Via Ken Rosenthal, Yankees third base coach Robbie Thomson has not yet heard from the Blue Jays about their soon-to-be-vacant manager’s position. “I’ve got to keep my focus right here,” said Thomson, who also said he wouldn’t even discuss the possibility of finding a managerial position elsewhere until the season was over in fairness to his team.
Thomson has been with the Yankees since 1990. He’s done it all in his time with the organization, starting as a minor league coach before moving up to director of player development, vice president of minor league development, and Major League field coordinator before moving back into the coaching ranks in 2008. He served as Joe Girardi’s bench coach in 2008, and actually managed the games on April 4th and 5th of that season (both losses to the Rays) when Girardi was sick.
It’s easy to understand why Thomson would leave his employer of the last 20 years for a big league manager’s job elsewhere, but he’s incredibly valuable to the Yanks no matter what capacity he’s working in. Of course, there’s always the remote possibility that his first managerial job comes with the Yankees if Girardi bolts for the Cubs after the season, but again, I think that’s unlikely.