Yanks manager search on hold as GMs gather

ORLANDO, Fla. — While he meets with his fellow general managers, Brian Cashman’s search for a new Yankees manager will be suspended until Thursday, he said Sunday evening.

“I can’t simulate what I do in New York and have the best kind of interview down here,” the Yankees’ general manager said as he arrived for the annual GM meetings. “I want to keep it the same playing ground for each candidate so I can get the maximum exposure to who they really are.”

As Cashman explained, each candidate goes through a car wash of interviews and conversations, including exposure to the team’s medical and media-relations staff in addition to extensive time with Cashman and his deputies. Most of those people will not be here.

So far, the Yankees have interviewed two people — organizational soldier Rob Thomson, most recently the team’s bench coach, and former Indians and Mariners manager Eric Wedge — to succeed Joe Girardi, whom the team decided not to bring back upon the expiration of his contract. Cashman said he will interview another person Thursday at Yankee Stadium; the GM declined to identify that person or the number of candidates remaining. Each applicant will be subject to a media conference call upon the conclusion of his interview.

“This process has served us well to find a great candidate last time in Girardi,” Cashman said, “and I’m hoping it serves us well again the same way.”

While he’s here, Cashman said, he probably will meet with Kyle Thousand, the representative for CC Sabathia. There appears to be mutual interest in the Yankees continuing their relationship with Sabathia, who is a free agent for the first time since 2008 when he signed with the Yankees.

Cashman will not be dis- cussing Shohei Otani, who greatly interests the Yankees, until the Nippon-Ham Fighters officially post the pitcher-outfielder.

“Obviously I follow the news,” Cashman said, referring to the Fighters’ announcement they’ll be posting Otani. “That’s a player under the control of another club. There’s nothing I can do or say at the moment.”

This offseason, the Yankees don’t face a plethora of needs. Furthermore, they intend to get under the $197 million luxury-tax threshold, which will restrain their pursuits.

“I think that obviously, we enter this winter with the ability to be patient, even if that includes the entire winter,” Cashman said. “We’re always continuing to look for improvements … but we’re very happy and comfortable with what we have and what we have coming that limits that pressure to do something. It’s a good place to be in.

“But I think we’ve already shown standing pat is not something that we’re comfortable with, either. We’re looking to continue to push forward and move ahead and put ourselves in a better position to obviously compete for 162 games next year and [get] ourselves into the postseason. So hopefully there’ll be some opportunities that come our way, or we somehow create opportunities for ourselves.”

Had Masahiro Tanaka opted out of his contract, the Yankees would have gained financial flexibility … and lost a high-end starting pitcher. Cashman said Tanaka and his agents never tried to leverage their ability to opt out into an extension of his deal, which runs for three more years and will earn the right-hander $67 million.

“I think it speaks to the environment he’s in,” Cashman said. “He really loves New York City, loves our fans and obviously likes the dynamic of his teammates.”