Pinstripe pride: Yankees publicly humiliate Torre into quitting
posted at 7:50 pm on October 18, 2007 by Allahpundit
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Not our usual fare, but the spirit’s moved me. If you don’t care about baseball, stop reading now and find something else to do.
The serpent has at last lost its head but even a fanatic Yankee-hater like the big A can’t help cringing at how it went down. Four world championships, 12 straight years in the playoffs, and rather than afford the man the dignity of “retiring” or receiving a clean cut from the axe, they spit in his face with a contract offer designed to communicate their dwindling regard for him. I’m too young to remember the Bronx Zoo era and just barely old enough to recall Steinbrenner’s game of managerial musical chairs, but this bodes well for the future:
Joe Torre is out as manager of the New York Yankees, rejecting a substantial pay cut after the team failed to make it past the first round of the playoffs for the third straight year.
Torre turned down a $5 million, one-year contract Thursday – $2.5 million less than he made last season.
Rather than put up with the indignity of a salary slap coupled with a performance-based contract, the man who led the Yankees to playoff appearances in all 12 years he managed walked.
“A difficult day,” general manager Brian Cashman said…
It appeared to be an offer designed to be rejected. Scott Boras, the agent for Yankees star Alex Rodriguez, said players would have interpreted an acceptance by Torre as weakness.
The theory going into the offseason was that the Yankees would have to try to keep Torre if only to retain the core of the team that’s fiercely loyal to him: Rivera, Posada, and Pettitte foremost among them. (Jeter is locked into a long-term contract.) By embarrassing him this way, they’re sending a signal that the organization’s not overly worried about seeing them walk away too. Which means my dream of a catastrophic Yankee meltdown is tantalizingly close to fruition.
Exit question: Who replaces him long-term? Piniella, right?
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Joe you are Pure class….The end of an era….
Look for Don Mattingly to replace Joe….
robo on October 18, 2007 at 7:54 PM
That’s messed up. He did a great job for a long time. They should be nice to the manager and like, one player no matter what the way the Giants do.
Oh, wait, they like winning….
NTWR on October 18, 2007 at 7:56 PM
Billy Martin? They could use that guy that played him in that awful mini series.
RW_theoriginal on October 18, 2007 at 7:56 PM
Gee, they offered him a paltry $5 million for a year? What a slap in the face! That barely buys 12,000 iPhones!
Hollowpoint on October 18, 2007 at 7:57 PM
Mattingly, I think. I’ve my fingers crossed proverbially for a melt-down myself. I like Joe and respect Rivera, but the evil empire is the evil empire.
Spirit of 1776 on October 18, 2007 at 7:58 PM
I know you’re a Mets fan Allah, but man that’s harsh.
At least you had a pang of guilt! :P
Bad Candy on October 18, 2007 at 8:01 PM
Terry Francone is gonna be free in a few hours.
JiangxiDad on October 18, 2007 at 8:01 PM
Billy Martin.
That is, if he’s willing to take time off from representing foot-tapping not-gay senators.
Attila (Pillage Idiot) on October 18, 2007 at 8:02 PM
wheres george costanza, Im sure he could talk his way into the job
offroadaz on October 18, 2007 at 8:03 PM
I’m a Mets fan…so the Yanks can do whatever…
But I think it’s a bit strange which manager is here next season, and which isn’t…
JetBoy on October 18, 2007 at 8:04 PM
Or Ron Mexico, the proprietor of Bad Newz Kennelz.
RW_theoriginal on October 18, 2007 at 8:05 PM
Grab Tony LaRussa. Resurrect Tommy LaSorda. Any good Italian will do…
G on October 18, 2007 at 8:11 PM
Probably not Piniella.
RightOFLeft on October 18, 2007 at 8:14 PM
It had BEST NOT BE PINIELLA.
Anwyn on October 18, 2007 at 8:14 PM
Yeah probably Mattingly, which is good, but they really treat their managers like crap there. Very lame.
Dash on October 18, 2007 at 8:19 PM
Zzzzzz…snort…**yawn**
My collie says:
Boooriing. It was MUCH more entertaining when Steinbrenner used to fire Billy Martin,
and then hired him,
and then fired him,
and then hired him,
and on-and-on…ad nauseum.
CyberCipher on October 18, 2007 at 8:19 PM
I hate the Yanks. But you have to respect Torre. The way they treated him today is even more reason to hate them.
nailinmyeye on October 18, 2007 at 8:22 PM
Actually I was hoping the Yankees would rehire Stump Merrill or Bucky Dent.
Hilts on October 18, 2007 at 8:24 PM
Slap in the face? He’d still be the highest paid manager in baseball.
someone on October 18, 2007 at 8:40 PM
I remember the Brox Zoo very well.
My first game was Yanks Redsox on Mothers day in the in the early 70’s, dad got the bench clearing brawl on “Mom’s” new home movie camera.
What Steinbrenner did to Torre was a disgrace, same crap he pulled with Billy Martin, he had no reason to pull that bush league “win or you’re fired” crap on Torre.
Good for Joe T. telling Steinbrenner to stick it!
Mattingly as the next manager?
186k on October 18, 2007 at 8:49 PM
I can’t stand the Yankees, but that is no way to treat Torre. They want a performance based salary for him? Ummm have they looked at the amount they are shelling out for their “talent” that failed to make it past the first round of the playoffs for the third straight year.
