Girardi negotiations expected to go smoothly

While it's reasonable to expect myriad twists and turns this Yankees offseason, one of them isn't likely to involve manager Joe Girardi.

General manager Brian Cashman, meeting with reporters in his end-of-season news conference, said negotiations with Girardi's agent, Steve Mandell, will begin this morning.

"Obviously, the first order of business is our manager," Cashman said. "That should work out fine. I know Joe wants to stay and we'd like to retain him, so that should create an environment we can work through rather quickly. And then after that, obviously, we'll focus on the entire coaching staff, but especially that [pitching coach] vacancy."

Cashman had started the news conference by announcing that pitching coach Dave Eiland will not be retained, a move he said was his decision but one that Girardi was on board with.

Girardi, whose original three-year, $7.5-million deal expires at the end of this month, is expected to get a similar deal in terms of length and likely with a significant raise. He is liked by the right people in the organization, most importantly by managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner and Cashman.

Girardi, who addressed the media before Cashman, sounded optimistic about getting a new deal.

"I said after we lost on Friday, I love being here, I love working here," Girardi said. "It's a great work environment. Have a great relationship with the front office and everyone involved. So I want to be back. I hope it gets done quickly."

A new deal with Girardi could be reached this week, but it could be the last easy, relatively speaking, contract negotiation of the offseason.

Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera are the two headline free agents, and although most expect the Yankees to re-sign them, there are potential stumbling blocks, particularly in the case of Jeter.

How much will they pay the 36-year-old shortstop and for how many years are just two of the questions. There's also the delicate question of how to broach a possible position switch. Father Time eventually won't allow him to be an everyday shortstop, a process that seemed to have started this season.

Girardi said Jeter's 157 games played in 2010 were more than the Yankees intended at the start of the year, made necessary because of the bumps and bruises suffered by Alex Rodriguez.

"He's still one of the better shortstops in the game," Cashman said. "At age 35, he had an exceptional year, one of his best ever. At age 36, he had a year that didn't match what [he did] at 35 . . . But there's still game left in that guy and he's going to be a part of this franchise. We'll work something out that we're both comfortable with."