IT'S OFFICIAL: Joe Girardi New Yankees Skipper

A catcher for 15 Major League seasons, Girardi played on the Yankees' 1996, '98 and '99 World Series teams.

Joe Girardi (right) succeeds Joe Torre (left) as the skipper of the New York Yankees.

NEW YORK - Joe Girardi is now officially the manager of the New York Yankees.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman introduced Girardi today as the 32nd manager in club history.

Girardi and the Yankees agreed to terms of a three-year contract that extends through 2010 on Tuesday. Girardi will wear number 27.

A catcher for 15 Major League seasons, Girardi played on the Yankees' 1996, '98 and '99 World Series teams. Girardi's third-inning triple in Game 6 of the 1996 World Series that helped the Yankees clinch their first title since '78. He earned three World Series rings in 1996, 1998, and 1999. In 1999, he caught David Cone's perfect game.

In 2000, Girardi left the Yankees and returned to the Chicago Cubs, where he was named to that year's All-Star team, his only All-Star appearance.

Girardi succeeds Joe Torre, who led the club to ten American League East Division titles, six American League pennants, and four World Series titles, but none since 2000.

Torre, in published reports, has been in talks with the Los Angeles Dodgers after he turned down the Yankees' one-year, $5 million contract offer on Oct. 18.

After the 2005 regular season, Girardi was named manager of the Marlins, replacing manager Jack McKeon. He guided the team to a 78-84 record, even though the team had the lowest payroll in Major League Baseball. He was fired by the club on October 3, 2006 after a rift with Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria.

Girardi, who had been courted by the Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers, said this is where me and my family want to be.

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