LISTEN: Joe Girardi Tells WFAN He's Not Angry Yankees Let Him Go
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Joe Girardi was in good spirits Monday as he discussed the Yankees' decision not to retain him as manager.
Talking to WFAN's Mike Francesa, Girardi said he was disappointed but not bitter about how his tenure ended.
"I look at the good side," he said. "It doesn't do me any good to look at the other side. It's a waste of my time. It's a waste of my energy. Being angry never does anyone any good. So to me, I look at the great time, the great friends that I made, the great experience that I had at the ballpark on a daily basis. ... What I love to do I got to do for 10 years. So I don't have bitterness. I don't have anger."
The Yankees decided to part ways with Girardi last month, just days after the team fell one win short of reaching the World Series.
Girardi admitted the move surprised him.
"I thought I would be back, and I thought it was just a matter of working out a contract," he said. "But again, I think (general manager) Brian (Cashman) wants something different, and he's going to go out and try to find that. And that's obviously his prerogative and the organization's prerogative.
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"I understand it happens. It's happened to people that have won a lot more games than me," Girardi added, citing Joe Torre, whom he succeeded as manager. "And you've just got to deal with it."
Girardi said he believed he had a good relationship with the front office, although he acknowledged there were some occassional disagreements that were to be expected.
On the same day when Cashman told reporters in a conference call that he was concerned with the manager's "connectivity and communication level" with players, Girardi said he believed he got along with them for the most part.
"I thought it (the relationship) was really good," Girardi said. "I look at some of the texts that I got, some of the tweets they put out (after he wasn't retained) ... and I thought it was good. And my job is always to get the most out of players the best way that I see fit and the best way the organization sees fit and the best way the coaches see fit, and I think we were able to do that.
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"There are some times ... you have to make tough decisions about who plays, and I think guys get disappointed. But from a standpoint of having a relationship issue, there were none. And if there was, I really don't know about it, and I don't think my head's that far in the sand."
Girardi added that he doesn't know what he'll be doing next season, saying broadcasting is a possibility. He, however, did not hestitate to answer "yes" when asked if he wanted to manage again.
"I think of the great managers that have moved on," he said. "I look at what Terry Francona did in Boston, and they let him go, and he ended up on his feet and doing very well in Cleveland. I look at Jimmy Leyland that moved around, Tony La Russa that moved around, and it's part of the game."
Meanwhile, Cashman said the deicision to let Girardi go was "very difficult and challenging" but that he felt it was time for a "new voice and a fresh voice."
The GM said he plans to interview both internal and external candidates to replace Girardi. He added that some candidates will not have any managerial experience.
Cashman did not offer a timeline for making a hire but said he understands "we're on the clock."
To listen to the interview, click on the audio player above.
