Releases » General manager Brian Cashman praised Girardis

NEW YORK -- If anything, the Yankees like Joe Girardi even more now than when they hired him to manage the team six years ago. General manager Brian Cashman praised Girardis handling of the team during a disappointing season and is about to offer him a new contract. "He knows wed like to have him stay and continue as manager of the New York Yankees as we move forward," Cashman said Tuesday. "I feel we hired a good one. Hes been a world champion player for us. Hes been a coach, a broadcaster and obviously a world champion manager. So weve benefited from having him and wed like to do that going forward, but well have to speak with him and see how it plays out." Girardi has led the Yankees to a 564-408 record and a World Series title. Crippled by injuries, New York had its poorest season since 1992, missing the playoffs for the second time in 19 years and finishing tied for third in the AL East at 85-77. Cashman met Girardi for coffee on Monday, a day after New Yorks season ended, and plans to have lunch Wednesday in New York with Girardis agent, Steve Mandell. "Were entering the sensitive conversations that will either lead to a deal or lead us to the understanding that there wont be a deal," Cashman said. Girardi won out over Don Mattingly to replace Joe Torre after the 2007 season and was given a $7.8 million, three-year contract. He is completing a $9 million, three-year deal. The Chicago Cubs may be interested in Girardi after firing manager Dale Sveum. Girardi grew up in Illinois, went to Northwestern and played for the Cubs. But Girardi is under contract through October, and Cashman wouldnt say whether he would give the Cubs permission to speak with the manager. "I think he likes it here," Cashman said. "Were going to give him a real good reason to stay, and hes earned that through his six years with us so far." Heading into the off-season, the Yankees face numerous questions, especially about their pitching staff and infield. Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte are retiring. Second baseman Robinson Cano is a free agent, as are pitcher Hiroki Kuroda and outfielder Curtis Granderson. Shortstop Derek Jeter played just 17 games this year after breaking an ankle last October and third baseman Alex Rodriguez didnt return from off-season hip surgery until August, and he may have to serve a lengthy drug suspension next season. Cano, a five-time All-Star who turns 31 on Oct, 22, can become a free agent after the World Series and may be seeking a 10-year deal worth $305 million or more. Cashman will meet with the Yankees professional scouts starting Monday to formulate his off-season plan. "Wed love to have Robby back," Cashman said. "Hes been a great Yankee. I think if he stays he has a legitimate chance to experience what you just saw for instance a little bit from Mariano, where maybe he has a chance to be the first Dominican-born player to be in Monument Park." Cashman also said its unclear whether the Yankees will be able to get under next years $189 million luxury tax threshold, which includes about $177 million for player salaries. "Its not a mandate. Its a goal that we have if its possible," Cashman said. "Theres a lot of benefits to staying under that, but its not a mandate if its at the expense of a championship run. It just depends on what the opportunities are before us, and the costs associated with it." He also plans to address the Yankees lack of power this season. Injuries and the departures of Raul Ibanez, Nick Swisher, Russell Martin and Eric Chavez as free agents caused home runs to dropped from a team-record 245 last year to 144, the Yankees fewest in a non-shortened season since they hit 130 in 1989. Not counting strike years, it was the largest falloff in baseball history, topping a decrease of 96 for the 1988 Chicago Cubs. "We love guys with plate discipline and power from the offensive side. And thats been our history, and thats been our philosophy for a long time thats worked," he said. "We got derailed this year by decision-making as well as injuries. Theyre all my responsibility, and the best we could produce unfortunately was an 85-win team. Thats not Yankee standards." Aaron Ekblad Panthers Jersey . Her return engagement begins tonight as TSN presents Day 1 coverage of the 2015 event from Melbourne. Watch Eugenie Bouchards opening round match at the Australian Open live tonight on TSN5 at 3am et/Midnight pt. Frank Vatrano Panthers Jersey .Bacca took advantage of Cristian Alvarezs hesitation to head a lobbed pass over the goalkeeper and then used his feet to roll the ball into an empty net in the eighth minute. 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Louis second-period goal increased the New York Rangers lead but Dustin Brown has countered for the Los Angeles Kings who now trail the New York Rangers 2-1 in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final at Madison Square Garden.TORONTO - When Kyle Lowry was first introduced to the city of Toronto back in the summer of 2012 he was forced to share the stage with a new teammate, Landry Fields, the two acquired by the Raptors three days apart. Lowry, Torontos fallback option after a failed attempt to woo Steve Nash, was brought in from Houston to battle incumbent point guard Jose Calderon for the starting gig. Then general manager Bryan Colangelo had high hopes for Lowry but at that moment, a consolidated news conference in the concourse of the Air Canada Centre, he was just another player. He was due to earn $5.8 million that season. For Lowry those days are long gone. Thursday morning represented the Raptors first opportunity to make sure he knew that. With the official announcement of Patrick Patterson and Greivis Vasquezs extensions on hold, likely until early next week, this day was all about Lowry. It was his moment, well deserved, not