Marlins owner fires, rehires manager Joe Girardi
Florida Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria had to be talked out of firing manager Joe Girardi after a loss last Sunday, the Palm Beach Post reported Saturday, citing unnamed sources with knowledge of the situation.
On Sunday, Aug. 6, Loria and Girardi had words after two borderline pitches were called balls in the midst of a six-run Dodgers rally. Loria, who was sitting near the team dugout, yelled at the umpire, and then got into a discussion with Girardi when Girardi asked him to stop.
“Then Girardi said, ‘Just stay out of it. I’m the manager.’” a source told the Palm Beach Post. “And Loria said, ‘Well, I’m the owner,’ or words to that effect. ‘If you don’t like what I’m telling you, you’re fired.’” Another source told the newspaper Girardi’s reply to Loria included profanities, which irked the owner even more.
“Loria got up out of his seat and was preparing to get rid of [Girardi],” one source told the newspaper. “Jeffrey can be very knee-jerk. Before he was done walking up the aisle, Jeffrey made up his mind to fire Joe right after the game.”
This has all the makings to turn into the next George Steinbrenner and Billy Martin relationship, except that Loria is no George Steinbrenner, Girardi is no Billy Martin, and the Marlins certainly are no New York Yankees. But the hatred is there, and that’s what counts.
