By Tim Ryder
As has been reported, a number of teams, including the New York Mets, are in the hunt to secure Joe Girardi‘s managing services this offseason.
The Mets are scheduled to meet with Girardi — as well as Carlos Beltran, Diamondbacks farm director Mike Bell, and Twins bench coach Derek Shelton — in-person next week in New York.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported that the Cubs met with the 54-year-old former backstop for eight hours on Wednesday. Clearly, clubs are doing their due diligence on the 2006 National League Manager of the Year (Marlins) and skipper of the 2009 World Series champion Yankees.
Girardi’s former boss in The Bronx, Yanks general manager Brian Cashman, spoke glowingly of his former manager (2008 to 2017) in an interview with SNY this week.
“[Girardi] is top-shelf. He’s passionate and prepared. He’s all-in and collaborative. He’s connected from ownership to the front office, to all aspects of the organization. He’s going to represent your franchise extremely well because he cares.”
If the Mets are looking for an experienced managerial candidate, Girardi’s probably the ideal choice. Cashman called him and another veteran skipper who’s voiced his interest in the position, Buck Showalter, “the highest level candidates you can find”.
The Mets have not announced any plans to interview with the 63-year-old former Yankees, D-Backs, Rangers, and Orioles skipper as of Thursday afternoon.
As for the added pressure of performing in New York City, Cashman knows first-hand how well Girardi is equipped to deal with the daily rigors of managing in this town.
“He’s buttoned-up, ready to go, and proved successful in the largest market you can find. And he came out on top.”
That level of praise from any former employer is a welcome sight to any interested organization. Coming from one of the most respected executives in the game in Cashman, that’s a ringing endorsement.
If the Mets do indeed want Joe Girardi at the helm in Flushing, they’d better act quickly. He appears to be a hot commodity.
We’ll keep you posted with any new information as it becomes available.
