REPORT: Girardi Wants to Talk to Cubs

Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports

Cubs deal would make him one of two highest paid managers

A report from Gordon Wittmeyer of the Chicago Sun-Times states the Chicago Cubs will make a run at New York Yankees manager Joe Giradi and, in the process, make Girardi one of baseball’s two highest paid managers. Wittmeyer also reports that sources tell him Girardi and the Cubs have expressed their mutual interest though “back channels”.

According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the Yankees and Girardi’s agent Steve Mandell met yesterday. During this meeting, the Yankees made an offer, but Mandell countered the Yankees proposal and within that, it is believed that Girardi wants the opportunity to talk to the Cubs.

Another meeting is to be held today.

Within his piece, Heyman also complied a list of reasons why he believes Girardi will stay in the Big Apple. The most notable reason might be this…

"The Yankees for more than a decade have paid their manager near the top of the scale, though Mike Scioscia and Dusty Baker are two who make more presently, at $5 million and $3.5 million, respectively. With their payroll expected to go down for 2014, the Yankees also might have a hard time claiming budgetary issues (manager salaries do not count against the luxury-tax threshold)."

Girardi’s current deal is set to expire at the end of this month. That deal paid Girardi $3MM per season.

Consensus holds that Girardi will return to the Yankees bench for next season. With that, we cannot forget that Girardi was drafted by and played for the Cubs In his two stints in Chicago, he totaled seven seasons.

Heyman writes the Yankees pay their managers well. Wittmeyer’s report suggests that the Cubs will pay Girardi to be one of baseball’s top two salaried skippers. Are we heading to a bidding war for Girardi’s services?

(H/T: Cubbies Crib)