Joe Girardi Can’t Be Judged Solely on One No-Call

Joe Girardi messed up. No question. He should have challenged the hit-by-pitch of Lonnie Chisenhall in game 2 of the ALDS between the Yankees and Indians. But that can't be the only reason New York blew an 8-3 lead late in that game. The manager's lack of trust in his players aside, Chad Green subsequently gave up a grand slam in the 7th inning and then David Robertson surrendered the game-tying HR to Jay Bruce. It ultimately goes in the books as a loss in 13 innings and an 0-2 series hole headed to the Bronx.

Does Girardi challenging the call, what would have been a tipped third strike into the mitt of Gary Sanchez, change those series of events? Yes. But to suggest that one decision should define Girardi's future with the Yankees is absurd. It wasn't long ago we were all praising the Yankees skipper for the way he used his bullpen in that one game Wild Card against the Twins. With any manager, there will be some good, there will be some bad. You just hope the former outweighs the latter.

We saw one of the great baseball minds in today's game nearly ruin the Cubs' chances to win the World Series last October, but Joe Maddon's club ended up winning its first title in 108 years in spite of some of the buttons he pushed. At the end of the day, sometimes it comes down to the players and their ability to execute. In game 2, the Yankees simply failed to do that...both on the field and from the dugout.