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The Story Everyone is Talking About

There is a lot speculation about a possible rift between Loria and Girardi.

These are some excerpts,

This is the Miami Herald's version:

Girardi's relations with the front office have been strained at times during his 10 months in Florida. But it was Loria who was upset this time over what transpired after a key ball-strike call in the Dodgers' six-run seventh inning.

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Loria, seated in the stands next to the dugout, reportedly became vocal in his protest, and that led to an exchange between the owner and manager that resumed following the game. At one point late Sunday, the Marlins even began preparing for a news conference, setting up the same room they used to announce Jack McKeon's hiring as manager in 2003 and his resignation last fall.

Miami Herald's Op Ed:

A bizarre clash of egos ended with a truce, but not before the Marlins almost lost the best young manager in baseball.

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The spat started in the Dodgers' six-run seventh inning. Reliever Taylor Tankersley's 3-2 pitch to Dodger Julio Lugo was called a ball by the umpire when it appeared to be a third strike. Loria, in the stands next to the dugout, protested the call. Girardi, however, chose not to make an issue of it and stayed in the dugout. He had been ejected the day before. Owner and manager exchanged words. Did Loria tell Girardi to challenge the call? Did Girardi tell Loria to butt out? Did Loria second-guess his manager? Did Girardi insult his boss? Was there insubordination or just frustration?

The quarrel continued with closed-door meetings after the game. Then the news conference that never was.

The Marlins provided no enlightenment about the confrontation Monday, calling it an ``internal matter.''

Then there is the Palm Beach Post:

Since at least July, there has been tension between Girardi and Loria over strategy and philosophy, sources within the organization said Monday.

"There has been some friction between them, but you'd never know it on the outside because Joe has done an unbelievable job," one source said.

There also has been tension between some of Girardi's coaches and the front office, a source said. Loria, asked Monday if there was friction between him and Girardi, said: "I have nothing to say about anything. I don't want to create something that doesn't exist. There's nothing to talk about."

And finally the Sun-Sentinel:

Girardi, in his first year managing at any level, tried to stop Loria from badgering plate umpire Larry Vanover after a couple of close calls went against rookie reliever Taylor Tankersley in the Dodgers' six-run seventh. That led to a highly unusual in-game exchange between owner and manager, two more sources said Monday.

"I think it was just Jeffrey said something to the umpires, he and Joe said something [to each other] and pretty much that was it," one source said, downplaying the incident.

But another source said it was more serious than that.

"It was like a back-and-forth, `You talking to me?' type of deal," the second source said. "It was, `Yeah, I'm talking to you,' and it went from there."

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Loria stood with Girardi in the clubhouse for at least a portion of Sunday's team meeting, and a source close to both men said Sunday's flare-up was believed to be the first of any significance between the two.

If I were a good blogger, this would be my cue to do my best National Enquirer imitation and fan whatever flames I could.  But, honestly, I am pretty agnostic to this event.

Did something happen?  Looks like it did but no one seems to know for sure what exactly happened.  The "eyewitnesses" have different stories and the articles contradict each other on several points.

In short, no one knows what transpired between the two men, except them.

This I do know: it's Tuesday and Girardi is the manager of the Marlins and Loria is the owner.  Best I can tell nothing is different and I seriously doubt this will turn into a Steinbrenner-Martin relationship.