Looser Girardi deserves credit for surging Yanks

This used to be a familiar ritual in the Yankee clubhouse: Joe Girardi marching into his office after a loss, his eyes burning lasers into the ground, refusing to acknowledge anyone around him, including his players. The door would shut, a virtual No Trespassing sign would be posted and the manager would submerge into his own world, churning through the strategy that could've-would've-should've been better. That was Girardi in 2008, overshadowed by Joe Torre's legacy. He admits, "I made mistakes" in his rookie year in New York, which left Girardi with a less attractive signature of his own — too tightly wound for a 162-game season. That was then, this is now. The Yankees say the vibe from the manager's office has been unmistakably healthier this summer. "Joe has definitely backed off, now it's more like 'just play the game,' " says Andy Pettitte. Whether it's cause and effect or pure coincidence, Girardi's evolution has been an integral part of the Yankees' renaissance. They've become baseball's hottest team, on the way to 95-plus wins, seemingly unstoppable — especially at home, where they've won 15 of their last 17 games. Of course, it's easy to say Girardi is a luckier and not necessarily a better manager than he was in '08. He did, after all, inherit Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett. Who wouldn't be mellower after adding three superstars in the same offseason? But an uptight and overly anxious manager can still undermine the talent in his clubhouse. Why else would Sabathia have included an opt-out clause in his seven-year contract? He'd heard about the coup that took down Torre after 2007, heard that Girardi was trying (too hard) to be his own man. In fact, Sabathia had one question for GM Brian Cashman before deciding he could be a Yankee: "What's your clubhouse like?" Turns out, the escape hatch won't be necessary. Sabathia says he's staying and goes out of his way to praise Girardi these days. "I don't know what it was like here last year, but to me, this is the best (clubhouse) chemistry I've ever seen," Sabathia said. "People told me, 'watch out in New York, it's crazy playing there,' but I love it. Joe has done a great job; this team is really close." It remains to be seen how long the surge will last — the Yankees might look invincible but there are obstacles on the path to October. The Bombers still haven't figured out a way to beat the Angels, who've beaten them four of six this year (the Yankees' ERA against Anaheim is 8.12). And there are seven games remaining with the Red Sox, including three next weekend at Fenway, where the Yankees haven't won a game this season. Still, Girardi seems unfazed, even with the win-or-else mandate hanging over his head like an anvil. He knows he'll be fired if the Yankees somehow fall short in September. But there's no sense of desperation about Girardi, nor does he impart it to his players. "I've learned to move on, to accept things more," Girardi said the other day. "What I'm doing more this year is realizing there are things you can't control. To me, it's growth." Girardi is reluctant to talk about his faith, which is an important part of his life. But he does share this revelation, which came to him recently during a game when he would've normally been immersed in strategy. Instead of churning, Girardi pulled back and found himself appreciating the broader strokes of his life. "I'm thinking, 'I'm so lucky to be here, to be surrounded by all these great players,' " Girardi said. "I said to myself, 'how awesome is this?' " Such reflection doesn't exactly fit with the Girardi's public profile. To those who deal with him on a daily basis — specifically, the media — he's seemed guarded, often combative, forgetting that diplomacy-challenged managers don't last long in New York. Torre, of course, was the greatest ambassador the Yankees ever knew, just as Casey Stengel invented the art of storytelling. Girardi was neither, not by a long-shot. But he's at least become more honest with the press, specifically about the club's injuries. Girardi volunteered on Wednesday that Mariano Rivera had a sore shoulder and was unavailable to pitch against the Blue Jays. The manager speculated, without being asked, that Alex Rodriguez might be out a few days after the slugger was plunked on the elbow by Shawn Camp's fastball. It's a subtle shift, but the new transparency suggests Girardi is finally getting it: he represents not just himself at the podium, but the Yankee brand. Club officials made that point — with emphasis — last winter, when the club suffered through its first empty October in 13 years. Girardi was effectively told to lighten up. To the outside world, he was efficient, but cold. Hard-working, but missing the very gene that differentiates a manager from a football coach — the ability to commune with his players. But the Yankees say that perception was wrong, even if Girardi himself helped foster it. "Joe definitely got an unfair label," said Derek Jeter. "People don't know him like we do. To us, he's always been great." "He's not just a good manager, he's a great man," said Nick Swisher. "There isn't a guy on this team who would tell you different." Winning fuels the karma; always does. For now, the Yankees are happy because they're crushing the American League (or is it the other way around?). Girardi, meanwhile, has taken his engine off the red-line — if only by a little. To a naturally churner, however, that's a lot.