NEWSLETTER
Today could be the decision day for Joe Girardi and the New York Yankees, who hope to bring back their soon-to-be free agent skipper. We know that the Yankees and Girardi have been in negotiations this week about a new deal, and we know that the Yankees are refusing to allow Girardi to speak to the Chicago Cubs until and unless negotiations with the Yankees break down.
It stands to reason, then, that Joel Sherman’s latest report is probably accurate. Sherman says that the Yankees are readying Girardi an offer that he will have today. That offer, which presumably comes after a round of negotiating, could be the dividing line between Girardi staying with the Yankees, or shutting down negotiations until he’s permitted to speak to other teams. In other words, although Sherman doesn’t say it explicitly, it sounds like today’s Yankee offer could be of the take it or leave it variety.
Sherman goes on to speculate that the offer could be in the three-year, $13 to $16 million range. Sherman says he’s been told that the Yankees will not approach the Joe Torre $7 million per year territory.
Based on reports this week, the Cubs hope to be able to make Girardi an offer north of that average annual value (possibly far north), and Sherman concedes that Girardi’s camp has probably received word of what teams like the Cubs are willing to offer Girardi.
So, if it’s more than what the Yankees are offering, what’s the hold-up? Well, as Girardi, himself, has discussed, he’s happy in New York.
Perhaps the Yankees are taking Girardi at his word that money will not be a factor in his decision, and instead are trading on the comfort of staying where he and his family have been happy. And maybe the Yankees aren’t interested in being bid up by other teams. Nothing wrong with that, and if Girardi elects a three-year, $13 million contract with the Yankees rather than a five-year, $25 million back-channeled offer from the Cubs (I’m just ballparking the rumors, not suggesting that such an offer has been or will be made (or is even advisable)), then we’ll know his heart was in New York.
Stay tuned, and all that.
UPDATE: As expected, the Yankees made their offer today. There are no details, but a source tells ESPN New York that a decision by Girardi could come this weekend. If Girardi accepts the Yankees’ offer, then that’s that. If he rejects it, we’ll have to see if the Yankees then relent and let Girardi speak to other teams before his contract expires at the end of this month.
