Girardis prescence already being felt

[Matt39]

February 16, 2008 -- TAMPA - Mariano Rivera plopped to the ground. He was surrounded by teammates bent over, grabbing knees or holding hips. Others were squatting looking up at the late-morning sky. Every New York Yankees pitcher was oozing sweat, most were breathing hard, some had open mouths desperately trying to replenish their lungs.

"That," Mike Mussina said after every pitcher had completed 10 timed dashes of about 200 yards, "was more running in one day then we did all of last year."

The Joe Girardi Era had begun. It apparently will come with plenty of perspiration.

The inspiration for how this camp will be run will come from Girardi's energy, embrace of technology and fanaticism when it comes to conditioning. In all of these ways he is distinguishing himself from both an Average Joe and Joe Torre.

That will be an obvious storyline during this camp and beyond, where Girardi differs starkly from his predecessor. Part of it is just generational. At 43, Girardi is 24 years younger than Torre.

So it is no surprise on the first day of workouts of Girardi's tenure to see him - on foot - moving swiftly from one work station to another, stopping to help in the menial chore of picking up balls or pausing to jot notes to himself. While Torre had an assistant handle all internet-related matters, such as e-mail, Girardi had his laptop open on his Legends Field office desk.

But in no way is the Yankees culture about to be transformed more than in body preparation. It is clear Girardi is set to push his players physically way more than Torre did.

During the offseason various players and their agents mentioned that they were being forewarned about how this camp would be operated. Strength and conditioning coordinator Dana Cavalea, trainer Gene Monahan and Girardi reached out to every player expected to attend camp. The message that resonated was that there would be much more competition in this camp.

A stopwatch, for example, was used for just two shuttle runs a spring under Torre. But it was out yesterday and it is going to be a fixture in this camp.

"I think it is just spicing up the work, but, yes, I do believe in competition," Girardi acknowledged.

For the most part, players have heeded the message. Outwardly, this group looks in far better shape than last year. Players such as Brian Bruney and Jose Molina have dropped significant weight, and even the perpetually lean Mussina appears more defined.

Last year GM Brian Cashman hired Marty Miller to run the conditioning program and it was a disaster. There was an epidemic of hamstring pulls combined with a group of players - notably Bobby Abreu and Johnny Damon - who were not in peak shape. Miller was fired May 2 and replaced by his assistant, Cavalea, who is far more popular than Miller, who was roundly ignored.

"We made the playoffs last year because we finally got in shape in June," Mussina said.

So obviously, the Yanks are reacting to the bad bodies and the slow start of last season. But this is also about Girardi, who is arguably in better shape right now than anyone in his camp. He believes in fitness helping both the body and mind during actual games. Unlike Torre, he likely will watch the conditioning portion daily and even talked about running from foul pole to foul pole "to encourage" his players on occasion. That is not something Torre, who had knee replacement during the winter, could consider.

For now, Girardi definitely will get a honeymoon. But don't forget that this is a veteran team. Many of the players are used to Torre's ways and most have set prescriptions for how to ready themselves for 162 games. Mussina said he anticipates some grumbles, but no revolt. He calls this alteration "necessary."

However, one sweaty pitcher did depart the arduous running drill by saying: "We are doing Navy Seal stuff this year. If they had a pool, they would make us swim."

The Girardi Era was open for business. Will it work out?

....

[Barton]

Torre's teams of the last 3-5 years started out the season like they were the KC Royals, mainly because Torre did not hold his players accountable.

Numerous players coming to camp overweight is no longer going to happen. Its nice to see Girardi already has a handle on such an easy thing.

Torre was just so lazy and careless the last few years.

[Bob]

And we get some insight on how Girardi ruined the pitching staff in Florida.

I'm all for conditioning, but it appears Clueless Joe doesn't know when enough is enough.

[Arsis]

And we get some insight on how Girardi ruined the pitching staff in Florida.

I'm all for conditioning, but it appears Clueless Joe doesn't know when enough is enough.

Because he expects them to be in shape? They're ****ing athletes, they should be able to do some light running. Yes what was described in this article was light running.

[Bob]

Let's see you do 10 timed 200-yard dashes and call it "light running."

This is not a defense of Torre, either. I was pissed that his teams came out of the gate so slow the last couple years, and some players were clearly not in playing shape. Still, the one time Girardi got to run a team, he destroyed the pitching staff. He'll have these guys ground down to nothing by the all-star break.

