Report: Girardi offered job as Yankees manager

NEW YORK -- The New York Yankees reportedly have offered Joe Girardi the job to succeed Joe Torre as manager.

Girardi beat out Yankees great and bench coach Don Mattingly, the early favorite, and first-base coach Tony Pena, who had the most managerial experience of the candidates. Girardi spent this season as a Yankees TV announcer after he was fired by the Florida Marlins last year.

"The Yankees have offered Joe the opportunity to become their next manager," Steve Mandell, Girardi's agent, told ESPN.com. "Discussions are ongoing."

Radio station 1050 ESPN New York first reported the development and said Girardi is expected to take the job.

Girardi caught for the Yankees from 1996-99, served as a bench coach in 2005, then managed the Marlins the following year and was NL manager of the year. He kept a young team in contention until September, then was fired, apparently for clashing with owner Jeffrey Loria and others above him.

Girardi was the first person to interview to replace Torre, who managed the team to the playoffs in each of his 12 seasons with the team. He spent about five hours with the Yankees' baseball operations staff last week, and an hour with owner George Steinbrenner and his sons Hank and Hal, son-in-law Felix Lopez and team president Randy Levine.