Phillies to Reportedly Hire Joe Girardi as Manager

The last time Joe Girardi managed a World Series, the road contests were played at Citizens Bank Park in Philly.

He wouldn't mind having the home games on that turf this time around.

After the Cubs filled their vacancy with David Ross, rumblings intensified the Philadelphia Phillies were about to secure the services of Girardi, the ex-Yankee skipper known for laying down the law (and being loved by the players most inclined to love him). On Thursday morning, it appears a deal (and a thievery out of the lap of the Mets) is about to become official.

Girardi is a no-nonsense tactician who certainly represents a break from the Gabe Kapler school of management. He isn't analytics averse, but he has generations of experience managing personalities, sticking to his fixed bullpen plan, and making judgments based on the character of his men in the room.

Yankee fans often became frustrated with Girardi's apparent lack of situational awareness with regards to the bullpen, but results matter, and every single year, he overperformed, based on the level of talent he was given. If there were ever a man to take the Phils back over .500, it's the clean-cut man from Northwestern.

It was only a matter of time before he got back into the game, and this is an excellent solution.