GIRARDI WILL NOT RETURN AS YANKEES MANAGER
New York decides to move on despite AL postseason run.
Joe Girardi will not be back as the New York Yankees manager after a decade that produced just one World Series title for a team that expects to win every year.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman made the announcement Thursday.
“With a heavy heart, I come to you because the Yankees have decided not to bring me back,” Girardi said in a statement released by his agent, Steven Mandell. “I’d like to thank the fans for their great support as a player, coach and manager and the lasting memories of their passion and excitement during the playoff games.”
An intense and driven former All-Star catcher, Girardi was at the end of his fouryear contract and said last weekend he had to speak with his family before deciding whether he wanted to return. New York made the decision for him.
“Everything this organization does is done with careful and thorough consideration, and we’ve decided to pursue alternatives for the managerial position,” Cashman said in a statement.
Girardi’s 910-710 regular-season record with the Yankees is sixth in victories managing the team behind Joe McCarthy (1,460), Joe Torre (1,173), Casey Stengel (1,149), Miller Huggins (1,067) and Ralph Houk (944).
Cashman said he and owner Hal Steinbrenner had spoken directly with Girardi this week.
“He has a tireless work ethic, and put his heart into every game he managed over the last decade,” Cashman said. “He should take great pride in our accomplishments during his tenure.”
The 53-year-old Girardi led a young squad on a surprising run to an AL wild-card berth this year with a 91-71 record, the team’s best since 2012. New York beat Minnesota in the wild-card game, then fell behind Cleveland 2-0 in the Division Series. Girardi admitted he made a mistake not asking for a video review of a hit-by-pitch call in Game 2 that led to an Indians rally.
“I screwed up. And it’s hard. It’s a hard day for me,” he said then. “But I got to move forward and we’ll be ready to go tomorrow.”
New York won the next three games to advance, lost the first two games of the ALCS at Houston, then won three in a row to move within a victory of reaching the World Series for the first time in eight years. But the Astros swept the final two games.
Girardi wore uniform No. 25 as a player with the Yankees from 1996-99, when he helped win three titles, but switched to No. 27 when he earned the manager’s job over Don Mattingly and succeeded Torre after the 2007 season — signifying the team’s quest for its 27th championship. Girardi took uniform No. 28 after leading the team to a World Series victory over Philadelphia in 2009.
Cubs: The team hired Chili Davis as its hitting coach as part of a major shakeup to Joe Maddon’s staff following a loss in the National League Championship Series a year after winning the World Series.
The Cubs also said Brian Butterfield will be the new third base coach.
Indians: Carl Willis has been hired as pitching coach to replace Mickey Callaway, who helped mold one of baseball’s best pitching staffs before leaving to manage the New York Mets.
Willis guided a Boston staff that finished second in the AL this season to Cleveland in ERA, was fourth in the majors in ERA and posted 11 shutouts.
Twins: Garvin Alston has been named pitching coach. The 45-year-old Alston became bullpen coach for the Athletics last season.