"Now, what is this site about, how Joe Torre ruined pitchers' arms? Is that it?"
-Michael Kay, August 18, 2009

Friday, October 19, 2007

Good-bye and thanks

The 12-year Joe Torre era has now come to an unfortunate close.

Torre did not need to be treated this way. He has made the playoffs in each of those 12 years, winning four World Series championships and six American League pennants. He has been a class act and took George Steinbrenner missives in stride, when others would have melted in the face of pressure.

With all of his success, he did not deserve to be low-balled like he was today. He flew to Tampa and was presented with a 33% pay cut and an incentive-based contract. Basically, the front office was trying to save face and appear that they were keen on keeping Torre for next season. Instead, they ended up looking horrible in the process by giving him an offer he most certainly could refuse. And he did.

They knew he'd refuse this offer. This year was perhaps his best managerial job, yet they wanted to cut his pay.

I know I have been on Torre's case over the last few years. He probably should have been let go after last year's playoff defeat. However, with Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte - vocal supporters of Torre - being free agents, this is not the offseason to mess with Torre.

Aside from the manager, the team could probably look very different next season. And that is a frightening thought.

Thank you for your time in pinstripes, Mr. Torre. You have been the only manager I have really known, and it has been a hell of a ride.

Good luck in the future and maybe we'll see you again. Stranger things have happened.

5 comments:

John102355 said...

With over 10 years experience in Human Resource Management I've learned a few things. One of them is that EVERYBODY can be replaced.

Joe had a great run with the Yankees and has been my favorite Yankee manger (right above Billy Martin - he was something else). But the team has gotten stagnant and at times didn't play with the joy and fire that a team needs to succeed in MLB.

Good luck Joe, we'll miss you. I don't think that Mattingly is quiet ready for the job, but Joe Girardi is ready and waiting in the wings.

Joe is having a news conference at 2pm. Maybe that will give us more info on what really happened.

Anonymous said...

Just look at this picture...
http://i.cnn.net/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/0710/mlb.joe.torre/images/006272905Final.jpg

those sideburns are beasts.

Anonymous said...

that link didn't work...
sorry.

its on SI.com

Andrew Fletcher said...

Click

He looks younger today than he did in that picture.

Anonymous said...

Good Luck, Joe!!!

I'm glad you didn't come back to the Yankees and take that offer.

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