Posted on 10/19/2007 2:23:23 PM PDT by Michael.SF.
Torre was a driving force behind the acquisition of ‘overpriced hitters and has-been pitching’. If I had a buck for every time the phrase ‘Joe’s not comfortable with rookies’ appeared in the New York media, I could have turned down a five mil contract.
Look at what happened to almost every pitcher in the system that came up to the show. One bad outing? Straight back to triple or double ‘A’. Or sit on the bench ‘til the rust builds up a little, then pitch, then go down. Or be part of a trade.
Position player? If where you played was a position occupied by one of ‘Joe’s guys’, one the bench for a few weeks to throw you off, then a clutch appearance or two, then we throw you out. Check the way Joe used the back up catching slot to try to get some of his old homies on the team. Check the way he screwed Kenny Lofton so he could keep Bernie in the outfield.
The only reason Wang, Cabrera and Cano got to play was injuries and a dearth of ‘veterans’ for Joe to send Cashman after. Billy the Kid was good for three games a year [at least] on his managerial skills alone. I put Joe at about a minus five.
I don’t see it as whiny at all. An employee is told to take a pay cut after he brings success and riches to his employer. He says, “No.” Why would he say anything else? The Yankees prior to Torre hardly enjoyed the ticket sales and revenue that came during the last twelve years. They typically finished in the middle of the league for ticket sales and the Mets usually had higher attendance.
Torre can’t be blamed for the makeup of the team. The team he got in 1996 had a good mix of youth and experience, as well as World Series success with Cone, Gooden, O’Neal, and a few others. It also had some very dedicated players who cared as much about winning as they did about salary. The team now is an assemblage of big names and expensive contracts, with the idea of winning a game seemingly secondary to the big ‘get.’ I blame Steinbrenner for that. He was not able to influence the selection of players for the Yankees during most of the 1990s and it showed.
I will always remember Joe Torre as a gentleman who knew how to run a baseball team.
Donny Baseball has zero experience. Ditto Reggie. Joe Girardi won Manager of the Year, and was VERY good with the young players on the Marlins. I still prefer Bobby V. if I have my choice.
Actually it was before the "meltdown", and occurred in Game 4 in the bottom of the 9th Inning (sorry, I said "one out away" when it should have been "one inning away")
Yanks had a 4-3 lead going into the bottom of the 9th, and were poised to sweep the ALCS in 4 straight with Mariano on the mound, if only .... if only:
As we all know, Boston won that game in extra innings and then went on to win the next three to complete one of the most humiliating (for the Yankees and us fans) defeats in all of modern sports history.
I know that I have never had a job in my life where I was paid for something before I actually did it.
I don’t see where Joe Torre was so great. Anybody could have won with that line up. It’s the players that win baseball games, not the manager.
What is Kariya making with the Blues?
When I get back there I’m taking the wife to dinner.
Dunno if Cos will be on the list though!
What you really dislike about Torre is he can and does buy several thousand dollar bottles of wine.
Pretty pathetic.
Commenting without even reading this thread.
I’m a Yankees fan and I think George et al are idiots. It’s just so awful that Torre took them to four WS championships, to the playoffs 12 years in a row, and to nine straight division championships. Horrible coaching. Really, really bad that they cam back from that awful start this year.
I fear that getting rid of Torre, and that’s what this “offer” planned to do, could have effects like getting rid of Posada. Maybe not if Mattingly moves in. Can only hope.
As to the wine?
Maybe jealous is a better word?
But over all I do not believe the exorbitant prices paid for some wines is warranted by most of those who pay such prices.
You should not be so quick to make so many assumptions w/o facts to support them.
My son was in uniform that night, dress whites.
He got a standing O. They comped an appetizer and corkage, and at least a half dozen people came to the table to shake his hand.
It was a night to remember!
According to Wikipedia (which is not always accurate; but as concerning which, there is no obvious reason for it to be untruthful here), Kariya has "signed a 3 year contract worth $18 million with the St. Louis Blues." Which is to say, he now is paid $6 million per year. (I am not certain what the corresponding number was when Kariya played for the Preds.)
Yes, but not convincingly. If one is financially secure for life, it's quite rational to refuse the insult and perhaps agree later to try to lead another team to the Series, even if it's for less pay.
Lets be honest...over the past 30 years in New York...only Billy Martin and Joe Torre were capable of managing such a team of over-paid stars. Whoever gets the job next...will be fired before the end of the 2008 season.
As for Joe? I’m betting that Bobby Cox of Atlanta steps down or retires by the end of December...and Joe comes back to Atlanta. The Braves will pick up three or four decent players in the winter period, and suddenly be very productive in 2008...winning the world series under Joe Torre. A dream? Perhaps...but stranger things have happened.
I hate the Yankees, so it’s been a lot of fun reading the comments on this thread.
Semper Fi,
I agree with you.
Look at it this way: Torre did so much for the team in the 12 years he was there. I don’t think you throw the guy under the bus because if you look at all his past achievements with NY, it’s quite impressive.
Best thing for him to do is take an offer from another team (of course less $$$$), and it would be much less stress than being with the Yankees.
Less stress and less money is going to be the direction he goes, I think. He’ll feel better once he gets the hell out of New York!!!!
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