TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -The New York Yankees plan to retain Joe Girardi as manager next year.
"Joe will be back," co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner said Monday at the club's spring training complex. "He's done everything he could. That's the bottom line."
Girardi is in his first season managing the Yankees after agreeing to a three-year contract last October. The team is likely to miss the playoffs for the first time since 1993, but Girardi wasn't expected to be fired.
New York has been hit hard by injuries to ace Chien-Ming Wang, catcher Jorge Posada, pitcher Joba Chamberlain and slugger Hideki Matsui. The offense has struggled and the back end of the rotation has been largely ineffective.
Still to be resolved is who the Yankees general manager will be in 2009. Brian Cashman's contract is up this year, and Steinbrenner said discussions on a possible extension will take place after the season.
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