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Girardi Offered Helm Of Team In Transition

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The Associated Press

Published: October 30, 2007

NEW YORK - The New York Yankees picked experience over popularity, offering the manager's job to Joe Girardi at the risk of watching Don Mattingly walk away from the franchise.

Beloved as team captain, Donnie Baseball was the early favorite to replace Joe Torre and openly coveted the spot. After finding out Monday he didn't get it, Mattingly told the Yankees he had no interest in returning next year as bench coach or in any other coaching position.

Girardi was the 2006 NL Manager of the Year with Florida, plus he has a pinstriped pedigree. The hard-nosed catcher played on three Yankees teams that won the World Series, served as their bench coach and was a TV announcer this year.

Still, spurning Mattingly - who always receives one of the loudest ovations on Old-Timers' Day - was sure to be compared to another famous Yankee snub: Babe Ruth was never offered the manager's job he so desperately wanted.

Mattingly was the Yankees hitting coach for three years before moving next to Torre this season.

'Don will use this time to reflect on this experience while considering future family and career options,' Mattingly's agent, Ray Schulte, said in a statement. 'In the meantime, he did inform the Yankees that, given the circumstances, he won't accept a coaching position within the organization during 2008.'

A baseball official confirmed the Yankees are negotiating with Girardi's agent, Steve Mandell. Girardi also beat out Yankees first-base coach Tony Pena, who had the most managerial experience of the candidates.

Girardi caught for the Yankees from 1996 to 1999, served as a bench coach in 2005, then managed the Marlins the following year.

MLB Blasts A-Rod, Agent For Timing

NEW YORK - Major League Baseball had this message for Alex Rodriguez and agent Scott Boras: Shame on you.

Boras announced during Game 4 of the World Series on Sunday that A-Rod was opting out of the final three seasons of his contract with the New York Yankees. The timing left baseball officials livid, and Boras apologized Monday evening, just after Rodriguez filed with the players' association and became a free agent for the first time since 2000.

'We were very disappointed that Scott Boras would try to upstage our premier baseball event of the season with his announcement,' Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, said Monday in an e-mail to The Associated Press.

New York, which failed to make the World Series in all of Rodriguez's seasons, maintained Monday that it will not attempt to re-sign A-Rod now that he has opted out.

'No chance,' Hank Steinbrenner, a son of owner George Steinbrenner, said Monday at Legends Field.

Also among the 57 players who filed for free agency on the first possible day were Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, catcher Jorge Posada and first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz; Minnesota outfielder Torii Hunter; Colorado pitchers Jeremy Affeldt and Jorge Julio; Mets catcher Paul Lo Duca; and home run king Barry Bonds.

TIGERS-BRAVES TRADE: Detroit addressed one of its biggest needs, acquiring shortstop Edgar Renteria from Atlanta for two prospects.

The Tigers gave up right-hander Jair Jurrjens and minor-league outfielder Gorkys Hernandez.

TWINS: Exercised their $6 million option on veteran closer Joe Nathan.

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