Joe Girardi may have guided the 2017 Yankees to Game 7 of the ALCS, but his career in pinstripes ended in a New York minute.
Girardi was at the Yankee helm for 10 seasons between 2008 and 2017, and has a 2009 championship ring to show for his efforts.
The beginning of what should be a busy offseason for the Yankees starts now, with the search for the next manager. Here's who the Bombers could be considering.
Willie Randolph
Randolph hasn't been on an MLB bench since 2011, when he was the bench coach for the Brewers. He's largely known for his pretty mediocre tenure with the Mets between '05 and '08 that resulted in a single division title win before he was fired midway through the 2008 season.
Still, the end of the Mets gig was almost a decade ago, and it's kind of curious why he hasn't gotten another shot at a manager's spot since.
Randolph has a winning record as a manager, finished over .500 in his three full seasons with the Mets and has deep ties as a Yankees player, coach and general spring-training presence.
Plus, he's is a fan favorite, which is always important in New York, so maybe a phone call could be in order.
Tony Pena
Pena has served under both of the last two Joes — Girardi and Torre — since 2006 in various roles. He's the current first-base coach for the Bombers, but has also served as bench coach, and is a favorite among players in the clubhouse.
He previously managed the Royals in the early 2000s — back when no one could figure out the Royals, mind you — as his teams amassed a .410 winning percentage. He's interviewed for several managerial openings, including with the Red Sox before they hired John Farrell in 2013.
Not great, but if the Yankees want the kids to have a sense of calm — and at times, some fire — in the clubhouse (and also some familiarity), Pena's a good guy.
Don Mattingly
With new ownership in Miami, maybe Mattingly gets the axe from former Yankees teammate and now Marlins owner Derek Jeter.
Mattingly was kind of screwed in Los Angeles, considering he won three straight division titles and won 90-plus games in each of those seasons with the Dodgers, and fell victim to a toxic clubhouse. As the captain who steers the ship, maybe that falls on Mattingly's shoulders, but to win in spite of that apparent lack of clubhouse chemistry is impressive stuff.
In Miami, while boasting a fairly talented roster, Mattingly has underachieved in two seasons, though a lack of pitching and unsure future of the Marlins have once again left him victim to circumstances.
Should Mattingly get canned in Miami in the coming weeks, it'll be interesting to see whether the Yankees set up the interview.
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Al Pedrique
Pedrique is currently serving as the Yankees' manager at Triple-A affiliate Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The team reportedly wants someone with good relationships with its players, and while not a sexy name, Pedrique does have that box ticked.
He previously served as interim manager with the Diamondbacks in 2004 and compiled a 22-61 record. Not great, but he's still a respected baseball guy across the sport, and has ample coaching experience to potentially fill the seat in New York.
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Alex Rodriguez
Oh boy.
It's no secret that A-Rod is a brilliant baseball mind. It's also no secret that he has a special connection with players — look what he (and girlfriend Jennifer Lopez) did for Gary Sanchez midway through the season, when the young backstop was riding the struggle bus.
Given the way Rodriguez went out of his Yankee career — deciding to step aside and retire to let the youngsters play and have the spotlight — he's likely nurtured enough goodwill with the fanbase and the organization to maybe get some consideration for the manager position.
It's a sexy longshot, but a longshot nonetheless. A-Rod seems to be settled in to his TV duties, which is (seemingly) a perfect fit for his personality.
But just for a second, imagine A-Rod as the Yankees' manager.
It would give New York papers something to talk about for years to come.
Other candidates
— If the Yankees are looking in-house but outside the box, maybe they'll consider Short-A manager Josh Paul, at least according to Joel Sherman.
— Former Yankee great* Raul Ibanez is considered by many to be next in line for a manager job in the big leagues.
— Jerry Hairston Jr. is emerging as a name to watch. Hairston was on the team for the '09 championship run and the team — specifically the front office — loved him then.
