Right or Wrong, Joe Girardi's Moves Backfire in Yankees' Crushing Loss

NEW YORK -- It was a bad day Tuesday for the Yankees, and a worse day for Joe Girardi's leverage.

It started with the Cubs hiring Mike Quade as manager, meaning Girardi -- whose contract as Yankees manager expires after this season -- can't use the Cubs to get more from the Yankees.

It ended with a few questionable decisions that didn't work out as the Rangers whipped the Yankees 10-3 for a 3-1 lead in the American League Championship Series.

"If things go right, they say, 'Well, you did the right thing,' " Girardi said. "If things go wrong, they say, 'Well, you made a mistake.' "

Always true. There are smart moves that don't work and shaky ones that do.

But in the postseason, for the Yankees, the magnification grows.

---

---

Girardi's first key decision was how long to stick with starter A.J. Burnett, whose second-half struggles have been well-chronicled.

Burnett started out well, with two perfect innings. And after five innings, the Yankees led 3-2.

After the game, Girardi was asked if he considered putting those five solid innings from Burnett in the bank, not tempting fate any longer and turning the game over to his bullpen. Girardi said he would have taken six or seven good innings but didn't consider pulling Burnett after five.

"Well, he was still throwing the ball good," Girardi said. "It was hard to argue with the way he was throwing the baseball."

Then Vladimir Guerrero singled to lead off the top of the sixth, Nelson Cruz reached on a force out and Cruz went to second on Ian Kinsler's fly out to deep center.

With left-handed hitter David Murphy up, Girardi faced his next crossroads. Instead of a pitching change -- Joba Chamberlain was warming in the bullpen -- or allowing Burnett to face Murphy (5-for-18 with a homer against Burnett in his career), Girardi ordered an intentional walk.

"We liked the matchup, A.J. against Molina," Girardi said. "We really did. ... Murphy has swung the bat pretty good off him (Burnett)."

On the next pitch, Molina ripped a three-run homer that put the Rangers ahead for good.

Burnett, who immediately clasped his hands to his head after the home-run pitch, said he didn't expect Girardi to call for the walk to Murphy.

"Bottom line, it's the skip's decision," Burnett said. "I pitch to whoever, whoever Joe wants me to pitch to."

It was a by-the-book, lefty/righty move. But even though Murphy hit .291 this year, only four times has the opposing manager intentionally walked him.

Three of those times have been by Girardi -- once in the regular season, and twice in the ALCS.

On Aug. 11, after Girardi walked Murphy, Molina walked and Mitch Moreland hit a two-run single. In Game 3 on Monday, Molina followed the intentional walk with an RBI single.

So Girardi had been burned before by Molina.

An inning later, after David Robertson got two quick outs, Girardi brought in lefty Boone Logan to face likely AL MVP Josh Hamilton -- even though, the night before, Hamilton had doubled off Logan.

Hamilton hit Logan's second pitch for a home run.

Next key decision: in the bottom of the eighth, with the Yankees down 7-3, the bases loaded and two out, Girardi allowed Lance Berkman to face lefty Darren Oliver.

Berkman, a switch-hitter, this year hit .171 right-handed. Since Aug. 1, Berkman has had two hits against a left-handed pitcher.

But Girardi had already used his best right-handed option, Marcus Thames, to replace the injured Mark Teixeira in the fifth inning.

In truth, all of Girardi decisions Tuesday were defensible. But many of them didn't work out, and in New York, that's usually how you're judged. Girardi could have hit Austin Kearns for Berkman against Oliver -- after all, if Kearns isn't usable there, then why carry him on the roster? Or Girardi could have used Kearns to run for Teixeira and take over in right field, leaving Thames available against a Texas bullpen that includes four lefties.

Berkman hit a hard one-hopper to third baseman Michael Young for an inning-ending force out.

Girardi cited Berkman's four hits in seven career at-bats against Oliver, not including that the four hits came in 2001 and 2003.

"He hit a ball hard," Girardi said. "Unfortunately it found Michael Young's glove."

One more. After that half-inning, Girardi could have brought in closer Mariano Rivera, who had not pitched since Game 1, to hold the deficit at four runs.

Instead, Sergio Mitre came in -- and he gave up two homers in a three-run inning, ending any chance of a Yankees comeback.

"If we got a run or two (in the eighth), we would have considered bringing in 'Mo' in that situation," Girardi said. "If we didn't score, we talked about (Game 5) would be a day to use Mo for six outs."

Girardi, a Northwestern engineering manager, loves information. Maybe too much.

A year ago, in Game 3 of the ALCS, a TV camera caught him leafing through a thick binder of scouting reports and statistics before replacing Robertson with another right-hander, Alfredo Aceves, with two out and no one on in the bottom of the 11th inning in Anaheim.

Aceves gave up a single and a double, the Angels won, and Girardi's binder became an object of ridicule.

If the Yankees don't rally, the next document Girardi will examine will be the Yankees' contract offer.

The conventional wisdom was that Girardi, an ex-Cub and Illinois native, could use the Cubs' interest in him to get more out of the Yankees.

Now Quade has the Cubs job, and Girardi has questions to answer.

In truth, all of Girardi decisions Tuesday were defensible.

But many of them didn't work out, and in New York, that's usually how you're judged.

---

Steve Phillips looks at the Yankees' dire situation in the latest Playoff Pulse. Click to watch: