fans aren't going every night.

Nope. It seems their plan was to finally realize a profit from the team's operations and recoup past losses. To keep expenses relatively low so they ride it out a few years to work out a long-term solution to the stadium situation. Not to spite us or the local politicians. The local politicians are already well aware of the problems the Marlins face at Dolphins Stadium.

 

One who is selfish and ignores the concerns of others is a brat. It is ENTIRELY reasonable to believe that the club may not share the same perception of the team's goals and the team's ability and the existing trade market than some fan. And for a fan to suggest that the team ignored his wants out of spite or ill concern, it more or less constitutes as an immature temper tantrum.

Marlins' Girardi says he's living the dream life in South Florida

 

By Melissa Isaacson

 

Chicago Tribune

 

(MCT)

 

MIAMI - It is August in South Florida, and thus it has just finished raining. The humidity clings like a woolen blanket dipped in honey, and as the Florida Marlins run through batting practice, the only thing more oppressive than the weather is the sight of the empty stadium in which they play.

 

This is not the way major league baseball was supposed to be exhibited - in rain-forest conditions on a football field before such a small fan base that the team considers its average attendance of 13,244 acceptable.

 

On this night, 9,316 show up to see the Marlins defeat the Washington Nationals, 3-1, in _what else? - a rain-delayed game. Florida would go on to sweep the three-game series and win four straight, closing within six games of .500 and staying in the National League wild-card hunt, six games back of St. Louis and Cincinnati.

 

This from a team many predicted would drop 100 or more games.

 

This is why many consider Joe Girardi a leading contender as NL Manager of the Year. If you ask his players, he ought to be running for governor. And since he still speaks optimistically about his future despite what he has endured the last three weeks, the Nobel Peace Prize might be in the offing.

 

Girardi, the pride of Peoria, Ill., Northwestern graduate, former Chicago Cubs catcher and three-time World Series ring-winner with the New York Yankees, is larger than life on the most obscure stage in baseball.

 

"I think I've lived a dream life," Girardi says. And this is after just 41 years, which makes him the second-youngest manager in the majors.

 

Much ado about nothing

 

That he is riding so high in his first year as a manager after retiring as a player two years ago is impressive enough. Considering that his name has already surfaced as a possible replacement for still-employed Cubs manager Dusty Baker, the phenom tag is apt.

 

Temporarily accelerating such speculation was his apparent dust-up with Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria three weeks ago after the boss began riding the umpires from his front-row seat. Girardi, still in the dugout, exchanged words with Loria.

 

Speculation was that Loria was giving Girardi a hard time for not challenging the calls or Girardi was telling the owner in no uncertain terms to shut up.

 

A closed-door meeting involving Loria, Girardi and general manager Admin Beinfest followed the game. At one point the team began setting up a news conference, presumably to announce Girardi's dismissal or resignation.

 

But no announcement came, and since then Girardi and Loria have downplayed the incident. Girardi has reiterated that he has no out-clause or handshake agreement allowing him to leave to manage another team.

 

But Girardi says he can see where the conjecture comes from.

 

"People know I grew up a Cub fan and I played for the Cubs, went to Northwestern, that my wife is a Chicago girl," he says. "I understand why people mention it.

 

"It is (flattering), but people always ask me about my job, and I say I don't worry much past tomorrow because we don't really know what life holds for us. I worry about my kids' future, but I don't really worry about mine."

 

A Florida guy, for now

 

Girardi makes no attempt to downplay his love for his boyhood team.

 

"My dream as a little boy was to play for the Chicago Cubs, and I got to do it twice," he says. "To me the second time was better than the first time because sometimes the first time you don't realize how special it is and you always think you're going to be there."

 

Asked for his most memorable experience in baseball, it's not the World Series but the first time he walked onto Wrigley Field. His coach at Northwestern, Ron Wellman, remembers calling Girardi one day during his second tour in Chicago and finding him somewhere unexpected.

 

"He said he was having a picnic with his kids in left field at Wrigley," Wellman says with a laugh. "They had a night game and it was noon, and he thought he had died and gone to heaven having that picnic on the outfield grass."

