Joe Girardi gets it.
He played against great Phillies teams.
He managed against great Phillies teams.
He beat a great Phillies team in the World Series as skipper of the New York Yankees.
Now he will try to win one wearing red pinstripes.
There was an unmistakable theme to yesterday's press conference to roll out Girardi as the successor to the seat Gabe Kapler held for two years.
It wasn't necessarily about the team. Or the front office.
This was about the fans.
In short, Joe Girardi gets it. He understands Phillies' fans, their knowledge, their passion, their desire to win.
In a word, he understands the role sports plays in this town, and how we wear our feelings on our sleeves - and prefer the manager to do likewise.
Girardi immediately came across as the kind of guy who will be embraced, something Gabe Kapler never quite 'managed' to pull off.
Girardi uses analytics - doesn't everyone these days - but he's not married to him the way Kapler and GM Matt Klentak seemed to be too often the last two years.
There is a feeling that Kapler and his staff's stricvt adherence to numbers actually hurt several key young Phillies players. Rhys Hoskins and Zach Eflin come to mind.
Girardi uses analytics, but he's not married to them. He also listens to his gut, and isn't afraid to go with it.
Yo, Joe, welcome to Philly.
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