Joe Girardi is a former professional baseball player and manager. He graduated in 1982 from Spalding Institute in Peoria, Ill., where he was an All-State selection in baseball. While attending Northwestern University, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial engineering and was named a three-time Academic All-American and two-time All-Big 10 selection.
Girardi made his Major League Baseball debut in 1989 and was a player for 15 seasons with four different teams: the Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, St. Louis Cardinals, and New York Yankees. He was a member of three World Series Championship squads in New York (1996, 1998-99), and played in a total of six postseasons with the Cubs (1989), Rockies (1995) and Yankees (1996-99). During his second stint with the Cubs from 2000-2002, he was named to the All-Star team in 2000.
After retiring as a player in 2003, Girardi transitioned to broadcasting, joining the YES Network in 2004. In addition to providing color commentary, he hosted "Yankee on Deck," a youth-oriented show. However, his broadcasting tenure was a brief one, as he accepted a position as bench coach and catching instructor with the New York Yankees.
In 2006, Girardi accepted the managerial position for the Florida Marlins, replacing Jack McKeon. Despite having the lowest team payroll in Major League Baseball, he led the Marlins to Wild Card contention, finishing the season with a 78-84 record. His leadership earned him the National League Manager of the Year Award in 2006.
In 2008, Girardi returned to the New York Yankees as manager. During his tenure, which lasted until 2017, he led the team to their 27th World Series title in 2009. He also managed the team to the AL East title in 2011, though they were defeated in the divisional round of the playoffs. Girardi reached significant personal milestones while managing the Yankees, including his 500th game as a manager in 2012 and his 1,500th game in 2016.
After leaving the Yankees, Girardi returned to broadcasting and provided analysis for MLB Network and Fox Sports. He also rejoined the YES Network as an analyst. In addition to this work, Girardi served as the United States national baseball team manager at the 2019 WBSC Premier12.
In 2020, Girardi was hired as the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies. His tenure with the team lasted until 2022 and was marked by significant challenges, including managing a team that had the most blown saves in MLB history. After leaving the Phillies, Girardi declined a job offer to manage the University of Central Florida baseball team and chose to continue his broadcasting career.
Currently, Girardi serves as an analyst for Cubs telecasts on Marquee Sports Network and is set to assume the same role for Yankees telecasts on the YES Network in 2024.
Girardi and his wife, Kim, reside in Florida with their three children, Serena, Dante, and Lena.
Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Joe Girardi and other top speakers and celebrities.