There is no chance the Yankees and Joe Girardi announce a contract extension today when the manager and Brian Cashman will talk at Yankee Stadium.
Eventually, a deal will be struck. Hal Steinbrenner and Cashman think highly of Girardi, who likely will sign a three-year deal.
As for Girardi’s staff, none of the coaches is signed beyond the end of the month.
Hitting coach Kevin Long has drawn inquiries from other organizations. When Joe Torre went to the Dodgers, he wanted to bring Long with him, and the Yankees responded by giving Long a three-year deal for a little over $1 million.
Torre is out in L.A., and the Dodgers won’t spend that type of cash on a coach under new manager Don Mattingly.
It will be interesting to see if the Yankees again give Long a multiyear deal and for how much money.
Boston, Baltimore and Toronto are without pitching coaches and may be interested in talking to Dave Eiland.
Third base coach Rob Thomson was a candidate for the Blue Jays manager’s job landed by former Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell. Bench coach Tony Pena has been linked to the Marlins’ managerial opening but said yesterday he hasn’t been contacted by the team.
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Damaso Marte said he will not pitch in the first half of 2011, as he recovers from shoulder surgery that he had three days ago.
Speaking in the Yankees’ clubhouse yesterday, the lefty reliever revealed that he underwent surgery in Cincinnati on Friday to repair his strained shoulder. Marte said he was told by his doctor that he’ll return after the All-Star break. That’s when he’ll start throwing, however, not pitching. So Marte might not return until very late in the season.
“I have to make it better because it’s a lot of pain,” he said.
Marte actually said the prognosis was better than he anticipated. He had worried he might never pitch again.
Marte, who turns 36 in February, only pitched in 30 games this season, none after July 7, and posted a 4.08 ERA in 17 2/3 innings. He was replaced as lefty specialist by Boone Logan. Marte is owed $4 million next year.