Joe Girardi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Joe Girardi |
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Girardi in 2020
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| Catcher / Manager | |||
| Born: October 14, 1964 Peoria, Illinois, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 4, 1989, for the Chicago Cubs | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 28, 2003, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .267 | ||
| Home runs | 36 | ||
| Runs batted in | 422 | ||
| Managerial record | 1,120–935 | ||
| Winning % | .545 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
Joseph Elliott Girardi (born October 14, 1964) is a well-known American sports broadcaster. He used to be a professional baseball player and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). Joe played as a catcher for several teams, including the Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, New York Yankees, and St. Louis Cardinals. His playing career lasted from 1989 to 2003.
During his time as a player, Joe won three World Series championships with the New York Yankees in the 1990s. He was also the catcher for two very special games: Dwight Gooden's no-hitter and David Cone's perfect game.
After playing, Girardi became a bench coach for the Yankees in 2005. In 2006, he became the manager for the Florida Marlins. He was even named the National League Manager of the Year that season. However, he was fired after just one year with the Marlins.
Joe then managed the New York Yankees from 2008 to 2017. During this time, he led them to win the 2009 World Series. After leaving the Yankees, he worked as a sports analyst for MLB Network and Fox Sports. In October 2019, he became the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies. He managed the Phillies until midway through their 2022 season. Since then, he has worked as an analyst for Cubs games on the Marquee Sports Network and will also be an analyst for Yankees games on the YES Network starting in 2024.
Contents
Early Life and College Baseball
Joe Girardi was born in Peoria, Illinois, on October 14, 1964. He grew up in East Peoria, Illinois. His father, Jerry, was a former blue-collar worker and a veteran of the United States Air Force. Joe attended high school at the Spalding Institute.
Playing for the Northwestern Wildcats
Girardi went to Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, from 1983 to 1986. He played for the Northwestern Wildcats baseball team. He was chosen as an All-Big Ten player twice and an Academic All-American three times. In 1984, he played summer baseball for the Cotuit Kettleers and was named a league all-star.
In 1986, Joe earned a degree in industrial engineering. He also received the Big Ten Medal of Honor. This award recognizes one male and one female student from each Big Ten school who show great athletic and academic skills. Joe was also the first freshman to be elected president of a fraternity at Northwestern.
Joe's Professional Playing Career
Starting with the Chicago Cubs (1989–1992)
The Chicago Cubs picked Joe Girardi in the fifth round of the 1986 MLB draft. He spent four seasons playing in the Cubs' minor league system before joining the major league team. In 1986, he had a batting average of .309 in 68 games.
Joe made his Major League debut for the Cubs on April 4, 1989. In his first year, he batted .248 with one home run and 14 runs batted in (RBIs). In 1990, he played in 133 games, batting .270 with one home run and 38 RBIs.
Playing for the Colorado Rockies (1993–1995)
The Cubs left Girardi available in the 1992 MLB expansion draft. The new team, the Colorado Rockies, chose him. In his first year with the Rockies in 1993, he played in 86 games. He batted .290 with three home runs and 31 RBIs. In 1995, he played in 125 games and hit a career-high eight home runs with 55 RBIs.
Winning with the New York Yankees (1996–1999)
After the 1995 season, the New York Yankees traded for Girardi. He took over as catcher for Mike Stanley. On May 14, 1996, Joe caught Dwight Gooden's no-hitter, a game where no opposing player gets a hit.
In 1996, Girardi played in 124 games, batting .294 with two home runs and 45 RBIs. In Game 6 of the 1996 World Series, he hit an RBI triple that helped the Yankees win the game and the World Series. The Yankees also had a young catcher named Jorge Posada. Joe became his mentor, helping him learn and grow.
On July 18, 1999, Girardi caught David Cone's perfect game. This is even rarer than a no-hitter, as no opposing player reaches base at all. The Yankees won the World Series again in 1998 and 1999, making Joe a three-time World Series champion as a player.
Back with the Chicago Cubs (2000–2002)
In 2000, Girardi returned to the Cubs. He was chosen for the 2000 Major League Baseball All-Star Game as a replacement for an injured player. That season, he played in 106 games, batting .278 with six home runs and 40 RBIs.
On June 22, 2002, a game between the Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals was canceled due to a sad event. Cardinals pitcher Darryl Kile had passed away. Joe Girardi spoke to the fans, explaining that the game was canceled due to a "tragedy in the Cardinal family" and asked them to be respectful and pray.
Final Season with the St. Louis Cardinals (2003)
On December 16, 2002, Girardi signed a one-year contract with the St. Louis Cardinals. He played in only 16 games that season. After signing a contract with the Yankees in spring training 2004, Joe decided to retire as a player.
Broadcasting and Coaching Roles
After retiring from playing, Joe Girardi became a commentator for the YES Network. He hosted a show for kids called Yankees on Deck. In 2005, he became the Yankees' bench coach. He even managed one game when the main manager, Joe Torre, was suspended.
Girardi also worked as a broadcaster for Fox during the 2006 World Series. In 2007, he returned to the YES Network as an analyst for Yankees games. He also worked as a color commentator for Fox's Major League Baseball broadcasts. In 2018, he joined MLB Network as an analyst. More recently, in August 2022, he became a part-time analyst for Chicago Cubs games on the Marquee Sports Network. In February 2024, he returned to the YES Network to analyze Yankees games.
