In late October of 2007, Hank Steinbrenner was the Baby Boss. Outside the Yankees' spring training complex in Tampa, Fla., a handful of New York reporters huddled in full stakeout mode, waiting each day for a few words from Hank on who would be the next manager.

Don Mattingly was thought to be the favorite to replace Joe Torre.

Earlier in the month, Torre and the Yankees finalized their divorce, opening up one of the biggest jobs in sports. Mattingly famously said it would be like replacing John Wooden.

Don Mattingly and Joe Girardi both managed to succeed Joe Torre as skipper -- in Los Angeles and New York, respectively. Larry W. Smith/Getty Images

Reporters in Tampa sat on cement benches outside Steinbrenner Field as executives and baseball operation officials interviewed three candidates -- Mattingly, former Yankees catcher Joe Girardi and future Yankees bench coach Tony Pena.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said he limited the pool to those three because he wanted a manager who knew Yankees politics.

"The manager of the New York Yankees involves a lot more than just managing game strategy," Cashman said. "It is trying to manage the press, trying to manage the expectations that come with being a Yankee, the pressures of winning, the top politics of the front office. You have to manage up -- whether it is managing up through the general manager's office or through the general manager's office to levels above, through ownership."

As evenings approached, and as other executives secretly scattered away, Steinbrenner made sure to meet the stakeout, always willing to give a memorable soundbite, just like his old man.

"What we're looking for is a guy that's maybe going to be one of the greatest managers, maybe, of all time, over a period of 10, 20 years, who knows -- and it could be any of the three," Steinbrenner said.

Ultimately, on Cashman's recommendation, Hank and his brother Hal, along with the rest of their executives, thought Girardi, not Mattingly, was the right man.

Pragmatism beat popularity.

Girardi had won the Manager of the Year Award with the Marlins, while Mattingly had never managed a major league game.

"The thing for Donnie that was difficult was that at the time, he had never managed before," Cashman said. "That is a hard hurdle to get over when you are trying to put forward a team that is ready to try and win now."

Ultimately, it is hard to judge managers. Torre is probably headed to the Hall of Fame because of his four rings with the Yankees. But did he really become smarter after three previous mediocre runs as a manager or were the players he received in the Bronx just better?