unlike his freshly signed contract and significant pay raise. "This is awesome," Lowry said, borrowing the phrase from GM Masai Ujiri, who had used it moments earlier. Ujiri and his star point guard sat side by side on stage in Real Sports Bar and Grill, located across from the ACC in the heart of downtown Toronto. This was not your run-of-the-mill press conference. It was an event. The Raptors had opened up the festivities to their fans, who played hooky from school and work on a Thursday morning to support a player they have adopted as their own. They screamed, they chanted, they took photos and Lowry - an introvert, who doesnt generally hand out smiles - couldnt wipe the smirk off his face. Retaining Lowry had been the Raptors top priority from the moment last seasons playoff run came to an abrupt end. They spared no expense in showing the 28-year-old how much he means to the embattled franchise and they wasted no time in getting him locked up. Lowry agreed to terms on a four-year, $48 million deal last Wednesday, officially putting pen to paper Thursday morning when the free agent moratorium period was lifted. Lowry was courted by a number of teams - including title contenders in the Houston Rockets and Miami Heat - when free agency unofficially opened on July 1. "They were real factors," Lowry admitted. Returning to Toronto, however likely, was not a lock. Along with his family and agent, Andy Miller, he considered his options, weighing pros and cons and doing his due diligence before coming to a quick decision. It didnt take long for him to realize where he wanted to spend the next three years, with a player option for the fourth. "I think the process was a difficult one but at the end of the day it was an easy one, it was the best one," Lowry said. "I didnt really think about it, honestly, until a week before free agency started. I knew it was going to be kind of stressful, but stressful in a good way. At the end of the day it was easy, it was easy to come back here." "I didnt want to wait for everybody else," he continued, taking a subtle shot at a few of his fellow free agents, who appear to be in no rush despite holding up the process for the rest of the league. "Im not going to wait for this guy to make a decision, I wanted to make my own decision and I wanted to make it when I was ready and I was ready after day one. So thats how easy the process was." Houston and Miami offered him a chance to compete for a championship right out of the gate but Toronto countered with thheir recently constructed winning environment, high aspirations, and an opportunity for incremental growth on the way to their ultimate prize.dddddddddddd Most importantly, Lowry - an alpha dog by nature - wanted to lead a team to the promise land. Make no bones about it, the Raptors are Lowrys team. "The driving factor was winning," he said. "Honestly, I knew the money was going to come. I knew the years [were] going to come, so that wasnt too much of a worry. I just wanted to be in a situation where I can win and personally grow, as a man and as a player, and help a team and help an organization get to the point where theyre holding that trophy up." With the spotlight comes the pay cheque. "I was [financially secure] before," he joked in response to a question about his new pay raise. "[But] this helps." His new contract will be more than twice the size of his previous one, a four-year, $23.5 million deal signed in 2010, having earned a total of $28.8 million over the first eight years of his career. Lowrys one-time reputation for being a malcontent, like his anonymity, is a thing of the past. Of course, hes not the only one that stands to benefit, shedding a less than flattering league-wide perception as a result of this remarriage with the Raptors. "Everyone says Toronto cant do this, or Toronto cant sign back their own free agents," Lowry acknowledged, with a tip of the cap to the franchises disappointing history. "I just proved that wrong. Im back." Before the Raptors can establish themselves as a preferred destination for the NBAs brightest stars, they know they must take care of their own. Even in a years time - as the team has turned its fortunes and its fan base has reminded the league why theyre one of the best - Ujiri continues to notice a significant change in how the city is perceived when speaking to players around the association. "100 percent," said the Raptors GM. "I think people saw what happened here." "Players want to win and players want to be treated well and we try to treat players well," Ujiri continued. "I think Kyle Lowry was at the forefront of that. Players in the NBA see that and they want to come play where its a great atmosphere, theyre treated well and theres a culture of winning. We expect more players to come here." According to Ujiri, Lowry was ready and willing to do his part in the recruitment process almost immediately after agreeing to terms last week. Still technically a free agent, Lowry texted the Raptors GM shortly after the two reached a verbal agreement to ask him if there was a player he could call and try to steer in Torontos direction. "I wish I had more money to sign another player," Ujiri joked. While all-star and leading scorer DeMar DeRozan remains an integral part of the teams future - and played a significant role in Lowrys decision to return - the unmistakable face of the resurgent Raptors was sitting centre stage. The team is his and, evident in Thursdays mornings turnout, so too is the city. He wont be sharing the stage, or the spotlight any time soon. Two years ago, almost to the day, Colangelo gave Lowry the keys. Now, Ujiri has given him the whole car. "You dont get many chances to say its your team," he said. "Honestly, you dont get many chances. As a competitor, as a professional, I relish in that, the fact that I get to say its my team, Im the leader of the team." ' ' '