By JOEL SHERMAN

Remember when Tom Coughlin came storming in as Giants coach talking about how injuries are a mindset and part of a negative culture, and that he was going to change the plague that had beset the team for several years. Well, for the first few years, injuries struck Coughlin’s teams with as much damage as they did to Jim Fassel’s squads. Now we have Joe Girardi, fitness fanatic, having nearly as much difficulties with injuries as his predecessor Joe Torre had. Girardi made it a point of emphasis, demanding his players show up in top shape and then working those players very hard in spring training.

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