Joe Girardi will not manage tonight because he is sick with an upper respiratory infection. He will stay inside the clubhouse while bench coach Rob Thomson takes over.
“If we need something, he’ll obviously be on hand,” Thomson said.
Thomson has one year of experience at rookie ball - Class A in Oneonta in 1995 - and he managed one season in the Australian Winter League, he said. Of his experience in Oneonta, he said, “I think we were below .500.” Oneonta was 34-41 that year, according to Yanks’ media relations.
Here’s a taste of Thomson’s managerial philosophy: “Managing, to me, is just communicating with the coaches…I’ll try to be as calm as I can. It all depends on the players, their strengths and weaknesses.”
As for whether Girardi will manage Saturday, Thomson said, “I think he’ll be fine.”
