Obsessive New Manager Watch: Girardi Wants to Talk to Cubs? Hinch, Alomar and Others on Tap?

joe girardi managerAs I’ve said all along, I expect the Joe Girardi piece of the Cubs’ managerial search to proceed quickly. As of yesterday, Girardi was already in negotiations with the Yankees about a new contract, so you’d think we’re going to get clarity on his availability very soon.

  • Speaking of which, Gordon Wittenmyer hears that, when Girardi’s camp countered the Yankees offer yesterday with parameters, one of those parameters was the right to first talk to the Cubs. If true, then Girardi’s “counteroffer” wasn’t really much of a counteroffer at all*, as implied by Jon Heyman’s original report. Indeed, if I’m the Yankees, I don’t view that as negotiating, and I’d probably be lining up my best and final offer (which is maybe what Girardi’s camp is angling for). In the interim, Wittenmyer says the Cubs are readying an offer that would make him one of the top two paid managers in baseball (meaning he’d approach, but not necessarily surpass, Mike Scioscia’s $5 million annual salary).
  • (*As I wrote last night: “For those who hope the Cubs have a shot at Girardi, you’ve got to hope that what transpired today wasn’t a true counteroffer.” Boom. Psychic’d.)
  • According to a report in the New York Daily News, however, the Yankees will not give permission to the Cubs to speak to Girardi. As in, flat out won’t do it. That’s a bit untoward, given that Girardi is an impending free agent, but it’s the Yankees’ right. If true, the Cubs will only get a shot at speaking to Girardi if he refuses to further engage the Yankees in negotiations. What a delicate situation this is, eh?
  • Wittenmyer’s piece, which goes a fair bit more on the managerial search process and is worth a read, also notes that former Indians and Nationals manager Manny Acta, Rays bench coach Dave Martinez, and Indians bench coach (and former Cubs interviewee) Sandy Alomar, Jr. are possible candidates, together with A.J. Hinch.
  • Mark Gonzales writes that A.J. Hinch is being discussed more and more as a legitimate candidate for the Cubs’ post, particularly depending on how things shake out with Girardi. Gonzalez also mentions Alomar, whose Indians were just eliminated from the postseason.
  • According to a report out of San Diego, the Cubs have “informally” requested permission to speak to Hinch about the managerial gig.
  • Patrick Mooney, among other things, mentions Alomar as a candidate, so I’d say it’s pretty safe at this point to say he’s a legitimate option this time around.
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    Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

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