ESPN.com reports: Yankees manager Joe Girardi on Monday addressed Lou Piniella's retirement and speculation that he would be a candidate to become the Cubs manager.
"I'm sure I'm gonna be asked that a lot now that he's stepped down,'' Girardi said. "My focus is here. I have a responsibility to the organization and to the guys in that clubhouse and that's where my focus is. I'm very happy here, you know what? Great working relationship here with everyone involved and I'm very happy here. This organization has been great to me.
"I know I have a background there and I'm not gonna skirt around my background there. I grew up a Cubs fan, I played for the Cubs, but I'm not worried about that now. I'm worried about what we're doing now. We're in a fight.''
Get the full story: espn.com
I agree 100%, why would Girardi even think of leaving the Yankees for the Cubs, a hugely successful team like the Yankees who have a chance of winning the World Series every season or the Cubs who have won basically nothing in over 100 years. Ask any manager who they would rather manage, the Yankees or the Cubs, no brainer. Just because Girardi was a former Cub doesn't mean he would automatically manage here.
BRENLY is the man.. Common he starting to say on air what hes held in all year.. Now that LOU;s gone . FORGET Girardi (he wont leave the Yanks (their money and really good players are you kiddin)..
ACCOUNTABILITY thats what I want.. THey lazy VETs will tear up Sandberg
Heyyyyyyyy, can I leave managing a .600 win percentage team with 27 championships like the Yankees to take on a Craps team with their .400 winning percentage and NO World Series championships in the last 200 or so years. I don't know? Would you take Roseanne (Chubbys) over Katrina Bowden (Yankees)?
Girardi for the next manager is a no-brainer. For you people who ask "why would he leave the Yankees for the Cubs?" Here's the reasons: 1) the first time Girardi whiffs on the playoffs in NY, no matter what happens this year, he'll be fired; if he wins ONE TIME in Chicago, they'll build a statue outside Wrigley in his honor; 2) Girardi is a Chicago guy, knows the city, is a Cub fan at heart, and has family here. Think about it.....if you were in his position, even if you won the WS again this year (which will most likely happen), why in the world would you want to stay in NY?? Why stay there when you have a chance to manage the team you loved as a kid IN YOUR HOME STATE, where your family is??
I have no doubts whatsoever that Girardi will be the guy. It doesn't make any sense not to hire him, and it would not make any sense for him not to come back.
Thank God Girardi is off the table! The Cubs can now focus on managers who don't make stupid moves during critical times of games. Plus Girardi is not liked by his teams--he was fired from Florida because of the player uproar and his Yankees have been on the record about his coaching manner.
Joe is no fool.....the cubs job isn't exactly what it used to be either.
Joe AIN'T goin' --- to the North side! Honestly, are we Cubs fans crazy?
(Now we go to a private conversation inside the mind of Joe G. via Wayne's World sound affects "dee-a-la-la, dee-a-la-la, dee-a-la-la, dee-a-la-la...")
...Hmmm, let's see.
I can manage a club that is (realistically) expected to be a World Series contender EVERY YEAR - where not winning the Series is truly a BAD year! A team that has THE highest payroll both in the AL and all of MLB and has the where-with-all to get just about any and every player it wants; because who doesn't want to play on a "WINNER"!
OR
I can manage a club that is (UNrealistically) expected to be a World Series contender EVERY YEAR - even though they haven't won a World Series since the 20th century "ought’s" (19 "ought" 8 = 1908) where a winning season (above .500) is considered a good year, not to mention nearly miraculous! A team that has THE highest payroll in the NL and #3 in all of MLB and has the where-with-all to get most players, but only goes for 1 dimensional, declining talents (since what truly outstanding player would come here and deal with the over 100 years of losing - while the older, declining talent has the prospect of not winning but yet a place to party and make a lot of easy cash) and whose farm system leaves quite a bit to be desired!
Wow, for that second club I also get the opportunity to manage for a few years before my career goes "down the tubes"! How can a manager NOT find that second club more appealing than the first?!!
(End of conversation, closing with more Wayne's World sound effects, "dee-a-la-la, dee-a-la-la, dee-a-la-la, dee-a-la-la...")
Fellow Cubs fans, let's get realistic! I am as much a Cubs fans as most of you, but there's NO WAY Girardi is giving
up Filet Mignon (Yankees) to munch on CUBe Steak (Cubs)!!
I think Girardi likes the challenge of the Cubs. He's already won it all in NY. He can't say anything now, he has to be on the same page as his players. I didn't hear him say, "I'm not interested in the Cubs job".
Girardi would be the perfect manager for the cubs.He's more in tune and hands on.He's from peoria,grew up a cub fan,played here, went to northwestern.But I seriously dont see why he would leave a perennial world series contender with the deepest pockets in baseball to come manage a team who hasnt won in 102 years,with an outdated ballpark and a clueless owner.Makes no sense girardi has a way better thing going on in new york.I hope im wrong because in hindsight girardi would of been a way better hire than piniella
I reread the story 12,397 times and didn't see any news.
What's he' gonna say "Oh I can't wait till this season is over to get out of NY"
this is a pointless article. If the Yanks don't win the WS (which they will) then Joe will be let go, no doubt. The Yankees aren't exactly loyal when it comes to managers.
If they win, they still might let him walk, they're that arrogant.
We'll see when the season is over. I don't think Joe wants to stick around in NY. A dragon's hunch.
Sir Dragon of The Bronx
Stick with the CHICAGO CUBS
Giardi seems to have all the qualifications to be the cub manager, but the main one -- Can he sing?
Sir Dragon of Mulberry
STICK WITH THE SOX
Why would the guy want to go from MLB's penthouse to its outhouse? The team he's got is loaded and will be loaded as long as the Yanks have more money than most of the rest of baseball combined. The Cubs would be a rebuilding job, and he's got to know that the fans in Chicago would turn on him if he failed to quickly win it all, like they turned on Baylor, Baker and Piniella in quick succession. He can coast with the Yanks for a dozen years like Joe Torre did, or he can be in and out the door in four like Baylor, Baker and Piniella with the Cubs. Do you Cub fans really think Girardi is as big a fool as you all are?
What else could he possibly say at this point in the pennant race? I want to go to Chicago? This statement means nothing.