NEW YORK -- Joe Girardi is planning to use his on-camera time for many good causes this season. The Yankees' manager says that he will wear a T-shirt from a different charitable organization during his pregame meeting with the media for each home game.
Girardi wore the logo of Shriners Hospital for Children as he discussed Monday's weather postponed game, and then he called attention to Ainsley's Angels of America prior to Tuesday's season opener.
"This is just kind of to bring recognition to places or charities that do really good things," Girardi said. "Every day I'm going to try to wear a different T-shirt to recognize the things that people are doing."
The idea was hatched by Yankees executive director of communications and media relations Jason Zillo.
"It's Jason's responsibility to give me the shirt, and I put it on," Girardi said. "I don't really keep a tidy office when it comes to my clothes, so when it comes to me to have 80 [shirts] laying around, it would be really messy."
Girardi used an off-day this spring visiting the Tampa, Fla., location of the Shriners Hospital, where he spent time with children suffering from burns, spinal cord injuries, cleft palate and lip and orthopedic issues.
"I asked a bunch of guys to sign two balls, and I took two balls [in case] they had a favorite player," Girardi said. "I got to go through the prosthetic lab, and there was a boy from Atlanta, his name was Josiah. He was a huge Brian McCann fan, and I happened to have a Brian McCann ball, so it all worked out."
The Yankees honored Ainsley's Angels on March 18 as part of the organization's HOPE Week initiative. Ainsley's Angels is a national running organization that builds awareness for America's special needs community and its members through events that focus on their inclusion.
Founded in 2008, Ainsley's Angels is made up of running enthusiasts who give the gift of mobility and raise funds by pushing along special needs riders in wheeled "chariots" as they complete various road races and other distance runs. The organization, which has chapters in 25 states, has seen several members run coast to coast with their riders.