THE UNIVERSITY DARRY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2007
SPORTS
7B
MLB
Yankees name Girardi to manager position
'Donnie Baseball' Mattingly quits after not receiving job
BY RONALD BLUM ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — Joe Girardi is back in pinstripes, taking over as New York Yankees manager from his mentor.
"I think any of us would be somewhat surprised to get the job because it's such an honor," Girardi said. "I'm extremely excited and thrilled."
Girardi was hired Tuesday, agreeing to a three-year contract to replace Joe Torre in New York's dugout.
"I can't be Joe Torre, because
Joe Girardi takes over for Joe Torre as New York Yankees Manager. Girardi beat Don Mattingly and Tony Pena for the position.
I'm made up different. I'm a different character. I'm just worried about being myself and getting the most out of the guys."
The deal is worth an average salary of at least $2 million annually, a baseball official
"I can't be Joe Torre, because I'm made up different. I'm a different character."
said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the team has not announced the details.
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 under Torre and was a TV announcer this year.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was impressed by three attributes he saw in Girardi: hard work, accountability and discipline.
"Joe Girardi is a good man," Torre said Monday on "Late Show with David Letterman." "He's got a feel for this organization."
"He likes to compete all the time," Cashman said. "We believe he's mentally tough."
Once he was informed Monday that the Yankees had chosen Girardi, Don Mattingly told the team he had no interest in returning next year as bench coach or in any other coaching position.
JOE GIRARDI New York Yankees new manager
Beloved as team captain, "Donnie Baseball" was the early favorite to replace Torre and openly coveted the spot. Instead, the Yank
picked experience over popularity, choosing Girardi even at the risk Mattingly would walk away from the franchise.
"I think Joe is a good baseball person and totally will be a great manager there in New
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.
York," Mattingly said.
"It's no secret that Donnie is extremely important to the Steinbrenner family and the Yankee organization and always will be," said Hank Steinbrenner, son of owner George Steinbrenner.
Mattingly was the Yankees hitting coach for three years before moving next to Torre this season. 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 1996-99, served as a bench coach in 2005, then managed the Marlins the following year. He kept a young team in contention until September and then was fired, apparently for clashing with owner Jeffre loria and others above him.
The 43-year-old Girardi often told many in the Marlins about how the Yankees did things, reinforcing the winning ways he learned in New York. Now, he'll get a chance to try them out himself.
Girardi was the first person to interview to replace Torre, who managed the team to the playoffs in each of his 12 seasons. Girardi turned down the Baltimore Orioles' managing job last summer, choosing to spend time with his ailing father.
Mattingly also interviewed for the Yankees spot last week, telling team management how much he wanted it. Earlier this month, he said replacing Torre would be quite a challenge.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
"it's like following John Wooden or something." Mattingly said then.
Girardi gets the unenviable task of following Torre, who led the Yankees to four World Series titles in his first five years — but none since — and was one of the most celebrated sports figures in the city.
Girardi inherits a team in transition and one without Alex Rodriguez. He also is not assured of getting back pitches Andy Pettitte
and Mariano Rivera or catcher Jorge Posada.
"Obviously they are important Yankees, and they have meant so much to the organization," Girardi said.
Rivera and his agent, Fernando Cuza, were at Legends Field in Tampa on Tuesday, to talk with Yankees officials. The ace reliever,
who has filed for file agency, sau only. "We've got to see something."
"I don't know," Cuza said. "It's up to them."
Rodriguez informed the Yankees on Sunday that he was terminating
Afterward, Cuza said they had a good meeting but wouldn't speculate whether Rivera will be a Yankee next season.
his contract and becoming a free agent. The Yankees have repeatedly said they wouldn't negotiate with A-Rod if he hit the open market.
"You are going to miss those 54 home runs and 150-plus RBIs, but to me you can't look backwards, you have to look forwards," Girardi said.
>>> NFL
Chiefs prepare for Packers
BY DOUG TUCKER ASSOCIATED PRESS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Coming off a bye week and playing a team that played at Denver just six days earlier, the Kansas City Chiefs might seem like they have caught a scheduling break.
Not necessarily, Kansas City coach Herm Edwards said Tuesday. He remembers having a road game following a Monday night road game when he was with the New York Jets and says it was no problem.
Besides, he added, the Green Bay Packers come into Kansas City 6-1 after an uplifting overtime victory at Denver on Monday night that infused them with confidence and momentum.
"When you start winning like that, you can't wait to start playing again," Edwards said. "It's a feeling you know as a coach. When you get that feeling in your locker room
with your players, it's fun coaching then. It's always fun coaching, but it's a lot easier then. The players run the deal. "Hey, we're going good. We're humming. We got the stick in our hands."
Edwards said the way Green Bay had been playing, there's little chance the Packers will be weary when they kick off at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, with the Chiefs (4-3) trying to make it six straight over them dating back to a 21-3 victory in Kansas City on Nov. 22, 1987.
While players and coaches alike were taking the weekend off, Edwards holed up in the film room at Arrowhead and studied every play the Chiefs have run in their
"It sounds like they're tired. But they're 6-1," he said. "What are they going to be tired about? Winning? They've been winning. They aren't going to be tired. I promise you that."
first seven games. He said he saw both good and bad that he hadn't noticed before.
"Some guys you're pleasantly surprised; some guys you're a little bit disappointed in because of the fact you know they can play better," he said. "How can you help them play better? That's the whole key."
"There are some guys you expect more out of, and you wonder why they're not playing up to their ability," he said. "Then you have to ask, are you asking this guy to do something that he's not capable of doing? That's the whole key. I always put it back on coaches. You always put it back on the coach: This guy is underachieving. Why? If you're asking them to do something he can't do you have to eliminate that."
He also acknowledged there were position groups that have not been performing as well as expected. Again, he refused to be specific.