Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Joe Girardi is back in pinstripes, taking over as New York Yankees manager from his mentor.

Girardi was hired yesterday, agreeing to a three-year contract to replace Joe Torre in New York's dugout.

"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.

"I can't be Joe Torre, because 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 said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the team has not announced the details.

Meantime, Grady Little resigned as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers yesterday, paving the way for Torre to take the job.

Little, 57, leaves with one year remaining on his contract plus a club option for 2009. Team owner Frank McCourt said on the season's final day that Little would return next year, but recently several news outlets have reported the Dodgers were speaking with Torre about their managerial job.

"I've got my own personal reasons," Little said. "It was a mutual resignation."

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.

"Joe Girardi is a good man," Torre said Monday on "Late Show with David Letterman." "He's got a feel for this organization."

Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman was impressed by three attributes he saw in Girardi: hard work, accountability and discipline.

"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, the early favorite to replace Torre, told the team he had no interest in returning next year as bench coach or in any other coaching position.

The New York Post reported on its Web site last night that Torre had agreed in principle to a three-year, $14.5 million contract with the Dodgers, but a baseball official with knowledge of the search told the Associated Press that no deal was imminent. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the job was still open.

Torre, 67, managed the New York Yankees to four World Series championships and 12 playoff appearances in as many seasons before turning down a one-year, $5 million offer for next season with an additional $3 million in incentives on Oct. 18.

-- From News Services