Should a Return to the Yankees Be in Joe Girardi's Future?

(Originally posted at http://sports.yahoo.com/news/missing-playoffs-york-yankees-manager-joe-girardi-hot-144200661--mlb.html)

COMMENTARY | Throughout the 2013 season, the possibility of Joe Girardi not returning to the Yankees in 2014 was broached by baseball reporters and Yankees fans alike.

Despite fielding a starting lineup consisting of multiple backup-caliber players for the entire season, some still considered Girardi as good as gone when his contract expired.

After keeping the Yankees in contention until the final week of season, Girardi is a better candidate for Manager of the Year than he is to be replaced by the Yankees. The job he did to keep this team in contention without its highest-paid players on the field was remarkable and there are multiple reasons the Yankees shouldn't be blaming their manager.

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