WasWatching.com

I made that same comparison in a separate thread on your blog about a week/10 days ago. It's what I felt was the best possible comparison and why I wanted Joe G. over Donnie.

In my estimation, a baseball manager has a much smaller effect on a team's fortunes than a football coach. But if Girardi approaches the game the way Belichick does - with a tireless work ethic, lots of scouting, attention to details - then Girardi can probably coax some marginal wins out of the better-prepared team. I hope the comparison proves apt.

I agree with Cashman, but talk about big expectations--wow! And honestly, I don't think anyone is too broken up about Torre turning down that extension, including Torre himself. It's pretty clear to me that Cashman has wanted Girardi for awhile now, and I agree- it was time to move on for all parties.

Off topic, and I'll admit I usually tune Boras out so I don't know his usual M.O. beyond the bibles he prepares for each team and client, but I get the feeling that they didn't think the Yankees would react to A-Rod's opting out the way they did. I think Boras thought the Yankees would panic when they saw the Sox winning another title, hence the timing (the perceived and perhaps actual lowest possible moment for the Yanks), and he's now desperate to get the Yankees back in the bidding. It seems to me that he is handling this as poorly as possible, unless he's trying to muddy the waters a bit to cover any tampering allegations. Anyway, it will certainly be interesting to follow, but if A-Rod doesn't get the deal he was looking for, Boras might finally lose a little clout. From a PR standpoint, it's been a debacle, but if it doesn't end up with a financial hit, players will still seek him out.

I wouldn't mind seeing Girardi run up the score on the Red Sox, that's for sure.

Well I expect Girardi to be a hard nosed, fighter that Torre wasn't. Girardi did more with a AAA team in florida than any other coach could have done. Players will realize that Joe is going to stand up for them during the game (Torre never was good at arguing) and be aggressive. Ever since David Ortiz joined the Red Sox the Yankees never once pushed him off the plate. I think that lies in the manager and the attitude of the team. Girardi is a very very very smart player and manager, I expect good things from this team, maybe not the same expectations if a-rod had stayed but I think the Yankees will be quite good..

but I want to see some good signings and better pitching, we have some good young guys but I would love a chance to have a good pitcher to be available when Mike Mussina decides to go play crosswords for the rest of his life.