Posted on 10/19/2007 2:23:23 PM PDT by Michael.SF.
Joe Torre had a hunch it would come to this. And when the New York Yankees offered him a one-year contract with a hefty paycut, performance-based bonusesand no room to negotiatehe was insulted and figured he had no choice but to walk away.
"The fact that somebody is reducing your salary is just telling me they're not satisfied with what you're doing," Torre said Friday at a news conference. "There really was no negotiation involved. I was hoping there would be, but there wasn't.
"If somebody wants you to do a job, if it takes them two weeks to figure out, yeah, we want to do this, should do this, yeah, you're a little suspicious."
His voice trembling at times, Torre admitted he was uncomfortable and nervous talking about himself. He said his 12 years with the Yankees were the best time of his professional lifebut he hasn't ruled out managing elsewhere.
Torre took a morning flight Thursday to Tampa, Fla., walked into George Steinbrenner's office at Legends Field and listened to the team's offer. He said he couldn't accept it, shook hands and left the ballpark, the Yankees' manager no more.
"I offered a concept we may talk about," Torre said. "I don't want to go into Xs and Os here. More a concept that would work for both of us. It was term and how to go about it. But that was it. Money wasn't involved in the suggestion."
After all he had accomplishedfour World Series titles, 12 straight years in the playoffs, almost certain entry into the Hall of Fameand after all the indignities, this was one he wasn't going to stand for.
"I was very much at peace with my decision," Torre said.
The 67-year-old Torre turned down a $5 million, one-year contract$2.5 million less than he made this season, when the Yankees failed to make it past the first round of the playoffs for the third straight year.
"A difficult day," general manager Brian Cashman said Thursday. "He will always be a Yankee."
12 straight playoff appearances, 6 WS appearances and 4 WS rings deserves an actual thank you. Not saying thank you after that is definitely an insult.
I like your attitude!
There is a story behind the posting of the wine label. When my son returned from Iraq, we went to greet his ship upon it's return to Everett. We had dinner that night at the Metropolitan Grill and brought our own wine (1982 Cos Estornal), which was from my son's birth year and one that I been keeping for many years for just such a momentous occasion.
I got to talking to the Wine Steward who mentioned that just a few days earlier Joe Torre had been in with three other guys. They bought two magnums of an early 60's Bordeaux, I believe it was La Tour. They easily dropped several thousand per bottle for the wine.
She said it was similar each time he is in town.
That served as confirmation that things were way out of whack.
I want to be insulted.
They no longer agreed did they?
Now they have an honest disagreement as to Torre's worth. His worth one year, may be different (to Management)then it is the next year.
For instance, he lost. They paid him on the expectation of winning the World Series. He did not achieve the results that they paid him to produce.
They offered a fair compromise. We will pay you at a high going rate and IFF you win you will be paid a bonus, which would (probably) make you the highest paid manager in BBall.
To me, that is a sound and logical management decision and I do not see the insult in it.
On that we agree!!
They should show their gratitude by taking him to the Metropolitan Grill for a nice Porterhouse and a Magnum of '62 LaTour!
From what I've read, Joe irritated some in the organization more than usual this year because he said things in pubic that were either not supposed to be mentioned or that didn't represent the organization's viewpoint in the correct light.
As an example, again from what I've read, the Bernie Williams incident during Spring Training did not present the organization in its best light, but that was supposedly Torre's doing. When Torre finally invited Bernie to ST, it looked like Torre was the one supporting Bernie's return, when in actuality it had been the organization.
With Chamberlain, the 'Joba Rules' were never meant for public consumption.
Also, I guess Chamberlain was used in Game 3 of the ALCS. Some people felt that was unnecessary with an 8-3 lead. Chamberlain came up sore the next day.
It seems to me like there were series of issues that after 12 years reach a point where it's best for both parties to move on.
What would you do if your boss announced to the company that your performance was substandard (after 12 years of rave reviews) and that if you didn't reach X goal you would be fired. After not reaching that goal, the boss says he'll keep you around, for now anyway, but at 2/3 of your former pay. And you had sufficient savings you didn't have to have this job. And others in the industry really think highly of you.
You wouldn't say take this job and shove it???
The Mariners are officially the Major League Farm Club (finding the good young players and letting them walk away early on).
It appears the Yankees are now MLB's Retirement Center...
With the Yankee lineup, even Billy in his current capacity could take them to the playoffs.
He should have "gone out in style." Like putting on a body suit and streaking the field.
Time to retire the “Paul Quantrill Award” me and my buddies gave to the guy in the bullpen old Joe destroyed every year with overwork [Previous winners include Tanyon Sturze and Scott Proctor].
Only Mike Francesa [WFAN] could refer to the contract offer as ‘forcing’ Torre out. Guess Joe forgot how bad a manager he was before George’s checkbook. Training starters to go 6, and burn out a bullpen by September. And Torre never met an over the hill player he didn’t like. If Bernie hadn’t let his pride stop him from coming to Spring Training, Melky Cabrera would still be in the minors.
BUH-BYE!
Riddle me this. If Torre gets a piece of the credit for the comeback this year, why does he get none of the blame for the third year in a row of first playoff series and out?
I addressed this earlier.
That one out in 2004 came after we [Yeah, I’m a Yankees fan] blew a 3 game to zip lead in the League Championship against Boston.And since then, we haven’t been able to take 3 out of 5. Sure, the players are at fault, too. But so is Joe, and he got a pass WAY too long [since 2001].
...just not a paid one.
Guys who could manage the Yankees [off the top of my head]: In house- Joe Girardi, maybe Larry Bowa. From outside the organization- Bobby Valentine [my choice], Lou Pinella [if they could get him, and if he wanted the job].
Torre did a great job in ‘06- using the personnel Stick put on the field, and the system Showalter built. BUT, one wonders how long Jeter, Posada and Mo would have been up if Joe had been in control longer [he’s ‘not comfortable’ with rookies].
And Showalter’s system got engraved in stone, with the added Torre fillip of starters going 6 [and being the age of 35 - except Andy Pettite], bullpens getting burnt up, Rookies and non Torre loyalists getting benched or sabotaged, or both [read Kenny Lofton]. Torre had a miserable record as a manager before he got to New York for a reason. He’s not that good, and he didn’t have the teams George fielded to cover his weaknesses. Let’s see how good he does somewhere else.
"We plan absentee ownership as far as running the Yankees is concerned," said Steinbrenner, according to an article in The New York Times reporting on the sale. "We're not going to pretend we're something we aren't. I'll stick to building ships."
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