 

Wellman, now athletic director at Wake Forest, says it's natural to assume Girardi would want to one day manage the Cubs.

 

"But I don't think Joe is there at all," Wellman says. "He's totally committed to his (Florida) players. The worst thing that can happen is for his players to think he wants to be somewhere else, and he has not indicated that to anyone."

 

Conversely, if Girardi's players were any more dedicated to their boss, it would be cultlike. He took over a club that had unloaded seven of its eight starting position players, two starting pitchers and a closer from last season and had been stripped down to a $15 million payroll. But Girardi actually mentioned the words "World" and "Series" - as in, that's our goal this season - from the day he took the job.

 

His team, made up of top, though woefully inexperienced, prospects, might have scoffed, but it was hard not to take him seriously after the first week of spring training.

 

"He was just standing there watching us run one day, and I guess we were going too slow and he was giving us a hard time, and I said, `It's hot out here. Why don't you run with us?''' says pitcher Scott Olsen.

 

"Sure enough, he's out there the next day, outrunning everybody. Everybody was like, `Why did you make him do that?' I was like, `I didn't know he was that fast.'''

 

Matt Herges, one of four players on the roster to have played with or against Girardi, knew what the team was getting with its new manager.

 

"I never played with him, but I played with guys who did, and when I said I was going to Florida, they were all like, `Oh, man, I'd love to play for him,''' Herges says.

 

Picking up the slack

 

When the youngest team in the majors broke camp, however, the project was far from complete. On May 21, the Marlins were 11-31. But they won nine of their next 12 - it began with a three-game sweep of the Cubs - and 19 of the next 25 to rise to 30-37 by June 20 and into the thick of the wild-card race.

 

Girardi points to the Marlins' 5-4 come-from-behind victory in the second game of the Cubs' series as the turning point.

 

"The week before we had lost seven games in a row," he says. "Four of them were on walk-off home runs. I think our guys were getting a little bit tired, but when I talk about our resiliency, in those seven games, five times we had the lead.

 

"They kept coming back, but the next day it didn't mean anything, and I was proud of them. I told them, `It's going to turn. We are going to win some of these games, and we are going to come from behind and beat people because you play hard.'

 

"Then all of a sudden they started to relax. You could see it. And they began to believe in themselves. We added some people in the bullpen, and things just started to click."

 

Though they have not quite replaced A.J. Burnett and Josh Beckett, the youngsters are making names for themselves. Olsen just notched his 10th victory and, with Josh Johnson and Ricky Nolasco's 11 apiece, is part of the first trio of rookies from the same team to win 10 or more games since the 1952 Brooklyn Dodgers did it with Joe Black, Billy Loes and Ben Wade.

 

Second baseman Dan Uggla, who had never advanced past Double A in five minor-league seasons, is hitting .288 with 19 home runs and 71 RBI.

 

They do it the Girardi way, sprinting to first on every groundout and speeding around the bases on popups with two outs. Taking a page from the Yankees, no facial hair is allowed. But with this group, many probably haven't started shaving yet anyway.

 

"He's not a young guy in here," Olsen, 22, says of Girardi. "A lot of us are in our low 20s. He could be my dad.

 

"We look at it that he's been in some great organizations. He's seen the top of the mountain in New York, the pinnacle of baseball a couple of times, so that brings credibility right there."

 

A players' favorite

 

In 2001 Girardi was the leading vote-getter in a poll of players, managers and front-office personnel asked to pick the most likely future managers among active major-leaguers.

 

Veterans like Herges, Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera point to Girardi's hands-on approach.

 

"He's continually trying to teach us something, whether we're winning by eight runs or losing by one," Willis says. "Baseball is one of the few sports that you don't have to be the strongest or the fastest to be successful. He'll tell you himself he didn't like hitting, but he had knowledge of the game, things that don't necessarily go in the stat book."

 

Herges marvels at Girardi's attention to detail.

