Baseball has a longstanding rule, unwritten and unenforceable, that was intended to prohibit teams from making major announcements during postseason play. Judging by what happened before the World Series started and again Oct. 26, off-days don't count.
There have been three managerial hires, one rather shocking dismissal, and some serious movement of musical chairs among the coaching fraternity while the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros were either preparing for or playing two extremely exciting games. There have been times when off-field distractions might've been a good thing -- but if these first two games are any indication of how this season is going to end, the 2017 World Series will be one to remember, not one to be bothered by distractions.
That's how I would describe the New York Yankees' firing of manager Joe Girardi, even though it probably wasn't as big a shock as it seemed. The "exit" sign was in full view when Girardi's 10th year also happened to be the last one on his contract. Managers entering the final year of their contract rarely return unless they happen to win a World Series (see Ned Yost, Kansas City Royals, 2015).
