The Odds: Who Will Be The Next Yankees Manager?

As an avowed Yankees fan, I viewed yesterday's dismissal of Joe Torre as manager with a combination of sadness and ambivalence. [Yes, let's be honest, and call it what it was - a dismissal. The contract offer proferred by Yankees administration was an atrocity that Torre obviously recognized as being nothing so much as a Catch 22, and while the decision to not accept it was obviously Torre's, it should be viewed as a termination. I would have liked to have seen Torre get a happier ending to his time in pinstripes, but realistically - the expectations were high, but he didn't meet them. It's hard to keep your job if you're not meeting expectations, even if they're ludicrous. And the offer that they gave him was a terrible one, that involved a large-percentage salary decrease with even loftier expectations.]

That being said, one of my favorite things about baseball has always been hot-stove-league machinations. In an offseason without a lot of big-name free agent movement (according to a list maintained by the wonderful MLBTradeRumors.com, the list is currently headed up by a trio of current Yankees - Alex Rodriguez, Mariano Rivera, and Jorge Posada - but is otherwise lacking in big-name sexiness), it serves to reason that the Yankees managerial opening may be one of the biggest offseason bidding spots.

So, let's look at some of the candidates for the position. We've handicapped the race for you (admittedly, we don't have any inside information, and truth be told, when it comes to gambling we're pretty terrible), and perhaps provided you with some food for thought.

The Favorites

Don Mattingly 7:2
Pro: Is well-acquainted with NYC media glare, both as a player and a coach. Has expressed willingness and interest in the job. Steinbrenner loves him.
Con: Lack of experience a major factor - the last manager that the Yankees had whose first ever managerial job was the helm of the Yanks was Lou Piniella, who did well at first but melted down quickly.

Joe Girardi 4:1
Pro: Has experience with NYC media glare as a player, coach, and broadcaster, and a track record of managerial success (2006 NL Manager of the Year).
Con: Might struggle with a veteran club - when he was in Florida, it was with a youthful core. The Yankees that Girardi would inherit could feature several players who knew him as a peer.

Tony LaRussa 6:1
Pro: Very successful manager with an extensive track record of success. Possible Hall of Famer, when all is said and done.
Con: No experience with NYC media glare; it is reported that he "lost" the Cardinals last year; questions about character as leader and individual will follow him given his arrest last year and the Cardinals' issues with substance abuse (Josh Hancock's death and Scott Spezio going into rehab, among others).

The Dark Horses

Tony Pena/Larry Bowa 9:1
Pro: Success and experience as Yankees coaches and as managers in other cities (Pena in Kansas City, Bowa in Philadelphia).
Con: Perceived as having a minimal impact while coaching for the Yankees. Probably aren't serious contenders for managerial jobs in NYC.

Trey Hillman 12:1
Pro: Currently managing in Japan, Hillman is still widely remembered and respected in the Yankees organization for his time as a minor-league manager. He's known for player development, which could figure in nicely with the Yankees' current organizational strategies.
Con: Trey who? Lack of name status and big-league experience could be a turnoff for the Yankees given their high expectations.
[Mere hours after posting this, Hillman was announced as the new manager of...the Kansas City Royals. So he's off the board. Good luck to him in KC.]

Bobby Valentine 14:1
Pro: He's done well in New York (most notably, as manager of the 2000 NL Champion Mets).
Con: He's Bobby Valentine.

The Longshot

Dave Miley 17:1
Pro: The International League's Manager of the Year last year in Scranton, Miley has experience on a major league level, and worked with a lot of the young Yankees that will be forming the core of next year's team.
Con: Not used to NYC media glare; his three years as a major league manager (Cincinnati) were less than successful. Probably better suited to minor-league managing for the time being.

The Dark Horse

Luis Sojo 20:1
Pro: Beloved for his time in New York, has managerial experience in Yankees organization and in International baseball
Con: Has been managing A ball - may not be "ready" for the big show as a manager yet

Save Your Money

Willie Randolph (Mets manager) - 25:1, Joe Kerrigan (bullpen coach/former Red Sox manager) - 27:1, Tony Franklin (AA Trenton Thunder manager) - 35:1, Lee Mazzilli (former bench coach/ex-Orioles manager) - 35:1, Don Zimmer (avowed Steinbrenner hater/curmudgeon) - 60:1, Stump Merrill (ex-Yankees manager, man named "Stump") - 60:1.

As for this blog, well, as much as we love Don Mattingly (he's awesome), we'd love to see some kind of throwback to the championship run of 7 years ago. We'd be fine with Joe Girardi, definitely, but how awesome would a Luis Sojo-run Yankees team be? It's got potential, you gotta admit...