Joe Girardi's Managerial Career
Leading the Florida Marlins (2006)
After the 2005 season, Girardi was named the manager of the Marlins. He led the team to a 78–84 record. This was impressive because the Marlins had the lowest team payroll in Major League Baseball. Their entire team's salary was less than what some individual players on other teams earned!
Despite his success, Girardi had a disagreement with the Marlins' owner, Jeffrey Loria, during a game. This led to Girardi being fired on October 3, 2006. Even though he was fired, Joe was recognized for his great work. He won the National League Manager of the Year Award and the Sporting News Manager of the Year Award for the National League.
Managing the New York Yankees (2008–2017)
After the 2007 season, the Yankees needed a new manager. Joe Girardi was chosen and signed a three-year contract. He chose to wear jersey number 27, hoping to lead the Yankees to their 27th World Series championship. Joe is very focused on health and even banned sweets like ice cream and soda from the team's clubhouse.
In 2009, his second year as manager, Joe led the Yankees to their 40th American League pennant. They then won their 27th World Series title, defeating the Philadelphia Phillies. This was Joe's first World Series win as a manager.
After the 2010 season, Girardi signed a new three-year deal to continue managing the Yankees. In 2011, despite many player injuries, Joe led the team to win the AL East title. The Yankees reached the playoffs again in 2012, winning their first series but then losing to the Detroit Tigers.
In 2013, the Yankees had many injuries and missed the postseason. However, Joe signed another four-year deal to stay as manager. In 2015, the Yankees made it back to the playoffs, but lost in the Wild Card game.
In 2017, the Yankees finished strong and qualified for the postseason. They won their Wild Card game and then beat the Cleveland Indians in a thrilling series. They advanced to the American League Championship Series (ALCS) against the Houston Astros. The Yankees played well at home, but eventually lost the series in Houston. After the 2017 season, Joe's contract ended, and the Yankees announced he would not return as manager. He was replaced by Aaron Boone.
Managing the Philadelphia Phillies (2020–2022)
In October 2019, the Philadelphia Phillies hired Joe Girardi as their new manager. In his first season with the Phillies in 2020, the team's bullpen (relief pitchers) struggled. The Phillies missed the playoffs by just one game. In 2021, the Phillies again narrowly missed the playoffs.
On June 3, 2022, the Phillies fired Girardi after the team started the season with a 22–29 record. After he was fired, the Phillies played much better, winning many games and eventually reaching the National League pennant.
Managerial Record Overview
Joe Girardi's career as a manager includes his time with the Florida Marlins, New York Yankees, and Philadelphia Phillies. He has a strong overall record, showing his ability to lead teams.
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games | Won | Lost | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| FLA | 2006 | 162 | 78 | 84 | .481 | 4th in NL East | – | – | – | |
| FLA total | 162 | 78 | 84 | .481 | – | – | – | |||
| NYY | 2008 | 162 | 89 | 73 | .549 | 3rd in AL East | – | – | – | |
| NYY | 2009 | 162 | 103 | 59 | .636 | 1st in AL East | 11 | 4 | .733 | Won World Series (PHI) |
| NYY | 2010 | 162 | 95 | 67 | .586 | 2nd in AL East | 5 | 4 | .556 | Lost ALCS (TEX) |
| NYY | 2011 | 162 | 97 | 65 | .599 | 1st in AL East | 2 | 3 | .400 | Lost ALDS (DET) |
| NYY | 2012 | 162 | 95 | 67 | .586 | 1st in AL East | 3 | 6 | .333 | Lost ALCS (DET) |
| NYY | 2013 | 162 | 85 | 77 | .525 | 3rd in AL East | – | – | – | |
| NYY | 2014 | 162 | 84 | 78 | .519 | 2nd in AL East | – | – | – | |
| NYY | 2015 | 162 | 87 | 75 | .537 | 2nd in AL East | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost ALWC (HOU) |
| NYY | 2016 | 162 | 84 | 78 | .519 | 4th in AL East | – | – | – | |
| NYY | 2017 | 162 | 91 | 71 | .562 | 2nd in AL East | 7 | 6 | .538 | Lost ALCS (HOU) |
| NYY total | 1,620 | 910 | 710 | .562 | 28 | 24 | .538 | |||
| PHI | 2020 | 60 | 28 | 32 | .467 | 3rd in NL East | – | – | – | |
| PHI | 2021 | 162 | 82 | 80 | .506 | 2nd in NL East | – | – | – | |
| PHI | 2022 | 51 | 22 | 29 | .431 | Fired | – | – | – | |
| PHI total | 273 | 132 | 141 | .484 | – | – | – | |||
| Total | 2,055 | 1,120 | 935 | .545 | 28 | 24 | .538 | |||
Joe's Personal Life
Joe Girardi and his wife, Kim Innocenzi-Girardi, live in Purchase, New York. They have three children. Joe is of Italian descent and is a devoted Christian.
After winning the 2009 World Series, Joe showed his caring nature. While driving home, he stopped to help someone who had crashed their car on a dangerous road. Police said Joe put himself at risk to help the driver. The driver didn't even know who he was until the police arrived! The next day, Joe said it's important to remember to be kind and help others.
On October 6, 2012, during a playoff series, Joe's father, Jerry Girardi, passed away at age 81. He had Alzheimer's disease. Joe's mother had also passed away from cancer when he was in college. Joe has four siblings: John, George, Maria, and Gerald.
See also
In Spanish: Joe Girardi para niños