 

"He's very cerebral, not just because he went to Northwestern and was an engineering major," Herges says. "He just is. He's with it. He doesn't let anything go by. He sees it all. In the clubhouse, in the weight room, on the field, tendencies, he picks up signs. A lot of times, managers depend on other people to do things like that. But he's a perfectionist, to say the very least."

 

Cabrera, second in the NL with a .341 average, says Girardi won him over immediately.

 

"He gives everyone a chance and respects everybody," Cabrera says. "He goes out every day and says we're going to win, we're going to win. No matter what's happening, we're down 10 runs, he makes a move to make something happen. When you see that, you say, hey, this guy is here for one reason. He has done that for the whole year now, and we want to win for him."

 

Girardi preaches accountability and practices tough love with his youngest players.

 

"I tell them (when they struggle): `Don't think I've lost confidence in you. You're going back out there.' I believe in them," he says.

 

He recalls the reaction from friends and family when he took the job last October amid Loria's fire sale.

 

"People wanted to feel sorry for me, and I'm thinking, I'm one of the luckiest guys in the game of baseball," Girardi says. "I'm 41 years old, and I'm one of 30 people (managing) in the big leagues."

 

After the Loria incident, they worried about him again.

 

"I hated to see him go through it because you hate to see anyone you care about go through something like that, but it was quickly apparent once I talked to him that he knew how to handle it," says Wellman, who surprised Girardi last weekend by bringing a Northwestern baseball reunion to Miami after Girardi had to miss the last one.

 

"He's tenacious and bull-headed, but he knows how to not be bull-headed too. He knows how to survive."

 

Indeed, Girardi makes the best of challenges like playing before small home crowds.

 

"I always joke that most of our players haven't played in front of this many people anyway because they came through the minor leagues," he says. "So we get 10,000 and the stadium looks empty, but it's still more than they're used to.

 

"I'm thankful for the fans (who) do come out. We have stadium issues here, and until (those) get worked out, it's hard. The other thing that's hard is you look at teams like the Cubs and Yankees and Dodgers and Reds, it's generation upon generation, kids were born in that state and the parents were fans, and then you're a fan and then you have kids. My dad was a Cub fan, and I was a Cub fan because of him."

 

Family guy

 

Despite the inherent disadvantages, however, he can hardly contain his enthusiasm when he talks about his job.

 

"I love it, I absolutely love it," he says. "As a player, eventually you start thinking there is life after baseball and I have to do something, and this is what I always wanted to do."

 

Joe and Kim Girardi, parents of Serena, 6, Dante, 4, and expecting a baby in two weeks, are taking each day as it comes.

 

"It's easy because they're in school, but there always comes an age they need you at home more," Girardi says. "So every year I'll make an evaluation of what's the right thing for my wife and our kids.

 

"But when I asked my kids if they liked me better as a manager or a broadcaster (which he did for the Yankees in 2004), they told me manager. I think they enjoy the field."

 

Especially the picnics.

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews...ts/15375247.htm

Which?

Wait a minute...you think the marlins will win 7.5 more games next year...without knoing ANY personnel moves...and no matter who replaces Girardi???? Exactly how wany games do you think we'll win if we add a CFer, 2 bullpen arms and keep Girardi (who you think is phenomenal)??? 100, right?

 

Young players typically get better with experience

I think you missed the point of my post. Don is a Girardi supporter who thinks he's doing a GREAT job, and that our success is due (to a large degree) to his leadership. I thought it was amusing that he thinks - even if we let him go - we're potentially 7 games better before knowing any personnel moves or who are next coach might be. Thus, I posed the question of how many MORE games he thinks we'll win if Girardi (the leading NL manager of the year) stays.

Marlins' Girardi says he's living the dream life in South Florida

 

By Melissa Isaacson

Chicago Tribune

 

...

 

"He's continually trying to teach us something, whether we're winning by eight runs or losing by one," Willis says. "Baseball is one of the few sports that you don't have to be the strongest or the fastest to be successful. He'll tell you himself he didn't like hitting, but he had knowledge of the game, things that don't necessarily go in the stat book."

