The seat already is getting warm for some managers

By Gerry Fraley - SportingNews 1 hour, 13 minutes ago

Joe Girardi gets it.

The New York Yankees spent more than $420 million on three marquee free agents this offseason with the intention of returning to the playoffs after a one-year absence. Those expectations squarely fall on Girardi.

"I don't necessarily think about those things," Girardi said during spring training when asked if he has the no-playoffs, no-job mindset. "But as you state the question, you're probably right."

That puts Girardi atop the list of managers most likely to be whacked.

Hamstrung by injuries, the Yankees went 89-73 last season and finished third in the American League East. They finished eight games behind the division-champion Rays and six games behind the wild card-winning Red Sox.

At times, Girardi seemed uncomfortable with the pressure that came with managing the Yankees. His biggest shortcoming is that he isn't Joe Torre, his serene predecessor who guided his teams to the postseason each year from 1996-2007.

"It would have been difficult for any manager," Girardi said. "He (Torre) was here so long and had relationships with everyone involved. I knew it wasn't going to be easy replacing him, and I never tried to replace him. I'm just glad I went through
the whole experience."

If Girardi is dumped, keep this name in mind for next season: Bobby Valentine. He plans to leave Japan after this season and wants to get back into the major leagues. Look for a not-so-subtle campaign promoting Valentine.

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