Girardi’s greatest accomplishment

When Alex Rodriguez hit his second scoreless-tie breaking home run in three nights against the Red Sox, Derek Jeter looked like he was watching a game of Canasta at the local senior citizen center.

Sure, Jeter gave A-Rod a cursory hand slap, but there was no big smile from The Captain.

Maybe this is simply Jeter’s intense game face showing through. Or maybe, Jeter still isn’t all thrilled when A-Rod goes hero.

Thankfully for the Yankees, though, no one cares which anymore. This is Joe Girardi’s greatest accomplishment as Yankees manager. He’s made the Jeter/A-Rod relationship soap opera go away.

Arguing that Girardi is a better manager than Joe Torre is almost as laughable as debating that Isiah Thomas is a better coach than Phil Jackson. What Girardi’s done in this situation, though, is what Torre would never allow himself to do. He’s diminished Jeter’s clubhouse power by not kowtowing to the shortstop on every little decision and potential controversy.

Jeter’s still a strong voice, but he no longer sets the tone for the entire clubhouse. Part of this is due to the personalities Brian Cashman added, the pie throwers and needless outfield tumblers who fit in better with A-Rod, who’s so immature he belongs in a Judd Apatow movie.

But Girardi breaking the Torre cycle on Jeter is no small factor. Jeter hasn’t been the best player on the Yankees for a long time. You could argue he never was. Now, a manager finally recognizes that. No one feels the need to analyze Jeter anymore and it makes for a better team.