18 years ago, Joe Girardi said 'I do' and went all in with a new Yankees contract

Joe Girardi was traded to the Yankees in November 1995 and played the full '96 season, but the then-catcher and team didn't make it -- to borrow a dating parlance -- official until December 3, 1996, when he decided to re-up with New York and sign his first full contract with the team as a free agent.

It's not exactly wedding bells, but it's an anniversary worth commemorating nonetheless -- unless you have no romance in your soul.

So how did Girardi and the Yankees go from "talking" to Facebook official?

Well, if Girardi hadn't sealed the deal before October 26, 1996, we're betting his triple in Game 6 of the World Series that gave the Yankees a lead they would never relinquish and sent them on the way to their first title since 1978 was the "engagement ring hidden in champagne" equivalent of baseball contract negotiations. And the Yankees said yes.

Sure, there were others before -- Girardi began his career with the Cubs for four years before the Rockies selected him in the 1992 expansion draft, and the Yanks had Mike Stanley behind the plate in 1995 -- and others after -- Girardi returned to the Cubs and managed the Marlins in 2006 -- but you know your one true love when it's right there in front of you.

Which is probably why Girardi came back to manage the Yankees in 2007. It's like The Notebook but, you know, baseball-ier.