Joe Girardi has his new baseball job
More than three months after being let go as manager of the New York Yankees, Joe Girardi is back in baseball.
But you won’t see him in the dugout.
Rather, Girardi will be in the studio as an analyst with the MLB Network.
The network announced his hiring Wednesday. He will appear as an analyst on several studio shows, including “MLB Tonight,” where he will work alongside Mike Lowell, Bill Ripken and host Greg Amsinger.
“I thought MLB was a really, really good fit for me,” Girardi said via MLB.com. “Obviously, when you talk about the Network, it’s baseball and baseball only. And really, that’s who I am. I love this game and I love everything about the game, how the game has changed somewhat, and I love watching players have success. So I thought this was the best fit for me.”
Girardi, 53, played 15 years as a catcher in the majors, including four years with the Yankees, where he won three World Series rings. He also played for the Cubs, Rockies and Cardinals. He retired in 2003.
In 2006, he was hired as the manager of the Marlins. Even though the team went 78-84 that year, Girardi won the National League Manager of the Year award. He was fired by the Marlins after one year.
15 years behind the plate. 11 years as a manager. 4 World Series rings.#WelcomeToMLBNetwork, Joe Girardi! pic.twitter.com/OKoujP3O4o
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) February 7, 2018
In 2008, the Yankees hired Girardi as their manager. With him as manager, New York went 910-710 over 11 seasons, good for a .562 winning percentage.
Girardi had 11 winning seasons with the Yankees and led them to the postseason six times. They won a World Series title in 2009.
Last season, even though the team came within a game of the World Series, losing to the eventual champion Houston Astros in Game 7 of the ALCS, the Yankees essentially fired Girardi. His contract expired and was not renewed.
The Yankees hired ESPN analyst Aaron Boone to replace him.
Girardi does have a media background. He was part of ESPN Radio’s coverage of the 2003 NL Division Series and he worked with the YES Network in 2004 and ’07. He was also an analyst for Fox Sports in 2007.
“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,” MLB Network President Rob McGlarry said.
“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,” McGlarry said.
Girardi will make his debut on “MLB Tonight” Wednesday at 6 p.m. ET.
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