Former Marlins manager may have backup plan

Joe Girardi could have another move up his sleeve. Jamie Squire/Getty Images

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The Yankees have interviewed the only three managerial candidates they're going to have -- Don Mattingly, Joe Girardi and Tony Pena -- and with debates raging inside their Tampa offices over whom to hire, word is getting out that Girardi may have a backup plan.

It isn't known what other team supposedly seeks Girardi to manage, or even whether he'd take that alternative job (he did, after all, turn down about $1.3 million per year to manage the Orioles this summer). But outside interest could add to his already considerable cache within the Yankees hierarchy. In any case, Girardi appears to be waiting on the Yankees job, the one he really covets.

There is natural intrigue among Yankees people over Girardi's second possible destination, as Pittsburgh is the only other team known to have an opening, and word is the Pirates are just getting started and are considering Torey Lovullo and Joel Skinner and waiting on Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell, whose star is rising by the day.

One person familiar with the high-level Yankees' discussions recently called the managerial decision at "50-50,'' and while that shouldn't be taken literally, there are signs that they have strong feelings about both Mattingly and Girardi. Pena, who interviewed on Wednesday, is also admired by many within the organization but still considered a longshot since he has only recently formed a connection to the Yankees as a first-base coach.

Ten of the Yankees' baseball operations people have been meeting and providing their personal input to general manager Brian Cashman, who will compile the votes and make a recommendation to the trio of Steinbrenners and other Yankees bosses, possibly as early as Thursday. The word on Wednesday was that Cashman's recommendation will likely be accepted as the new manager, and if Cashman's recommendation will indeed carry the day, Girardi's chances to upset the favored Mattingly may be real. The "baseball ops'' people, presumably including Cashman, were actually said to have favored Girardi if a change were made early in the season when the Yankees got off to a dreadful start.

Even so, Mattingly was thought to have an overall edge going into the managerial sweepstakes as club owner George Steinbrenner's affections for him are well-known, and one person familiar with the interview process said that the decision-makers loved Mattingly's "passion'' and were more impressed than they expected to be considering his dearth of experience.

Mattingly's greatest selling point is that he'd put a terrific face on the organization and is already beloved by everyone (players and most media included). Plus, the Yankees icon has been prepping for the job in the Bronx, first as hitting coach for three years, then as bench coach. The question about Mattingly regards his experience, which is limited mostly to coaching under Torre, who isn't exactly a favorite inside Yankees offices these days. (They are said to be particularly annoyed that he declined to comment on the question of whether he would ever come back to Yankee Stadium).

Girardi, meanwhile, is a well-respected tactician with major league experience and a Manager of the Year award on his resume. The Marlins' young starters, especially Scott Olsen and Josh Johnson, thrived in 2006 under Girardi, which is another point in Girardi's favor, considering that the Yankees hope to build their team around young pitchers Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy. The question for Girardi would be how he managed to antagonize the small media contingent and his bosses in such a short time in Florida.

Pena, like Girardi, is a former Manager of the Year, and while he has more managing experience than the two favorites, he doesn't have the cache in New York of either.

Whatever is decided, MLB would prefer that the Yankees wait until after the World Series to make the call. While an MLB spokesman said he didn't think that official permission to make the announcement would be granted, the Yankees appear to be shooting for the World Series off-day on Friday (though "we won't rush it,'' one Yankees person said). The Yankees ignored MLB's request not to have a conference call with Pena on Wednesday and want to get on with their immensely busy winter.

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