The Next Yankees Manager

Just days after firing Joe Torre, the Yankees have begun their search for a new manager. Let's take a look at the candidates:

Don Mattingly- He is ownership's favorite, but he isn't the right man for the job. He has never managed a team before, and his managerial style would be similar to Torre, which is what the Yankees are trying to get away from. The Yankees ownership might be inclined to hire him because the players said they would like a manager who knows the players, and the players will respond to Donnie Baseball, which is really important.

Tony Pena- He is being interviewed on Wednesday, and the Yankees like what he brings to the table. When he managed the Royals in 2003, he shocked the baseball world by actually having the Royals play at such a high level, and he wound up winning the AL Manager of the Year Award. He also knows the players because he has been on the Yankees coaching staff for a couple of seasons. The only knock against him could be how he deals with the pressure of managing in NY. When things start to go wrong, would he be able to deal with the media and the hordes of angry Yankee fans?

Joe Girardi- Girardi was interviewed on Monday, and according to reports, he really impressed Hank Steinbrenner. In his first season with the Marlins in 2006, he took a team that was predicted to be in last place and lead them to a third place finish. He was fired by owner Jeffrey Loria after Girardi mouthed off at him. There would be no way Girardi lasts in NY if he talks like that to The Boss. He also is being blamed by the Marlins for overusing their young pitchers last season. Other than that, he seems best suited for this job. His is a passionate manager, who has played for the Yankees before and knows many of the players. If the Yankees want to get an already proven manager who has played in New York, Girardi is their man.