Hal: I wanted to ax Joe, too
ORLANDO, Fla. — It turns out Hal Steinbrenner is just as stealth as his general manager.
To those — including inside his organization — who thought the Yankees’ managing general partner would be reluctant to part with longtime manager Joe Girardi, Steinbrenner burst that bubble Wednesday.
When Steinbrenner was asked at the owners’ meetings if he needed to be convinced of Brian Cashman’s recommendation to move on from Girardi, the Yankees’ boss answered firmly in the negative.
“I wasn’t following his recommendation,” Steinbrenner said. “I agreed with it.”
“This was not a decision we took lightly, No. 1,” Steinbrenner said. “And obviously not a decision that had to do with two or three weeks. It had to do with two or three years. Observing things and hearing things.”
The fact that Steinbrenner and Cashman have been contemplating Girardi’s dismissal for multiple years — Girardi completed a fouryear contract in 2017 — stayed underground until Girardi’s bitter end because both men successfully hid such dialogue, offering only praise for Girardi in public.
“[Cashman] and I have had these discussions for a considerable length of time. Over and over again,” Steinbrenner said. “Different people involved sometime. But similar type trends.”
Steinbrenner declined to go into detail over his particular beefs with Girardi, although Cashman has discussed the need for greater communication from the manager’s office. Asked whether he would have felt the same way with a 2017 World Series appearance or victory, Steinbrenner said, “I felt like my decision was my decision, but I can’t say that. I’m sure there would’ve been more pressure. Maybe a more difficult decision to make. I still believe I would’ve made it because I feel like that’s best for the organization moving forward.”
As for the selection of Girardi’s replacement, Steinbrenner said he would wait until Cashman finished his first round of interviews — Steinbrenner said he anticipated “less than 10” of those, with two already done and a third and fourth set for Thursday and Friday — before discussing the process with Cashman. At that point, Steinbrenner said, he expects to be presented with a list of two or three finalists who will fly to Tampa and meet with him, his brother Hank (the Yankees’ co-chairperson) and his sister Jennifer Steinbrenner Swindal (vice chairperson).
“I think you’ve got to consider the fact that you have a young team and that maybe a different type of leadership perhaps is needed for a younger team than it is for a veteran team,” Steinbrenner said.
The only detail he mentioned, however, was knowledge of, or at least open-mindedness to, analytics.
He has not discussed the position with adviser Alex Rodriguez, Steinbrenner said, and he added, “My concern about a candidate like that just would be a lack of managerial experience, but even more important, coaching experiences of any kind. Presidential candidates normally are senators or governors. They’ve got some political experience in that arena to move in. Regardless of whether it was Alex or someone else, that would be a concern of mine. It might be less of a concern for Cash.”
Former Yankee Aaron Boone, who will interview for the opening, has no managing or coaching experience.
Steinbrenner hit on a number of other topics, including:
He still intends to get the team’s payroll under the $197 million luxury-tax threshold. While making no guarantees, he said, “I can only tell you it’s definitely my goal. I believe it’s very attainable. And I still believe we’re going to fielding a very, very good team.”
Regarding the team’s offseason needs, he said, “I think you can never have enough starting pitching. In our case, I think if there’s one area I personally would focus on, that would probably be at the top of the list. That’s still going to leave us a lot of money to spend.” Re-upping with CC Sabat hi a appears likely.
Cashman is working without a contract, his prior three-year deal having expired. “Cash has told me he wants to stay,” Steinbrenner said. “I have told him I want him to stay. Twenty-five years I’ve known him. Maybe it’s a handshake deal with no terms. He’s been busy.”
The newest attendee at the owners’ meetings, Marlins CEO Derek Jeter, received a congratulatory telephone call from Steinbrenner “10 minutes” after the Marlins’ sale got approved, Steinbrenner said.