New Phillies manager Joe Girardi is already making an impact, and we’re still months away from spring training.
Most anticipate that Girardi will be a noticeable improvement over his predecessor Gabe Kapler, in that he has 11 years of managerial experience with one World Series championship under his belt.
Yet, the former New York Yankees manager’s presence is already impacting the roster in that he is drawing in premiere free agents, including the recently signed infielder Didi Gregorius.
According to NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Jim Salisbury, Gregorius chose the Phillies over the San Francisco Giants and Milwaukee Brewers, with “playing for Girardi again” being a “big factor” in his decision.