The New York Yankees and manager Joe Girardi mutually agreed to part ways following their loss to the Houston Astros in the ALCS, and many felt that he would have kept the job if New York had beaten Houston in Game 7 and advanced to the World Series. However, that is not the case.
Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner told reporters at the owners' meetings on Wednesday that New York would have let Girardi go even if New York had won the World Series, according to ESPN's Jerry Crasnick.
"As I told Cash, I wasn't following his recommendation: I agreed with it. He and I have had these discussions for a considerable length of time, over and over again. This isn't something we just decided we wanted to sit down and do at the end of the season. We've had a lot of discussions through the years.''
In the aftermath of Girardi's firing, Cashman cited Girardi's "communication and connectivity'' issues with players as the main reasons for the change. Steinbrenner indicated that the issues were of sufficient concern that the Yankees might have switched managers even if Girardi had led the team to a World Series victory.
"I'm sure there would have been more pressure,'' Steinbrenner said. "It would have been maybe a more difficult decision to make. But I would have made it because I felt like that was best for the organization moving forward.''
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Girardi had managed the Yankees since 2008, highlighted by a 2009 World Series title. He never finished below .500 with New York, but he was looking for a pay raise, which New York was not willing to give him. Girardi was also starting to wear thin on New York's front office and on ownership, which Steinbrenner's comments allude to.
The Yankees have yet to fill their vacant managerial position but have interviewed four candidates - ESPN analyst Aaron Boone, former Indians and Mariners manager Eric Wedge, Giants hitting coach Hensley Meulens, and Yankees bench coach Rob Thomson.
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