Girardi meets with Yanks brass
Former catcher first to interview for vacant managerial spot
Joe Girardi is leading off the Yankees' search for a new manager, meeting with club executives at Legends Field in Tampa, Fla. Girardi's agent, Steve Mandel, told MLB.com that Girardi met with Yankees officials on Monday, but said that he would not comment beyond confirming that his client met with the club. Girardi is preceding Don Mattingly in the sequence, with Mattingly expected to be interviewed on Tuesday. A third candidate, first-base coach Tony Pena, is likely to follow on Wednesday. Speaking of the choices lined up for the first round of interviews, senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner told the Associated Press, "There's a slight favorite, not a heavy favorite." That is believed to be Mattingly, 46, who was contacted by general manager Brian Cashman late last week to interview for the opening and had said through his agent, Ray Schulte, that he planned to travel to Florida in mid-week. Owner George Steinbrenner is believed to be directly involved in the interview process, as are his sons, Hal and Hank, plus Cashman and team president Randy Levine. Girardi, 43, spent the 2007 season as a broadcaster with the YES Network after managing the Florida Marlins in 2006. A former catcher for 15 seasons in the Major Leagues -- including playing the 1996 through 1999 seasons with the Yankees, winning three World Series rings -- Girardi served for one season as Joe Torre's bench coach in 2005 before accepting the Marlins job. Offered a roster that was not expected to seriously compete in Florida, Girardi's style helped keep the overachieving Marlins in the Wild Card race until the last week of the season, eventually finishing with 78 wins and earning Girardi honors as the National League Manager of the Year. Girardi was dismissed after the season by the Marlins, however, as he experienced internal disputes with club management, including owner Jeffrey Loria. He left the organization after completing just one season of a three-year contract signed on Oct. 19, 2005, replaced by former Atlanta Braves third-base coach Fredi Gonzalez. Girardi's expected managerial interview on Monday will be his first since he passed on the Baltimore Orioles vacancy in June, when Sam Perlozzo was dismissed. At the time, Girardi passed on the opportunity, saying that the timing was "not right." Also involved in the process is Pena, 50, who completed his second season as the Yankees first-base coach in 2007 after spending parts of four seasons as the Royals manager from 2002-05. Pena was the 2003 American League Manager of the Year after guiding Kansas City to 83 wins; overall, his managerial record with the Royals was 198-285. One rumored candidate for the position, Tony La Russa, officially fell off the grid Monday when he accepted a new two-year contract to continue managing the St. Louis Cardinals. Steinbrenner also told the AP that former New York Mets and current Chiba Lotte Marines manager Bobby Valentine -- for whom George Steinbrenner has long held admiration -- is not on the club's short list. "I would say at this point probably not. He's certainly a smart guy, but probably not," Steinbrenner said. The search follows a drawn-out process in which the Yankees held two days of closed-door discussions in Tampa, Fla., eventually agreeing to offer Torre a one-year, performance-based contract to continue managing the Yankees. Torre said he considered the proposal -- which had a base salary of $5 million and $1 million incentives for reaching each level of the AL Division Series, AL Championship Series and the World Series -- an "insult." At a press conference last week in Rye Brook, N.Y., near his Westchester home, the former manager offered his support to beginning a successor search close to the Yankees dugout. "I've had a number of coaches on my staff that are certainly qualified," Torre said. "Of course, having a Yankee connection helps. It's so important when you're dealing in New York with the media on a regular basis. You have to experience it to understand it." Steinbrenner said on Monday that the Yankees planned to discuss their plans for meeting with All-Star third baseman Alex Rodriguez, who has until 10 days after the World Series to opt out of the final three years and $81 million on his contract with the Yankees. The Yankees are expected to present Rodriguez and his agent, Scott Boras, with a contract extension. Cashman has gone on record as saying that if Rodriguez opts out of the deal, the Yankees will not pursue him, taking it as a sign that the Major Leagues' leader in runs, home runs and RBIs does not wish to remain with the franchise. Steinbrenner backed up that statement on Monday. "We want him to stay, and I would think he would want to stay. We've made it clear if he opts out, goodbye," Steinbrenner said.
