Despite being recently dismissed from the Phillies, former manager Gabe Kapler had nothing but praise for his successor, Joe Girardi.
As anticipated, the Phillies’ search for a new manager was a fast one.
Gabe Kapler was dismissed on October 10, and, two weeks later, Joe Girardi was named the organization’s 55th-ever skipper in its history — and he is just the second in baseball history overall to manage a team he beat in the World Series.
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While Kapler has since drawn managerial interest from at least two National League clubs, he remains jobless as teams needing new managers continue to dwindle. Still, he had nothing but praise for his successor in Girardi, and even members of the organization who decided to move on from him after just two seasons in the role:
“I think Joe is a great hire for the Phillies,” Kapler texted 6abc on Thursday. “He’s a great competitor with a long track record of success.”
Gabe Kapler wishes Joe Girardi & Phillies well in text to @6abc
— Jeff Skversky (@JeffSkversky) October 24, 2019
“I think Joe is a great hire for the Phillies. He’s a great competitor with a long track record of success. I’m excited to follow Joe and the Phillies.” @6abc #Phillies pic.twitter.com/pM9wppgbjC
Kapler continues, “I’m excited to follow Joe and the Phillies. There are so many fantastic people in the organization, and I believe in the front office, John, the Buck family, the team and the city.”
Girardi, the first manager in franchise history to have previously won the Manager of the Year Award (2006), will wear No. 25, according to the Associated Press’ Rob Maaddi. And, much as Kapler is excited for Girardi becoming the Phillies’ new skipper, Girardi appears to be even more excited to assume the new role:
“The Phillies have a strong commitment to winning from the owners to the front office to the players to the fans,” he told reporters on Thursday. “It’s something that I’ve seen up close for the last 30 years of my baseball career.”
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From 2008 to 2017, Girardi managed the Yankees to a 910-710 record (.562) and six postseason appearances; he also led the 2006 Marlins to a 78-84 record, albeit a fourth-place finish in the National League East.
Girardi will be officially introduced at a press conference on Monday.