 

...

 

"He's very cerebral, not just because he went to Northwestern and was an engineering major," Herges says. "He just is. He's with it. He doesn't let anything go by. He sees it all. In the clubhouse, in the weight room, on the field, tendencies, he picks up signs. A lot of times, managers depend on other people to do things like that. But he's a perfectionist, to say the very least."

 

...

 

"He gives everyone a chance and respects everybody," Cabrera says. "He goes out every day and says we're going to win, we're going to win. No matter what's happening, we're down 10 runs, he makes a move to make something happen. When you see that, you say, hey, this guy is here for one reason. He has done that for the whole year now, and we want to win for him."

 

Girardi preaches accountability and practices tough love with his youngest players.

 

"I tell them (when they struggle): `Don't think I've lost confidence in you. You're going back out there.' I believe in them," he says.

 

 

I just wanted to distill this article to the key quotes from players on the job Girardi has done this season. Beinfest and the Marlins FO did a great job putting this team together, but you cannot discount these comments from players when many of them have been saying similiar things, praising him for what he has done for the team year round.

I'd consider my life the "dream life" too if I was a millionaire with 3 world series rings and a manager of the big league club.

Girardi trying to make Loria sound like a bad guy now to the media......

 

Dream life? C'mon to anyone who believes that.....being in Chicago or New York is Girardi's dream!

is any one else as confused as i am about this whole thing

Well he's never said he's living the "dream life". He said he's LIVED the dreeam life... playing for the Yankees winning 3 rings, cashing in bigtime. Maybe he didn't mean right now is teh dream life lol.

Prognosticating what our record will be at the conclusion of the 2007 series when its still 08/2006 is not my fortay so I will pass.

 

 

I never said the teams success was "due (to a large) degree" to Girardi's leadership. Please dont put words in my mouth.

 

Girardi has done a good job as manager. Plain and simple.

 

 

Ive only defended him when you and a few others have drank too much of the Haterade.

 

If he's forced out of his job next year it will be unfortunate for the organization but pleasant for Del and about 12 other people in South Florida.

Prognosticating what our record will be at the conclusion of the 2007 series when its still 08/2006 is not my fortay so I will pass.

 

 

I never said the teams success was "due (to a large) degree" to Girardi's leadership. Please dont put words in my mouth.

 

Girardi has done a good job as manager. Plain and simple.

 

 

Ive only defended him when you and a few others have drank too much of the Haterade.

 

If he's forced out of his job next year it will be unfortunate for the organization but pleasant for Del and about 12 other people in South Florida.

 

So, I guess you don't want to go with 7.5 anymore, right? The organization (and South Florida) will be fine if Girardi leaves. I'm willing to bet on it...that's all. I don't care if the rest of the country thinks it looks bad. They also thought the firesale looked bad...who is laughing now? I'm fairly confident that if Girardi takes over for the Cubs they're still going nowhere...and then the general media will actually get to see him managing on a daily basis. Be careful what you wish for Chicago. Although, I guess Girardi is better than Dusty Baker.

Girardi trying to make Loria sound like a bad guy now to the media......

 

Dream life? C'mon to anyone who believes that.....being in Chicago or New York is Girardi's dream!

 

 

 

 

When did you and Joe Girardi go out for coffee and discuss what his dreams are?

 

 

:blink:

Girardi trying to make Loria sound like a bad guy now to the media......

 

Dream life? C'mon to anyone who believes that.....being in Chicago or New York is Girardi's dream!

 

 

 

 

When did you and Joe Girardi go out for coffee and discuss what his dreams are?

 

 

:blink:

 

 

Don't you already know that there are certain people on this board that can read minds? It was bad enough when there were one or two, now they are just coming out of the wood work.

is any one else as confused as i am about this whole thing

 

Yes

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/sfl-hyd...la-sports-front

 

HYDE: Girardi on hot seat despite success

Loria isn't only official to clash with manager.

