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Bringing back Joe Girardi is the first order of offseason business for the Yankees.
Brian Cashman wants Joe Girardi back, and resolving the manager’s job status will be the first order of personnel business in what promises to be one of the more hectic winters in recent years for the Yankees.
Cashman met with his incumbent manager on Monday, one day after the Yankees’ season ended without a playoff appearance for only the second time in 19 seasons, and the GM will huddle with Girardi’s agent, Steve Mandell, on Wednesday to discuss bringing the skipper back next season.
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Girardi, whose three-year, $ 9 million contract expires on Oct. 31, also might garner interest from his hometown Cubs or have opportunities to return to broadcasting.
“We have an interest, clearly, in trying to keep him,” Cashman said near the beginning of a wide-ranging 51-minute press conference Tuesday at the Stadium. “I think he likes it here. I’m not speaking for Joe, but I think if you’re good at what you do, you’ll have opportunities to stay. He’s definitely going to have that. We’re going to give him a real good reason to stay. He’s earned that through his six years with us so far.
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“I can’t speak to other opportunities; we can’t control what other options or interests may be out there. If you’re good at what you do, people are going to have some interest. You can’t predict the future on that; you can only control your side of it. I feel we hired a good one. He’s been a world champion player for us, a coach, a broadcaster and obviously a world champion manager. We’ve benefitted from having him and we’d like to do that going forward. We’ll have to stay tuned and see how it plays out.”
Corey Sipkin/New York Daily News
GM Brian Cashman says Joe Girardi has earned the right to remain as Yankees skipper.
Cashman wouldn’t divulge whether the Cubs have requested permission to speak with Girardi about their managerial opening since Dale Sveum was fired on Monday, nor would he say whether he’d grant permission if asked. Cashman did add that if Girardi comes back, the Yankees also would like to bring back his entire coaching staff.
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Ravaged by injuries to several star players throughout the season, the Yanks finished tied for third in the AL East with an 85-77 record, the franchise’s worst mark since 1992. Girardi has managed the Yankees since 2008, missing the playoffs twice and winning the World Series in 2009.
“I think Joe has been consistent since we’ve had him here,” Cashman said. “I know that because of the challenges this year presented to this organization, the amount of players that we had to use and find and replace on the run. There were more people to manage, people to welcome and let go. He has obviously gotten a lot of notoriety for keeping everything in check. I personally believe he has been exceptional ever since we’ve had him. I don’t feel this year was an outlier to other years.
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“From your perspective, maybe that’s different, but I can tell you he’s been extremely consistent from day one with us. He’s been the same and has done a great job every year. Obviously the talent that he had to work with this year was significantly less than other years, but he still remained the same, from my perspective. I thought this year was the same as other years. The job as a manager is to make sure these guys fight and compete on a daily basis, stay motivated, stay hungry. . . . This year was unique in a lot of different ways, and he was able to still maintain that leadership, keep these guys hungry and motivated and not give up. They never did. I never saw that. Thumbs up. I thought he did a great job, him and his staff.”
Asked how quickly he expects to resolve Girardi’s status, Cashman added, “I don’t know. I can’t say. The most important thing is he knows we’d like to have him stay and continue as manager of the New York Yankees as we move forward. He’ll have decisions on that end in what’s best for him and what’s best for his family. I can’t predict.”
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