Girardi Ruins Opening Day

Eddie Sawyer was the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies when he led the team, nicknamed the Whiz Kids, to the 1950 National League Pennant.

They didn't win another, he was fired after the 1950 season, they still didn't get back on track, and, in 1958, he was hired back. But he quit after the opening game of the 1960 season, saying, "I'm 49 years old, and I'd like to live to be 50."

He never managed again, but remained in the game as a scout. He lived to be 87.

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Today, pushed back a day by inclement weather, the Yankees opened the 2016 Major League Baseball season, at home at Yankee Stadium II, against the team that knocked them out of the postseason last year, the Houston Astros.

I'm 46 years old. I want Joe Girardi to be fired as Yankee manager, because I'd like to live to be 47.

Things started off well today. New 2nd baseman Starlin Castro hit a 2-run double in the bottom of the 2nd, Masahiro Tanaka pitched well, and it was 2-1 Yankees going into the top of the 6th.

But the Astros threatened. Girardi looked at his pitch count, saw that Tanaka had now thrown 87 pitches, and looked into his damn Binder, and saw that it read, "Pitchers today are not men. They are babies. They cannot be trusted to throw more than 87 pitches. Do not trust the starter to go any further. Take him out."

Now, I could complain about the blatant running outside the baseline that led to Dellin Betances' game-costing throw in the 8th, leading to 3 Astro runs, which Didi Gregorius' home run was not enough to overcome.

I won't. Because, after his bullpen stupidity cost the Yankees 20 games last season, Girardi pulled Tanaka for Chasen Shreve, whom he then let pitch through the 7th. Shreve didn't do all that badly, but because he didn't, he should have been allowed to continue through the 8th. Instead, Girardi brought in Betances.

Also, the Yankees got only 4 hits all game long: Gregorius' homer, Castro's double, and singles by Carlos Beltran and Brian McCann. Jacoby Ellsbury went 0-for-4 at the top of the order. Aaron Hicks and pinch-hitter Brett Gardner, between them, went 0-for-3 with a walk at 2nd in the order. Alex Rodriguez, in October form, went 0-for-3 with a walk batting 3rd. Mark Teixeira, getting no protection from A-Rod, went 0-for-3 with a walk batting 4th. So the top 4 guys in the order, between them, went 0-for-13, though they did come up with 3 walks -- an on-base percentage of .188. Pathetic.

Between the hitters' weak bats and Girardi's weak brain, Opening Day was ruined.

Astros 5, Yankees 3. Winning Pitcher: Dallas Kuechel (1-0). Save: Luke Gregerson (1). Losing Pitcher: Betances (0-1).

The series continues tomorrow night, with Michael Pineda starting against Collin McHugh.