Ex-Yankees manager Joe Girardi gets a TV gig
For the first time in a long time, ex-New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi was going to have an open calendar in February and March. There’s no spring training when you’re surprisingly cut loose by the Yankees after guiding the team to the ALCS. Now, it turns out, Girardi’s calendar is filling up — just with a new job.
MLB Network announced Wednesday that it has hired Girardi as an analyst for its studio programs. Girardi, who managed the Yankees since the 2008 season, isn’t a stranger to TV. After his playing career ended in 2003, he spent time working for the YES Network and Fox. When he had a gap in his managerial career between the Marlins and the Yankees in 2007, he turned to TV too.
MLB Network says Girardi is starting immediately. He’ll be on “MLB Tonight” at 6 p.m. ET Wednesday with Mike Lowell, Bill Ripken and Greg Amsinger.
Girardi’s statement on his new job was short and sweet: “I’m really excited to join MLB Network and to have a chance to talk about the game that I love so much.”
MLB Network president Rob McGlarry was a little more gushing:
Joe has spent more than 25 years on the field and in the dugout as part of some of the greatest teams in Major League history, and we’re excited for him to join MLB Network’s expert lineup of Hall of Famers, All-Stars, award-winners and veteran players. Having just stepped off the field with success as a player and manager at the highest level, we know Joe will bring insightful analysis to his work at MLB Network.”
You can count on seeing Girardi across MLB Network’s assortment of shows this season. But given Girardi’s career path and his success as a big-league manager, it seems like a good bet he’ll be back in the dugout before long.
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Mike Oz is the editor of Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at mikeozstew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @MikeOz