[Barton]

Let's see you do 10 timed 200-yard dashes and call it "light running."

This is not a defense of Torre, either. I was pissed that his teams came out of the gate so slow the last couple years, and some players were clearly not in playing shape. Still, the one time Girardi got to run a team, he destroyed the pitching staff. He'll have these guys ground down to nothing by the all-star break.

How did he destroy his pitching staff? Its easy to read that from somewhere online and copy the thought, but can you actually explain it?

[Matt39]

The whole mentality of the team has to change. The whole, "were the Yankees all we have to do is show up" way is over. Girardi's getting these guys in gear. I love it.

[Arsis]

Let's see you do 10 timed 200-yard dashes and call it "light running."

This is not a defense of Torre, either. I was pissed that his teams came out of the gate so slow the last couple years, and some players were clearly not in playing shape. Still, the one time Girardi got to run a team, he destroyed the pitching staff. He'll have these guys ground down to nothing by the all-star break.

Can I do it right now? no, I can not. I've injured myself in the police academy and have not been able to do any kind of physical activity more strenuous than walking for over 6 months. I'm all healed up now, but that 6 months of inactivity really kills your stamina, give me an off-season to work out and get back into shape and if I'm in half as good a shape as I was before the injury I'll be able to finish 10 of 'em.

Back on point, these guys are professional athletes in a training camp. Hard work is to be expected. If this is going on during the season, then that is a problem. But I don't see this as being overwork.

[Bugg]

If joe Girardi is merely awful(and I think he'll do great), he'd still be a major improvemnt over Clueless Joe.

Torre's idea of pitching consisted of yanking his starter no matter the condition or the game situation after 5 2/3s, wearing out a new parade of middle relievers every year, and getting Mo up EVERY 8TH inning, no matter if they were behind 4 or ahead 4. May be, if he just once, showed an ounce of faith in the middle guys who followed Stanton and Nelson, they might've developed. instead, they're dispatched to ORs across the land. And if Torre had gotten it out of his head that the moronic notion that strikeouts are bad. Instead, one bad batter, the middle guy was out, Mo was out there again, and we are all wondering why the pitching taff was tired and scared every October.

I saw how Torre was overjoyed to be feted daily by the Dodgers fan club at luncheon afetr luncheon down in Vero Beach. Which makes the point-Torre forgot that his job was to win ballgames, not schmoosze the world. he's in love with the trappings, but the nuta&bolts were now beneath him. Good luck with that. Can't wait to see how brilliant he is without wearing out Mo all season. The arthroscpoic surgeons are loosening up just outside Chavez Ravine with the billings all set to go too.

Torre just pissed me off tremdnously with "the postseason is a crapshoot" bullspit. If he was right(and he's not), what's so great about Torre given the Yankees' resources made the postseason a given every eyar of his tenure. if he couldn't hep whent he playoffs began, he contribtuionwas negligible. If anyone can point tot the series where Torre outmanaged anyone, share with us. Like piching Wang in Cleveland in game 1, nailing Hughes, their 2nd best pitcher to Joba in September, to the bench until it was too late and allowing Joba to pitch on with the horde of insects because he didn't want to have an argument. Good freaking riddance.

[GimmeShelter]

How did he destroy his pitching staff? Its easy to read that from somewhere online and copy the thought, but can you actually explain it?

Actually Girardi is the one who should explain it.

One instance that caught a lot of attention was him having Josh Johnson throw too many pitches in a bad weather game that had a long delay in it. Anibal Sanchez is another young arm who hasn't been right since Girardi got hold of him.

Even YESNETWORK.com takes a jab at him below which is unheard of on the ultimate homer network.

Girardi's reticence about Florida seems to be an example of his idea of control-he's mastered the story by refusing to feed it, even at the risk of letting attacks on his abilities go unanswered. It's not a bad tactic, and one you wish that Alex Rodriguez and the odd politician had taken back in the day. Still, his lack of response to questions about the Josh Johnson rain delay incident are highly troubling because the Yankees are hiring him to show good judgment about young pitchers and his handling of Johnson is an example of Girardi showing anything but good judgment. When asked, Girardi responds as if the question is another attempt to get him to expound on his relationship with the Marlins front office and ownership, but in fact it has nothing to do with that and everything to do with Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, and the rest. Until Girardi explains just what the heck he was thinking, and disavows whatever that thinking was, it's hard to assume that he's not going to destroy a young arm because allowing him to throw 150 pitches in a blizzard seemed like a good idea at the time. We can assume that Brian Cashman has asked him about Johnson and received an explanation that satisfied him. It's hard to imagine what that explanation would have been. Perhaps it was something like, "My bad, sorry. Won't happen again." What else could he say? "I took the wrong medicine that morning and thought I was looking at Iron Man McGinnity"?

