The collision at home vs. the Rays with Francisco Cervelli on Saturday is still making news. (Article Here) There doesn't seem to a lot of chatter coming from the Yankee side other than Joe Girardi. The Press and Girardi seem to think that because Elliot Johnson has little chance of making the Rays, he should have slid.

Don Zimmer (ex-Yankee bench coach, friend of Joe Girardi, and adviser for the Rays) has a different opinion:

"If I slide into him and break a leg, nothing is said. Instead of breaking my leg I bowl him over and it's not the right play? Well, to me it's the right play, spring training or no spring training. Play the game the right way.

"To me, our kid played it the way he thought it was right, and I think it was right. I'm surprised they made such a big thing out if it. I was dumbfounded. Of all people, I mean Girardi's a tough guy, a tough catcher. I don't know what spring training has got anything to do with it."

Zimmer said Girardi was wrong to criticize Johnson's play.

"This guy's my friend," Zimmer said. "He's his own man. I'm my own man. I think he was out of line.

"Whether he likes that or not, that's the way I feel."

I like Joe Girardi, but this is one situation in which he is way off. The Rays are coming upon a season in which they are predicted to be competitive; possibly for the first time in their organization's history. They are pumped! They are excited! They are letting the league know not to take them for granted. On the other hand, the Yankees no longer have Joe Torre. There is some loss of respect for the way that issue was handled. The Yankees are getting older. The free agents signed during the winter were: Yankees. The Yankees failed for the first time since '96 to win the Division.

Go Yankees, but grow up Joe Girardi. Yankees don't cry!