In Joe Girardi’s first appearance in Chicago since Lou Piniella stepped down from his position as the Cubs’ manager, the native from Peoria, IL, fielded questions from the media in regards to the possibility of him managing the Cubbies. The New York Yankees are in town to face the White Sox.

“I’m going to talk about it for a few minutes today and that’s going to be it,” Girardi said via Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News. “As I’ve said all along, my responsibility is to the Yankees. I was hired by the Yankees to do a job, we’re in a division race – a very tight division race – and my job is to prepare this team to play every day. That’s what I’m focusing on.

“My faith has always been extremely important to me. I’ve never worried about next year. I’m happy with my contract situation, I feel I’m fortunate to be one of 30 managers with a contract right now managing in the big-leagues. There are people in this organization that have done a lot more for this organization than I have that don’t have contracts. We’re not worried about it for next year. I’m worried about right now.”

Girardi, a free-agent manager after this season could come back and manage his hometown Cubs, and there are some people that believe the team will try to overwhelm him with a huge contract offer to bring him home.

“But my focus is here,” he continued. “I have a responsibility to the Steinbrenners, who have treated me and my family great, to Brian Cashman and his staff, to the guys in that (clubhouse), and to the entire organization and our fan base to do whatever I can to help us get No. 28.”

The Cubs have already interviewed former Cleveland Indians manager Eric Wedge and they will likely interview other candidates before deciding on the next skipper of the Cubs.