Phillies News: Ex-Yankee Joe Girardi Hired as Manager After Gabe Kapler Firing

The Philadelphia Phillies agreed to a three-year deal with Joe Girardi on Thursday to become their new manager, the Phillies announced. 

MLB.com's Todd Zolecki and Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia first reported the news. 

Girardi has worked as an analyst since parting ways with the New York Yankees following the 2017 season, but he brings an impressive resume to the table. He has a 988-794 career record as a manager, a National League Manager of the Year award with the then-Florida Marlins in 2006 and a World Series title with the Yanks in 2009.

"I think Joe is a great choice," Gabe Kapler, who the Phillies fired in October, told Alex Carr of The Good Phight in reaction to the hire. "He's smart, adaptable and his record obviously speaks for itself. [...] I believe Joe will guide this team to a lot of success and wish him and the Phillies the best."

The Phillies fired Kapler following an 81-81 season, his second in Philadelphia. The Phillies finished 16 games back of the National League East champion Atlanta Braves and was eight games off the final wild-card spot.

An improvement of one win fell well short of expectations after the team added Bryce Harper, David Roberstson, J.T. Realmuto, Andrew McCutchen, Juan Nicasio and Jean Segura in the offseason.

Harper summed up Philadelphia's general problems on offense. He had a .260/.372/.510 slash line along with a .365 weighted on-base average. Those numbers aren't bad, but they likely aren't what the Phillies envisioned when they gave the six-time All-Star a record-setting 13-year, $330 million contract.

Segura also posted his lowest WAR (2.3) since 2015, and the team never adequately replaced McCutchen after he tore his ACL in June.

Even if the Phillies' best hitters had delivered, it likely wouldn't have mattered given their dreadful pitching staff. Aaron Nola's FIP rose a full run from 3.01 to 4.03. Jake Arrieta allowed his second-most home runs per nine innings (1.39). And Robertson, who had averaged 65 appearances since 2010, underwent Tommy John surgery in August after having pitched in seven games.

Philadelphia ranked 23rd in FIP (4.88), 20th in strikeout rate (8.62) and 17th in walk rate (3.38).

As much as the Phillies spent on their starting lineup, the 2019 season made it clear that they need to invest more this winter in their starting rotation. Even if one argues Kapler didn't get the most out of the roster at his disposal, no manager could've excelled with this staff.

With what's projected to be MLB's eighth-biggest payroll ($127.7 million), per Spotrac, the Phillies should have the flexibility to land a marquee starter. Perhaps that was part of the team's pitch to land Girardi.

As the Phillies began to conduct their search for a new manager, many wondered if the result would be a sort of referendum on general manager Matt Klentak.

After the Phillies fired hitting coach John Mallee in August, the Philadelphia Inquirer's Scott Lauber questioned whether Kapler's ouster was a sign of ownership starting to lose faith in Klentak and the front office:

"But in firing Kapler, the Phillies revealed a management team that appears to be at odds, possibly even in a state of dysfunction. For the second time in three months, managing partner John Middleton came off the top rope to direct a personnel decision. And while that's his prerogative after dropping nearly half-billion bucks on roster additions only to remain a postseason outsider for the eighth year in a row, it does raise questions about Klentak's autonomy going forward."

The postseason is clearly the bar for success in 2020, which will immediately put Girardi under the microscope. However, Klentak might be the one on the chopping block next should the Phillies miss the playoffs for a ninth straight year.

Girardi is no stranger to pressure. He spent 10 years in the Yankees' dugout, winning a World Series in 2009 and taking the team to the American League Championship Series in 2010, 2012 and 2017.

In terms of experience, Girardi is a significant contrast to Kapler. His arrival could signal a general shift in the team's strategic direction as well. 

Girardi's more traditional style was one of the reasons the Yankees moved on after the 2017 season and hired the more analytically inclined Aaron Boone. Whereas Kapler was an extension of the front office, Girardi is likely to voice some disagreement with Klentak.

Striking more of a balance between the manager and general manager could be what the Phillies need to get back into the playoff picture.

Stats courtesy of FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.