From the Sun:
“I was flattered that the Orioles called me,” Girardi said. “It’s a great city, a great organization. I have the utmost respect for [president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail]. As a coach and as a player, I always loved going there.”
“I am not going to get into [why he turned it down] a whole lot, but it just wasn’t the right time for my family. I was impressed. But timing-wise, it just wasn’t right.”
Timing being “I’m waiting for the White Sox, Yankees, or another better opening to come my way.
He also disputed that contract issues and a reluctance to manage a Peter Angelos-owned team played a part in his decision.
Really? I’d give him credit if he shied away from this job for that reason. As to the contract issue, he probably wanted an out clause if the Yankee or Cub job opened up. That’s merely me speculating though.
The Orioles haven’t interviewed any other candidates, and it’s unclear at this point what direction they will go. Former Orioles manager Davey Johnson remains one of the candidates, and he said earlier this week that he’d certainly listen if the Orioles called about the opening. According to one baseball source, former San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs manager Dusty Baker is not interested because he’d prefer to manage a West Coast team.
I’m not crying about Dusty Baker. I’m sure Davey Johnson will get an interview and I predict he’ll be the manager.
We’ll see.
Filed under: Orioles
