Manuel continues to manage for team, not Jerry

A Subway Series Did You Know:

Did you know Mets manager Jerry Manuel has more job security than Yankees manager Joe Girardi?

It's true. On paper, anyway.

Each manager is in the final guaranteed year of his contract. But the Mets hold a contract option on Manuel, which if exercised after the season will keep him in the dugout for 2011.

There is no such option for Girardi, who is a lame duck despite winning the World Series last season.

Of course, in reality, if the Mets were to get swept, Manuel might not get past this weekend. And Girardi likely will get a new contract unless something really odd and unexpected happens with the 2010 Yankees.

Only one New York manager went into Friday night's Subway Series opener having to answer questions about his continued employment. That was Manuel.

He effortlessly batted them away as he has ever since team COO Jeff Wilpon jetted to Atlanta on Monday for a public discussion with Manuel and general manager Omar Minaya.

If Manuel is worried, he isn't showing it. He said he is not looking at things day-to-day, even if that's exactly how his bosses are viewing it.

"I look at it as how-many-ever games we've got left," he said. "We have to manage - regardless if it's short for me - I still have to manage as if it's going to be a marathon for the team.

"There are times I've got to give people days off. That might not benefit me, but I know it might benefit them in the long run. For me, I've still got to do what's best for the team."

The bizarre John Maine saga is one example of that. Manuel removed the righthander after five pitches Thursday in Washington and had a disagreement with Maine in the dugout afterward.

The contretemps continued Friday; Maine said there is nothing wrong with him and Manuel said his "gut" told him Maine isn't healthy. Right before the game, the Mets placed Maine on the 15-day disabled list with shoulder weakness - the same mysterious malady that sidelined him for part of last season.

Girardi has had injury issues to deal with - three starting position players are on the disabled list (Nick Johnson, Curtis Granderson and Jorge Posada) - but his starting rotation is intact.

Manuel has two starters on the DL in Maine and Jonathon Niese and one in the bullpen in Oliver Perez.

Perhaps that's why Manuel embraces the Subway Series more than Girardi seems to. For the Yankees, there's nothing to win this weekend except games. The Mets have more on the table - their mental well-being and perhaps the future employment of their manager.

"These types of series give you a good indicator where your team is," Manuel said. "How they respond in what is probably like the closest thing to a playoff environment. I think it's important to play these series because of the intensity, the electricity and to see how you handle yourself with the anxiety and the things that go along with it. It's an extremely good measuring stick."