The reminder of what the Yankees have been and what they somehow still expect to be remains plastered on Joe Girardi’s back. The manager wore 27 when he was hired in 2008, switched to 28 in 2010 because his Yankees had just won their 27th championship the previous fall and immediately began hunting No. 28.
“That’s the message, we’re not complacent,” Girardi said at the start of spring training 2010. “We do want to move forward and try to win No. 28 for this organization and the great city of New York, because we have a wonderful group here, we have wonderful fans here.