NEW YORK -- After finishing his playing career, Paul O'Neill returned to the New York Yankees as a broadcaster. Now, he is interested in another possible homecoming with the other team he played for, the Cincinnati Reds.
But, this time, it would be as the team's manager.
"I would love to sit down and find out what their thoughts are," O'Neill told ESPN New York on Wednesday evening. "There are basically two organizations in my life, the Reds and the Yankees. Anytime you live in the city, you understand and see what happens in an organization."
While a game analyst for YES, the Yankees' network, O'Neill, 50, still lives with his family in Cincinnati.
"It is not a rebuilding situation," O'Neill said. "They are a very, very good team. I think anybody would be interested in taking a good team and winning a World Series."
Earlier Wednesday, on ESPN New York 98.7 FM, Michael Kay reported on his radio show that Reds owner Bob Castellini had reached out to O'Neill about being the manager of the team.
O'Neill said he had not sat down with Castellini yet but added that he has spoken with the organization over the years "about numerous things." O'Neill, who grew up in Ohio, spent the first eight years of his career with the Reds before being traded to the Yankees in 1993 for Roberto Kelly. O'Neill ended up winning four rings with the Yankees.
During those championship teams, O'Neill became close with current Yankees manager Joe Girardi.
"I think Paul really knows the game," Girardi said on Kay's show Wednesday. "I think Paul is a guy that loves the game and has a passion for winning, and I think he would be a good manager."
The Reds' job opened when they let go of Dusty Baker after they lost in the wild-card game to the Pirates last week.