Philadelphia Phillies: The easiest part of Joe Girardi’s job

Joe Girardi hasn’t been the manager many Philadelphia Phillies fans were hoping he would be. In his first two seasons as skipper, the team missed the playoffs. It wasn’t entirely his fault. A modern baseball manager can only work with the tools he has.

Luckily for Girardi, he got some shiny new ones this offseason to go with the fancy ones he already had.

Specifically, it’s the bats the Phillies added this winter that has made Girardi’s job a whole lot easier. Before the season begin, I was accurately able to predict the Opening Day starting lineup. It’s not because of any sort of magic. It’s because the easiest part of Girardi’s job is putting the lineup together.

The Philadelphia Phillies starting lineup is a piece of cake for Joe Girardi.

Managers may not have as much of an impact on the game as they used to. Front offices like to put together lineups of their own and send them down to the dugout. Depending on the organization, there is a difference in the power structure. Girardi still likely has a lot of input into how the starting nine will line themselves up each game.

Working to his advantage is the fact that he can’t really get it wrong either. However you want to order the expected starting nine works well because of the depth this ball club has.

The Opening Day lineup was about as perfect as it can get. Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto, and Bryce Harper are a great threesome at the top. In the middle, having Nick Castellanos, Rhys Hoskins, and Didi Gregorius works really well, too.

Even at the bottom of the lineup, the trio of Jean Segura, followed by Bryson Stott, and Matt Vierling, works. Alternatively, Segura can swap places with Gregorius, and the Phillies can round things out with Alec Bohm and then Vierling.

The Phillies starting lineup may assemble itself automatically, but there are plenty of tough decisions to come Girardi’s way throughout the season. Daily bullpen changes will make him look like a genius or a dope. The occasional starting lineup decision will draw the ire of fans even if numbers do suggest it was the right choice.

For at least the start of this season, writing nine names on a lineup card will take the least amount of thought. Work in the occasional day off. Decide between Stott and Bohm based on who’s hot. The choices aren’t tough ones as long as the bats stay alive and well.