Joe Girardi is leading off the Yankees' search for a new manager, meeting with club executives at Legends Field in Tampa, Fla. Girardi's agent, Steve Mandel, told MLB.com that Girardi met with Yankees officials on Monday, but said that he would not comment beyond confirming that his client met with the club. Girardi is preceding Don Mattingly in the sequence, with Mattingly expected to be interviewed on Tuesday. A third candidate, first-base coach Tony Pena, is likely to follow on Wednesday. Speaking of the choices lined up for the first round of interviews, senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner told the Associated Press, "There's a slight favorite, not a heavy favorite." That is believed to be Mattingly, 46, who was contacted by general manager Brian Cashman late last week to interview for the opening and had said through his agent, Ray Schulte, that he planned to travel to Florida in mid-week. Owner George Steinbrenner is believed to be directly involved in the interview process, as are his sons, Hal and Hank, plus Cashman and team president Randy Levine. Girardi, 43, spent the 2007 season as a broadcaster with the YES Network after managing the Florida Marlins in 2006. A former catcher for 15 seasons in the Major Leagues -- including playing the 1996 through 1999 seasons with the Yankees, winning three World Series rings -- Girardi served for one season as Joe Torre's bench coach in 2005 before accepting the Marlins job. Offered a roster that was not expected to seriously compete in Florida, Girardi's style helped keep the overachieving Marlins in the Wild Card race until the last week of the season, eventually finishing with 78 wins and earning Girardi honors as the National League Manager of the Year. Girardi was dismissed after the season by the Marlins, however, as he experienced internal disputes with club management, including owner Jeffrey Loria. He left the organization after completing just one season of a three-year contract signed on Oct. 19, 2005, replaced by former Atlanta Braves third-base coach Fredi Gonzalez. Girardi's expected managerial interview on Monday will be his first since he passed on the Baltimore Orioles vacancy in June, when Sam Perlozzo was dismissed. At the time, Girardi passed on the opportunity, saying that the timing was "not right." Also involved in the process is Pena, 50, who completed his second season as the Yankees first-base coach in 2007 after spending parts of four seasons as the Royals manager from 2002-05. Pena was the 2003 American League Manager of the Year after guiding Kansas City to 83 wins; overall, his managerial record with the Royals was 198-285. One rumored candidate for the position, Tony La Russa, officially fell off the grid Monday when he accepted a new two-year contract to continue managing the St. Louis Cardinals. Steinbrenner also told the AP that former New York Mets and current Chiba Lotte Marines manager Bobby Valentine -- for whom George Steinbrenner has long held admiration -- is not on the club's short list. "I would say at this point probably not. He's certainly a smart guy, but probably not," Steinbrenner said. The search follows a drawn-out process in which the Yankees held two days of closed-door discussions in Tampa, Fla., eventually agreeing to offer Torre a one-year, performance-based contract to continue managing the Yankees. Torre said he considered the proposal -- which had a base salary of $5 million and $1 million incentives for reaching each level of the AL Division Series, AL Championship Series and the World Series -- an "insult." At a press conference last week in Rye Brook, N.Y., near his Westchester home, the former manager offered his support to beginning a successor search close to the Yankees dugout. "I've had a number of coaches on my staff that are certainly qualified," Torre said. "Of course, having a Yankee connection helps. It's so important when you're dealing in New York with the media on a regular basis. You have to experience it to understand it." Steinbrenner said on Monday that the Yankees planned to discuss their plans for meeting with All-Star third baseman Alex Rodriguez, who has until 10 days after the World Series to opt out of the final three years and $81 million on his contract with the Yankees. The Yankees are expected to present Rodriguez and his agent, Scott Boras, with a contract extension. Cashman has gone on record as saying that if Rodriguez opts out of the deal, the Yankees will not pursue him, taking it as a sign that the Major Leagues' leader in runs, home runs and RBIs does not wish to remain with the franchise. Steinbrenner backed up that statement on Monday. "We want him to stay, and I would think he would want to stay. We've made it clear if he opts out, goodbye," Steinbrenner said.
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