Girardi or Mattingly-Who Would Be Best For The New York Yankees?

Now that Joe Girardi has signed to continue managing the New York Yankees, fans can breathe a sigh of relief. But what if Girardi had never been chosen in the first place? Would Don Mattingly have been a better choice, as many Yankees fans wanted?

While personalities and styles may differ, numbers don’t lie. So let’s take a look at the managerial records of Girardi and Mattingly and see if we can come to a conclusion of who really would have been best suited to man the helm of the pinstripes?

Category                                  Girardi                                    Mattingly          Advantage

Record                                     642-492                                 260-225           Girardi

100 Win Seasons                       1                                          0                      Girardi

First Place Division             3 in 7 seasons                    1 in 3 seasons          Girardi

League Championship

Series Record                             1-3                                      First                      ?

World Series Record                   1-0                                     0-0                    Girardi

So to this point, Girardi must get the edge in terms of record. His accolades also include winning the NL Manager of The Year in 2006. It is interesting that 2006 was the only one that his team finished with a losing record (78-84). So, if he were to win the AL Manager of the Year in 2013, as some say he deserves, he would have won the award in the two years that his teams finished with their poorest records.

Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The question is-what would Mattingly have done if he had been in the dugout with the talent that Girardi has been given during his years with the Yankees? Could he have finished in first place more than three times in six years? Would he have done better than one win in four tries in the ALCS? Would the Yankees have won 100 games more than once?

A better indication of the answers to these questions may come in the next few years. The Los Angeles Dodgers seem to be at the start of their run. What is most intriguing is the prospect of the Yankees adding some pieces, getting back on track, and squaring off with the Dodgers in the World Series. Then the debate can be settled where it should be- on the field. Or, in this case, in the World Series dugouts.

But the debate is irrelevant unless the Yankees loosen their purse strings and also get better production from their minor league system. Without that, it’s not going to matter who the manager is.