Yankees offer manager position to Joe Girardi

[ThePresence]

I just hope this doesn't alienate Mattingly from the Yankee organization, because I can't see any way that he'll remain there now, after being passed over.

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October 29, 2007 -- The Yankees have offered Joe Girardi their managerial position, according to published reports.

"The Yankees have offered Joe the opportunity to become their next manager. Discussions are ongoing," Steve Mandell, Girardi's agent, told ESPN. The story was initially reported by 1050 ESPN radio.

SI.com reported that Girardi would receive a three-year, $6 million package to become Joe Torre's replacement on the Yankee's bench. However, Mandell told The Post that "there was nothing" to those numbers. "Theres nothing to that. We're in discussions," Mandell said at 1:50 p.m. today. "They've shown an interest in Joe. There's no timetable on a deal. We're just in discussions."

Girardi impressed Yankees brass during a 10-hour interview last week in Tampa. Entering the interview process that included Yankee icon Don Mattingly and first base coach Tony Pena, it was believed General Manager Brian Cashman favored Girardi. Girardi's preparation and baseball intellect -- items Cashman already felt positively about -- were strongly reinforced during the interview. Ownership was said to also feel positive about those traits in Girardi.

Last week Hank Steinbrenner said the decision would be made today and announced tomorrow. If the process moves quickly, the Yankees could announce the hiring on a conference call today and hold a major Yankee Stadium press conference later this week.

Mattingly, who interviewed Tuesday in Tampa, hasn't heard from the Yankees since. Girardi, who was working for Fox during the World Series, is in the same boat as Mattingly. Representatives for Mattingly and Girardi didn't return messages.

"Nothing has changed," Girardi said in Denver last night.

Asked if he would like to see closure, Girardi said, "We all like to see resolution in life."

Going into the process, Mattingly was perceived as the favorite. However, Girardi bowled over the Steinbrenner family, especially Hank and Hal.

His one year of experience managing the Marlins is a plus, too. And when Hank said last week that he and Cashman were on the same page, Girardi was perceived to have moved ahead of Mattingly.

When Hank said the Yankees were looking for a leader and not so much a father figure, many believed he was endorsing Girardi.

Mattingly's friends don't believe he will stay as the bench coach if passed over for the managing gig. He had set his sights on being the Yankees manager since taking over as hitting coach four years ago.

There remain concerns about Girardi's aggressive style of handling people - he isn't afraid to bruise feelings. Will he be accepted by the core players after Torre's low-key approach? Will Girardi over Mattingly lead to free-agent defections, notably by either Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera.

Former Yankees coach Don Zimmer, who was instrumental in bringing Girardi from Denver to The Bronx in 1996, believes the ex-catcher has what it takes.

"He knows the game, he played the game the right way," Zimmer said of Girardi, a Yankee for four years and part of three World Series winners. "He wasn't a great player but was a good player on championship teams. To me, he is a winning type baseball person. He went to [Florida] and won a lot of games with kids. You know when you go to New York you are going to win more than you are going to lose. The question is how much more."

 

[Sinsear]

Way to ostracize a Yankee icon. Bravo Yankees. As a Mattingly guy, I'm pissed.

 

[raystorm]

Should be very interesting. Girardi is a smart dude and I doubt he'll take any garbage from anyone, he knows how to deal with the NY media..etc. He should be fine but remember his issues with the Marlins owner. He doesn't like anyone else in the clubhouse and telling him how to do his job. Thats what got him fired by Loria. Also, there are those who say he overworked his young staff in 06.

As for Mattingly, he's either going home or he'll follow Joe Torre. Rumors in the NY papers are Torre possibly being wooed by the Dodgers. The Dodgers are of course a team rich with tradition and is an attractive team to manage so if Torre does go there maybe he'll ask Don to come aboard.

 

[Juno]

is that the reason why a-rod opted out?

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: Sinsear
Way to ostracize a Yankee icon. Bravo Yankees. As a Mattingly guy, I'm pissed.

I love Mattingly, but this job was not a good spot for him. The next manager is going to be in a tough spot. Girardi is the type of guy who can deal with publicly being on a hot seat, I'm not sure if Mattingly is. I hope one day Mattingly becomes the Yankee manager, but not off a firing and dissapointing season.

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: Juno
is that the reason why a-rod opted out?

hes a greedy fucker is why he opted out

actually it might be a part of it, a number of players were rumored to not come back if torre was let go Arod was one of them, as well as, posada, mariano rivera and andy pettitte

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: Juno
is that the reason why a-rod opted out?

No. I don't believe the Boras spin that Arod was worried about what the Yankee team would look like, that's BS. If he's been on planet earth the last 15 years, he'd know that the Yankees will not revert into the Royals, they will put good players on the field. It's BS. Arod is going for the money, that's all there is to it as far as I'm concerned. Nothing wrong with going for the money, but I resent all the BS they feed to the masses.

 

[Sinsear]

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: Sinsear
Way to ostracize a Yankee icon. Bravo Yankees. As a Mattingly guy, I'm pissed.

I love Mattingly, but this job was not a good spot for him. The next manager is going to be in a tough spot. Girardi is the type of guy who can deal with publicly being on a hot seat, I'm not sure if Mattingly is. I hope one day Mattingly becomes the Yankee manager, but not off a firing and losing season.

We'll be lucky if we ever see Mattingly in pinstripes again. Sorry, but there is no way you can have him sitting in the wings for the last few years and then not give him the job. More evidence that we are under a new command team for the Yankee ownership. I'm very upset by this; not enough to abandon the team, but I still think it;s bullshit to do this to Mattingly.

 

[Sinsear]

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: Juno
is that the reason why a-rod opted out?

hes a greedy fucker is why he opted out

QFT

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: Sinsear

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: Sinsear
Way to ostracize a Yankee icon. Bravo Yankees. As a Mattingly guy, I'm pissed.

I love Mattingly, but this job was not a good spot for him. The next manager is going to be in a tough spot. Girardi is the type of guy who can deal with publicly being on a hot seat, I'm not sure if Mattingly is. I hope one day Mattingly becomes the Yankee manager, but not off a firing and losing season.

We'll be lucky if we ever see Mattingly in pinstripes again. Sorry, but there is no way you can have him sitting in the wings for the last few years and then not give him the job. More evidence that we are under a new command team for the Yankee ownership. I'm very upset by this; not enough to abandon the team, but I still think it;s bullshit to do this to Mattingly.

I agree, that's probably true. Hell of an offseason for the Yankees, they lose 3 legends. Torre, Guidry and Mattingly. Nice going guys! But I still believe that it would not have been good for Mattingly or for the Yankees. IMO the Yankees made the right decision giving it to Girardi, but it sucks for Mattingly and for his fans, of which I am one.

 

[Epic Fail]

does anyone think Giradi looks much older than 43?

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: yamadakun
does anyone think Giradi looks much older than 43?

I don't think so.

 

[raystorm]

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: yamadakun
does anyone think Giradi looks much older than 43?

I don't think so.

Yea, he looks the same to me but I figure he may have greyed a bit in his stint with the Marlins especially with all the clashes with management (ie: Loria). What manager doesn't grey a bit though..

 

[James3shin]

I like Girardi, I love Mattingly but I don't think Don really wanted the spot as much as Joe. As for A-rod, thanks for the services and best wishes. Let the Yanks bring in Johan Santana and Erik Bedard!!!