Better luck next year Joe Girardi!

Joe Girardi will just have to settle for winning the World Series. Despite managing the best team in baseball -- a year after they missed the playoffs -- the Yankee manager came in third place in the American League Manager of the Year race. The award went to Mike Scioscia of the Angels, who Girardi beat on his way to the World Series. Hard to argue against Scioscia, especially after he got his team through one of the worst experiences imaginable: the death of a teammate, the young Nick Adenhart.

Girardi was heavily criticized for his postseason moves, none of which matter come awards time. But he did make some brilliant moves in the regular season that deserved recognition, including switching Derek Jeter and Johnny Damon in the line-up, which worked superbly for both players. More importantly, he allowed his new players to loosen things up in the clubhouse, dropped some of his rigid routines and stopped treating the media as the enemy.

Girardi already has a MOY award from his one season with the Florida Marlins. He may never get another. People will always talk about the Yankees buying the World Series, not giving Girardi's managing enough credit. No matter. As long as the Yanks continue to thrive, I doubt Girardi will miss the hardware.

Thanks to SFC Richard Guzman, USAREC via Wikipedia for the photo.