* The Yankees started 0-3, and all three losses had one common theme: Joe Girardi and overmanagement. In the season opener, in the first inning, Girardi’s stat book (he carries it around with him like Linus carries his security blanket) told him CC Sabathia, his ace, was incapable of pitching to the Rays’ Sean Rodriguez, a career .229 hitter. So, Rodriguez was intentionally walked to load the bases, leaving Sabathia to face Carlos Pena, a man with 260 career home runs. Grand slam, game over. In Game 2, Derek Jeter was obviously too tired to play the field, so Eduardo Nunez played shortstop and botched a routine grounder, leading to a two-run inning. In Game 3, in another inexplicable move, Girardi decided to start Raul Ibanez in right field, and the 39-year-old botched a first inning routine fly ball, leading to another loss for the Yankees. If everything Girardi does is determined by some meaningless statistics, do the Yankees really need him in the dugout?

JERRY MENNA

New York

* Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen is sadly not bright enough to understand the enormity of his comments, expressing admiration for Fidel Castro, within the community in which he said it in and imagines his apology will be enough. It will not. I believe the Marlins ownership will soon see clearly that Guillen must go.

FRANK R.

DIAZ-BALART

Tomkins Cove, N.Y.

* Why can’t Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen say he respects Fidel Castro? To attack him for that certainly violates the spirit of the First Amendment. Guillen sounded ridiculous apologizing for his pro-Castro statements, [but] he shouldn’t have to apologize to anyone or have his career threatened for his political beliefs.

MICHAEL J. GORMAN

Whitestone