Girardi’s decision was an easy one

Thank the Lord on high the Joe Girardi saga is over, but remember this: it will surface again in four years when his deal with the New York Yankees will be ending.

With apologies to my buddy Carm, who owns a pawnshop on Chicago’s west side,Girardi leaving the Yankees would be like someone who manages a Nordstrom’s leaving to manage his pawnshop.Girardi, a pretty smart guy, pondered the move with his family, and in probably one of the shortest discussions in history decided to stay put.

If the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox want you, there’s a good chance they’re going to get you.

According to several reports, the Cubs were going to offer New York Yankee-level money to Joe, but they couldn’t offer him New York Yankee tradition and championships.

I had someone tweet me the Cubs were a better fit because of their farm system. For the love of Hee-Seop Choi, you’ve got to be kidding me. Girardi looked at a beat up Derek Jeter, an injured Mark Teixeira, and general manager Brian Cashman and said he’d rather go that route than the one with the supposed wonder kids of Anthony Rizzo, Starlin Castro and Cubs president Theo Epstein.

But, as we all know, things can change quickly, and it doesn’t mean the Cubs organization and players won’t be successful down the line. Still, there is simply no comparison of a storied Yankee franchise to a beleaguered Chicago one.

Girardi managed about as good as you can manage a team this year, and I find it interesting a bad year for the Yankees is a few games above .500 and missing the playoffs. If the Cubs won 85 games next year like the Yankees just did, there would be a parade down the “Canyon of Losers Addison Street.”

I bet Girardi was tempted, though, just like Leo Durocher, Dusty Baker, Don Zimmer, Jim Frey and Lou Piniella all were expecting to be the manager to finally lead the Cubs to glory.

But it’s not just about the manager — it’s also about the organization.

I remember when Tony LaRussa was managing the St. Louis Cardinals and everyone proclaimed him a genius. Ifthat’s the case, what does that make the Cardinals’ current manager, Mike Matheny?

No, Joe made the right move, and it was easy.

Program notes: I will be in Los Angeles all next week filling in for Jay Mohr on Fox Sports radio from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. CST.Check me out on XM 247, iHeart radio or Fox Sports.Listen to The Mike North Pregame Show from 10 a.m. to noon Sundays on WIND 560-AM The Answer.Ÿ Mike North#146;s column appears each Tuesday and Friday in the Daily Herald, and his video commentary can be found Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at dailyherald.com. For more, visit northtonorth.com.