[Arsis]

Actually Girardi is the one who should explain it.

One instance that caught a lot of attention was him having Josh Johnson throw too many pitches in a bad weather game that had a long delay in it. Anibal Sanchez is another young arm who hasn't been right since Girardi got hold of him.

Even YESNETWORK.com takes a jab at him below which is unheard of on the ultimate homer network.

Girardi's reticence about Florida seems to be an example of his idea of control-he's mastered the story by refusing to feed it, even at the risk of letting attacks on his abilities go unanswered. It's not a bad tactic, and one you wish that Alex Rodriguez and the odd politician had taken back in the day. Still, his lack of response to questions about the Josh Johnson rain delay incident are highly troubling because the Yankees are hiring him to show good judgment about young pitchers and his handling of Johnson is an example of Girardi showing anything but good judgment. When asked, Girardi responds as if the question is another attempt to get him to expound on his relationship with the Marlins front office and ownership, but in fact it has nothing to do with that and everything to do with Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, and the rest. Until Girardi explains just what the heck he was thinking, and disavows whatever that thinking was, it's hard to assume that he's not going to destroy a young arm because allowing him to throw 150 pitches in a blizzard seemed like a good idea at the time. We can assume that Brian Cashman has asked him about Johnson and received an explanation that satisfied him. It's hard to imagine what that explanation would have been. Perhaps it was something like, "My bad, sorry. Won't happen again." What else could he say? "I took the wrong medicine that morning and thought I was looking at Iron Man McGinnity"?

I'll defend the running and conditioning aspect, but I'm not gonna defend leaving a young guy out there to pitch in a blizzard, it's almost as bad as leaving a young guy out there to pitch in a ****ing swarm of locusts. I'll never forgive Torre for letting Joba pitch during one of the biblical plagues.

[GimmeShelter]

I'll defend the running and conditioning aspect, but I'm not gonna defend leaving a young guy out there to pitch in a blizzard, it's almost as bad as leaving a young guy out there to pitch in a ****ing swarm of locusts. I'll never forgive Torre for letting Joba pitch during one of the biblical plagues.

True....they get outta that inning and who knows what takes place the rest of the play-offs. Posada's passed ball was more of the back breaker than Joba though IMO.

[Kidhuman]

The PB and all is back on Joe leaving his players out there and not making a fuss over the bugs. He could have simply pulled them off the field or went to the umps to stop the madness.

I am glad JG has them working out. The leg cramps and pulled hammy's and groins the last 2 years have been freakin ridiculous.

[CrazyCarl40]

Given the older than younger state of the Yankees roster, it seems like that kind of conditioning is just begging for injuries. I know the overall goal is to strengthen and condition yourself to avoid injuries, but Girardi could be overdoing it just a little bit.

[GreenBeans]

Let's see you do 10 timed 200-yard dashes and call it "light running."

This is not a defense of Torre, either. I was pissed that his teams came out of the gate so slow the last couple years, and some players were clearly not in playing shape. Still, the one time Girardi got to run a team, he destroyed the pitching staff. He'll have these guys ground down to nothing by the all-star break.

Bob's got a point here - 10 200 yard runs is not a first day activity. I used to coach track in high school and we did not even consider something like this until mid-preseason training. Granted they are professional athletes, but they are not professional TRACK athletes.

[Kidhuman]

Tey have been there sfor a few days, and some reported early. Its ok. Let them run.

[LionelRichie]

Bob's got a point here - 10 200 yard runs is not a first day activity. I used to coach track in high school and we did not even consider something like this until mid-preseason training. Granted they are professional athletes, but they are not professional TRACK athletes.

for $15M per year i would win every one of those 10 200 yard sprints going away. hell, for $1M i would show up in the best shape of my life and run 50 200 yd sprints if that is what the organization asked me to do.

for the kind of money these guys are making they have become complacent and spoiled under the torre regime. it's time these guys, especially mussina and his 82mph fastball, start working for their money.