Torre Fires The Yanks!
Torre rejected a one-year deal with a base salary of $5 million with a chance to earn incentives up to $8 million ($1 million for each round of playoffs reached).
I honestly can't say I'm surprised. Sometimes when you talk about dumping a girl to the whole world, the girl decides to drop you first. But the Yankees made a pretty fair offer, I think. Was Torre waiting to turn them down all along? Very interesting stuff.
One thing is clear, an era in Yankees history has ended.
I honestly can't say I'm surprised. Sometimes when you talk about dumping a girl to the whole world, the girl decides to drop you first. But the Yankees made a pretty fair offer, I think. Was Torre waiting to turn them down all along? Very interesting stuff.
One thing is clear, an era in Yankees history has ended.
posted by TheJackSack at 4:14 PM
6 Comments:
I dub today, October 18th, 2007, Joe Torre day. I'll be making tee shirts: black with a white outline of Joe Torre's face. The date and the words "Long Live The Apostle Joe Torre" will also appear.
Let me know who wants one, they should only be about $10.
Submit a nice image of Joe's face and your size to:
marcavaj@gmail.com
Seriously, that's awesome. But I would like on the back the words "Joe Torre Is Dead. Long Live Joe Torre" as well.
I don't know what to think of this. I guess it's better than him being fired, but the Yankees basically made Joe an offer he could not accept. I don't think it was the money, I think it was the option hinging on winning the Pennant. Joe did not want to be playing for his job all over again next year. He didn't want to be going through what he went through the last three days over the entire season. If they gave him two years for a guaranteed $10 million, he might have taken it.
I think the offer was fair in a vacuum, but the more I think about it the more I think it was a great indignity. They made him wait a week for a one year deal and a pay cut, neither of which he deserved. I think it's obvious the contract was the result of a great inner struggle between Cashman and some combination of the Steinbrenners.
On the other hand, Joe could have taken the contract for the players and the fans. He could have taken it angrily, and stated why he was doing it. So his ego was also a factor, though I place most of the blame at the feet of the Steinbrenners.
I do not think the Yankees should sign Don Mattingly. While a man of good character, I don't believe him to be an overly intelligent person, and untouchable legends rarely handle the dirty, very touchable position of manager very well. Most do not even try. I think Donny needs seasoning, somewhere else. His time can come, but not before he's proven that you can put him on that bench for ten seasons. Otherwise, you're just spoiling one of the purest Yankee relationships.
My preferences are these, in this order:
Tony LaRussa
Buck Showalter
Bobby Valentine (because he'd be fun)
Joe Girardi
Larry Bowa
The next Eric Wedge, whoever he may be.
It was time, although I'll miss him. Joe couldn't really accept the offer because he'd be viewed as weak by the players.
I'd take bobby v or girardi. I don't want tony larussa, who's mailed it in in st louis the last 5 years. If not for a piss-poor effort by the tigers in the series, larussa would have been viewed a failure in st louis. His teams have been mediocre for a bit, especially if you think of how bad the NL has been.
I'd love a large version of the torre shirt; I'd wear it.
Everyone should check out cnnsi.com and check out the vastly differing views of the torre dismissal by heyman and verducci. Keep in mind that heyman is a total moron.
I think this is what both parties wanted.
Steinbrenner didn't want Torre to manage next year, and he didn't want to look like a fool for firing him then reinstating him.
The offer he gave Joe was an offer that had to be turned down. But, George at least can speak out on the Yankee Fan backlash, and say he tried.
I agree with Anthony, Torre didn't want to fight for his job again. He can also site that the matter bordered on his own principles and character. Accepting the offer would have shown weakness to the team, fans, and the Yankee brass.
However, I'm deeply hurt Joe turned it down. I've stuck up for him publicly (on this blog) and personally (in my prayers). I almost feel owed this last season.
But, he's TAJT, and he'll be remembered as such.
As for his replacement, I'd like to see Girardi. He's a good baseball man, is fair, confident, and has played with the Yankees and Steinbrenner. Although, he's fairly outspoken, so I'm not sure how that will play out with George.
Mattingly should stay on as bench coach. Larussa could go suck eggs as far as I'm concerned.
I don't agree that the players would have viewed Joe as "weak." I think they would have thought, and probably do think, that he got the shaft, but would have seen him as coming back for them. Same with the fans. And he could have said as much.
Again, I don't blame him for turning it down. I just don't see the Yankees players as ever seeing him as weak. Not the players who count, anyway.
We should probably move to the front page how big a deal this is. I think this makes it much more likely that A-Rod will opt out, which makes it much more likely that Rivera might bolt, which makes it more likely Posada might go. They might all stay, of course, but I think this might have set in a motion a chain of events that could see them all go. Andy is certainly gone, which almost immediately makes next year a rebuilding year. He is the best free agent pitcher available, by far, and our rotation will have three rookies in it next season. Take away even one of the three I mentioned above, and there's another huge hole that can't be filled easily.
Should be very interesting.
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