Losing + A-Rod's Return = More Pressure on Yankee Manager

As a player on the New York Yankees, you’re constantly under more scrutiny and media pressure than if you belonged to any other team in any other sport.

If you’re a Yankees fan or just follow the team, you know the history of players who were very good with other clubs then join the Yankees and struggle. Many times, those same players leave the Yanks and become productive again for another team.

It’s understood to the media and Yankees fans that the pressures of playing in New York and for the most popular sports franchise in the world are often too much and can cause a player to crack and lose whatever it was that made him so good.

Now it appears this same phenomenon may be affecting manager Joe Girardi.

As if the New York Yankees needed more attention and media buzz centered on off-the-field activities, Alex Rodriguez is expected to return from his hip injury and play tonight in Baltimore.

No player in all of sports has received more negative attention and publicity than A-Rod. Although A-Rod brings all of the negative vibes onto himself, the fact is there is a big audience that craves stories about the tainted slugger.

As a result, the Yankees players and manager suffer from the excess media attention just for wearing the same uniform as the most controversial player in sports.

The additional media in the clubhouse, day after day, asking the same questions - not even related to the game - about a player making more than $25 million per-season, who’s accused of cheating on his wife with Madonna, using steroids, habitually lying, etc., puts a 10- ton weight on the rest of the team.

After replacing legendary manager Joe Torre, then failing to lead the Yankees into the playoffs for the first time in 14 years last season, then getting off to a terrible start this season; Girardi is already under an intense microscope.

But with the return of A-Rod and all of the extra media attention it brings, Girardi has a whole new set of headaches and distractions to manage. So far, he’s off to rough start.

During a press conference on Sunday, Girardi was asked about the impending release of the very unflattering and unauthorized biography on the Yankees third baseman, “A-Rod: The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez” by Selena Roberts.

Here’s an excerpt of how Girardi answered the question:

“I have some issues with it, that it’s interesting how the book date got moved up now…and I get tired of answering these questions. I don’t understand why someone would write a book like this anyway, and some people may not care to hear that but I don’t understand.”

Girardi also went on say, “I don’t necessarily know why it has to be put in a book, unless the person volunteers it….I worry about how it affects (A-Rod’s) kids.”

Taking a hostile position on this issue is a big mistake and is only going to draw more media attention and hype for the book.

Girardi was clearly upset during the press conference and I think that led him to make those statements which, by the way, were weak and thin and did not make for a good argument in denouncing the book.

Ironically the Yankee players, so far, have handled the extra questions and media attention very well, uniformly saying that they haven’t read the book so they can’t comment on it. That’s the best response and easiest way to deflect the media. I’m suspecting the players received some media training specifically regarding this issue.

Very smart.

So why didn’t Joe Girardi receive the same training or follow its guidelines?

Girardi ran into some issues with the media last season when he was caught “misleading” reporters about player injuries. Girardi felt he was just protecting his players while the media felt they were lied to.

Never lie to the media.

When pressed about the misinformation, Girardi acted angry and temperamental and came off looking very poorly. It was clearly a rookie mistake during his first year as Yankees manager.

But this time around the heat of the media focus will be stronger, if it isn’t already. Girardi’s got to drop the sensitive act and except the barrage of questioning and media interest in A-Rod and the book.

Girardi’s the manager and he has to project confidence and security or he’ll be eaten alive.

These next few weeks will very interesting for Joe Girardi. With his ballclub significantly underachieving and the circus called A-Rod returning tonight, the manager has to keep it together and sail the Yankee ship back on course.