 

Published August 27, 2006

 

 

MIAMI GARDENS -- In these dog days of August, when teams roll over and play dead, the Baby Marlins won their sixth straight game Saturday night. They're now four games under .500. They've snuck to within four games of a playoff spot.

 

So are you ready to kiss Joe Girardi goodbye?

 

Punch your ballot now: Thumbs up; thumbs down; or don't bother me unless you're talking about someone important like the pitching coach.

 

It all sounds silly, considering how this season is going. That's because it is silly. Maybe cooler front-office heads will prevail. Probably winning soothes emotions if it keeps coming. And this front office always has a way of making right moves when push comes to winning.

 

But before stating the obvious about why it would be wrong to throw Girardi overboard, let's be clear on one truth: Owner Jeffrey Loria isn't the only person inside the Marlins front office who has had issues with Girardi.

 

Loria, in fact, might have to stand in line next time he wants to shout at him. Girardi's sin, according to two Marlins sources, isn't that he has been wrong. Everyone's wrong at times. But he has been loud, stubborn wrong.

 

Right from spring, there have been clashes over future-looking questions in a season in which the future is primary.

 

For instance, back in spring training, according to two Marlins sources, here's some changes Girardi pushed for: Miguel Cabrera from third to first base; Dan Uggla not at second base but in left field; Josh Willingham at catcher, not Miguel Olivo; Alfredo Amezaga might not have made the team; and young pitchers like Ricky Nolasco and Josh Johnson would have started in the minor leagues.

 

Whew.

 

Pick your own reason to worry what might have been.

 

So you can understand, as Girardi pushed against moves the front office spent a thorny off-season making, how a perfect-storm of problems was brewing. Loria's shouting match with Girardi was to some extent just the boiling point of that.

 

Ironically, it was Loria who demanded that Girardi be hired. That meant General Manager Admin Beinfest and Girardi had to hatch out their relationship on the run, and it has been "spotty at best," one source said.

 

Girardi wouldn't talk about this. Nor did Beinfest or Loria, who made his first comments Saturday since his shout-down with Girardi. You decide what Loria's answer means when asked about Girardi's future.

 

"We won't talk about next year until this year is over," he said.

 

The real stunner here is, as the Marlins keep surprising, two smart sides with winning backgrounds haven't made their relationship work. Can't someone speed-dial Dr. Phil?

 

That doesn't mean everyone's equal, of course. The manager's job shouldn't be overvalued. If you're listing the assets for this team, you'd say: 1. Beinfest and his scouting staff; 2. Miguel Cabrera; 3. Dontrelle Willis; 4. The young arms starting with Johnson; 5. Hanley Ramirez and Uggla ...

 

... and somewhere down below would be Girardi.

 

And the Marlins would be nuts to dump him.

 

Sure, managers are expendable. Every season proves that. Every best-manager-in-the-game who loses in his next city adds evidence. But there's a role to fill and Girardi is filling it well.

 

The Marlins are winning. Kids are developing. Players genuinely like playing for him. And he has kept the season properly pointed, such as his disciplining of pitcher Scott Olsen in his anger after a Cabrera error.

 

We won't even get into the potential public-relations disaster involved, except to foresee a headline: Manager of Year Candidate Fired.

 

Of course, this defense of Girardi really starts with this question: Raise your hand if you didn't make some fundamental mistakes your first year on a new job? Well? Anyone?

 

If you're smart enough to learn and lucky enough to have the right bosses, you stick around to succeed.

 

Meanwhile, at least for the night, the Marlins moved over Milwaukee in the wild-card standings. Girardi wasn't as important as Willis or Cabrera in the win. But he played his role, just as he'll keep doing for at least 34 more Marlins games.

 

 

It appears Girardi will complete season and no more!

I am really getting sick and tired of these freakin' articles...we get it already ! Loria doesn't like Giradi...Now please,please,please start concentrating on the fact that this Marlin team might make baseball history. This Marlin team might very well revamp and change the course of how baseball teams are run from here on out.

 

WRITE AN ARTICLE ABOUT THE WILD CARD CHASE, SOUTH FLORIDA MEDIA !!!