Marlins players loved Girardi--Newsday survey

"No, the 2006 Marlins didn't win the World Series nor did they make the playoffs, but they made a spirited run at the wild card that lasted deep into September. And that's a strong testament to the impact Girardi had in his first year as a manager. All three reporters agreed the Marlins' surprising playoff push was largely due to the players' deep devotion, affection and attachment for their manager.

• "The players all loved him," said Juan Rodriguez, the beat writer for South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "He really connected with the young kids."

"When he was fired by [owner] Jeffrey Loria during the season, before he eventually relented and let Girardi keep his job,

• one of the factors apparently was the number of players that refused to make their next road trip unless Girardi was the manager," said Los Angeles Times reporter Kevin Baxter, who covered the Marlins for the Miami Herald. "… The players all swore by him."

"Girardi was calling a Phillies-Marlins game for Fox this past September, and it was the first time he was around the team since he was fired," Capozzi said. "When he came on the field for batting practice, the players, one-by-one, all walked over and gave him hugs, handshakes.""

• From Newsday by Jim Baumbach, "Reporters Offer Insight on Girardi as Manager," 10/30/07

Mr. Baumbach's column then mentioned how Girardi dealt with reporters. My only interest in reporters is that none of them be allowed in a dressing room/locker room of any team, and that they eliminate the practice of including meaningless quotes from players or even team officials in their stories. The position of "beat reporter" must be eliminated completely as it's a celebrity and political vehicle for the reporter, among other things.

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