Joe Girardi was the New York Yankees manager for nine years starting in 2008. He brought the Yankees to a World Series win in his second year as manager in 2009.
As the team changed in the 2010s to a somewhat younger team, Joe fell out of favor with some of the “baby bombers” as being too hard on them. In 2017 Girardi would win the Wild Card game and would then win the ALDS from the Indians. They would later play the Houston Astros in the ALCS. The Yankees would lose games 6 and 7 in Houston and the series, in what is now embroiled in the Houston sign-stealing scandal.
Had the Yankees won that series, Joe’s job might not have been in jeopardy. After the 2017 season, when his contract would be up, it would not be renewed. Aaron Boone was hired as the new Yankee manager. He has taken the team to two 100 win seasons garnering 103 wins last year the most since 1998.
After managing the Marlins and the Yankees, Joe would want to manage again, but not finding any suitable offers would go into broadcasting. In 2018 he went to work for the MLB Network as a studio commentator. While continuing his work with the MLB Network, he would join Fox Sports as a broadcaster for regular-season games for the 2019 season. On October 24, 2019, the Philadelphia Phillies would announce Girardi as their new manager replacing Gabe Kapler. During this offseason, Joe would find himself reuniting with some former Yankees.
Andrew McCutchen: McCutchen was an outfielder for the Yankees in 2018 after not being signed. He went with the Phillies. A knee injury let him play in only 82 games. He would require knee surgery and be out for the rest of the season. McCutchen did not play for the Yankees when Joe was a manager.
David Robertson:  Girardi and Robertson have a history together. One of Joe’s attributes was how to use his bullpen. Joe, at times, used him as a setup man for Mariano Rivera and in other high impact situations. They worked very well together. That reuniting might have to wait a while as Roberson has undergone Tommy John surgery and will most likely be out most if not all of the 2020 season.
Didi Gregorius: Joe also knows Didi Gregorius very well as Didi was the Yankee shortstop for three years while Joe was Yankees manager. Yankee fans, for the most part, were sorry to see the Yankees not exercise his option. He finally signed with the Phillies on December 29, 2019. Gleyber Torres, as of now, will be taking his spot at short for the Yankees during the 2020 season.
Ronald Torreyes: “Toe” is another Yankee player that Joe is very familiar with. They played together for two years, from 2016 to 2017. Joe liked Torreyes and utilized him frequently. He played in 108 games in 2017. When management changed, and Aaron Judge took over in 2018, Boone really didn’t use Torreyes, and he was released. Ronald signed with the Twins for the 2019 season. On January 7, 2020, he signed a minor league contract with the Phillies. Knowing Joe and how he used Torreyes, I am sure he will get called up at some point in the season as a backup for Didi Gregorius. Toe was not a home run hitter but was more contact getting on base.
For Joe, it won’t be like Old Timer’s Day, but at least Joe will have some former Yankees to make his new job seem somewhat familiar as he learns his new players and hopes to bring the Phillies to the postseason.