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Joe Girardi Let Go by Phillies

 Beleaguered manager Joe Giardi was fired by the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday after a hugely disappointing start to the season down in Philadelphia. Philly is 22-29, 12 games behind the first place New York Mets.

The Mets have owned the Phillies this season, having won seven of the last nine games between the two rivals. That combined with Philadelphia's inability to win with big contract players like Bryce Harper, Nick Castellanos, Kyle Schwarber, Zach Wheeler, and J. T. Realmuto hurt Girardi in the end. 

In two-and-a-half seasons as manager of the Phillies, Giardi went 131-141.  Last season the Phils underachieved at 82-80. This season's sluggish start was too much to bear, and with Dave Dombrowski having taken over as President of Baseball Operations just last year, it was almost a certainty he would want his own guy to manage in the dugout.

Bench coach Rob Thompson, who was Giardi's long time lieutenant with the Yankees will take over as Interim Manager in Philadelphia.

A little over two years ago, Giardi was one of the hottest names in the managerial search around Major League Baseball. The Mets were at one point considered a potential suitor for the former Yankees World Series winning manager, but instead opted to hire Carlos Beltran at that time. Beltran was quickly fired when his involvement in the Houston Astros cheating scandal came to light, and was replaced by Luis Rojas.

Rojas managed the Mets through the 60-game COVID season of 2020, and managed the team last season before he was let go and owner Steve Cohen, who brought in Buck Schowalter this year.

It's ironic to look back at now, considering many thought the Mets missed an opportunity by not hiring Girardi. Two-plus years later Giardi is out of a job in Philadelphia and the Mets are in first place under the leadership of another former Yankees manager in Schowalter.

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