Pam on October 18, 2007 at 8:51 PM
When you’re already making 7 million, 5 million is a slap in the face, I guess.
This is good news for the rest of the AL East. I hope it’s Mattingly, because if memory serves, he has never been associated with a championship while with the MFYs.
Now I have to get back to watching the idiot Cleveland fans for one more night…
reaganaut on October 18, 2007 at 8:51 PM
That’s a shame.
I hate the Yankees and always will, but I like Joe Torre. He didn’t deserve that, after what he’s brought to the team.
Screw the Yankees. May they ever wallow in the misery of pretending they’re the best when they’re really the most overrated team in sports.
Good Lt on October 18, 2007 at 8:51 PM
How about this, Yankee fans? You guys can have Willie Randolph.
someone on October 18, 2007 at 8:52 PM
As long as he takes Theo and his computer models with him.
reaganaut on October 18, 2007 at 8:53 PM
Too bad we fans can’t fire Steinbrenner.
He has been screwing over the Yankees for too, too many years.
slp on October 18, 2007 at 9:08 PM
Willie Randolph was the heir apparent prior to taking the Met job…after That Which Shall Remain Nameless (for AP), though, I want no part of Willie as Yankee manager.
Short term, give me Piniella Lite (Girardi). Given his track record with ownership (i.e. his beef with Miami owner Jeff Loria which led him to being fired after winning NLMOY), I sense he won’t put up with any nonsense from Steinbrenner or any of his minions. The corporate choice, though, will likely be Donnie Baseball. Here’s hoping he keeps Bowa as bench coach if that happens.
I have no doubt that this was what we in the car business call a “left-handed firing”. Steinbrenner had to save face after issuing that last ultimatum, and he did so by making Torre an unacceptable offer. Anything less would have confirmed to all that the old man really lost it. No biggie. Torre walks right into the booth, and straight to Cooperstown. All will be forgotten when he unveils his monument at the new Stadium.
Thank you, Mr. Torre.
P.S. For all his Yankee hate, there was no way AP was going to turn his back on an old Met.
Kid from Brooklyn on October 18, 2007 at 9:14 PM
What a shame. They wanted to take him off teachers pay model and pay him for results. Go figure.
Wade on October 18, 2007 at 9:17 PM
I hope there’s a special ring in Hades for the likes of Steinbrenner. Possibly one where he has to watch his team lose the same game over and over again to teams managed by the guys he’s fired(and, of course, the Red Sox).
jeanie on October 18, 2007 at 9:29 PM
sTRangers will take him. 10 million a year I’d offer. Somebody save the sTRangers
Drtuddle on October 18, 2007 at 9:53 PM
Fire Randy Levine.
Kid from Brooklyn on October 18, 2007 at 9:56 PM
Mattingly or Girardi.
marc@hubsandspokes on October 18, 2007 at 10:03 PM
So, AP, who do you favor?
I need to pack that away for a rainy day.
Yankee fans have a memory.
So what was it someone here once said about civilized discourse?
drjohn on October 18, 2007 at 10:58 PM
Next time someone wants to publicly humiliate me with a 5 million dollar contract plus incentives, I’ll be waiting.
I’m a Yankees fan, and Torre had to go. Losing in the first round for 3 consecutive years with all the talent that team had is a joke. He absolutely blew Game 2 with his handling of the pitching staff, taking Pettite out too early, being WAY too concerned with pitch counts in the postseason.
Michael Kay on ESPN Radio said it best: Torre had the best job: when everything goes well, it’s because of him. When everything went bad, it’s everyone BUT him.
And if the Yankees don’t make the playoffs next year? Big deal. Losing…no getting blown out 3 consecutive years in the first round is unacceptable.
asc85 on October 18, 2007 at 10:59 PM
I’m not surprised by the move, this past spring, Yankee management did something similar to the very popular Bernie Williams. They offered up enough of a contract to cover their asses, but too insulting to take.
In my opinion they’re shooing away the wrong guy. Cashman should be the one who is replaced. Year after year an aged pitching staff burns us in the post season, and when you finally think “Well, that’s it, this year they will definitely pick up a young, hot-shot pitcher.” It never happens.
*sad wave* Thanks for the memories Joe, don’t take away too many of our guys when you land your new job.
Memnon on October 18, 2007 at 11:18 PM
Joe Torre has been one of the great Yankee managers in Yankee history, and he has been and is a terrific baseball guy who deserves nothing but respect and affection from all baseball fans. Shame on Steinbrenner for how he has behaved toward Joe Torre. The baseball gods will punish the Ynnkees in the next several years.
Phil Byler on October 18, 2007 at 11:20 PM
if the yankees lose rivera over this, even if hes only got 2 years left in him…it just wouldnt be the yankees. im young enough to have only known a couple years of mattingly yankees…most of my years on this earth ive been following williams and oneil and martinez era yankees. all i have left are jeter and rivera. if we lose rivera…i might just be done with baseball
ernesto on October 18, 2007 at 11:36 PM
The manager can lead the team to victory but he can’t make them drink it. To blame the performance of the Yankees in post-season the last few years — when they got in as the wild card and had to face the best team in the AL — on Torre is uncalled for. Joe is a class act.
But, as they say, you can’t fire the whole team so the manager takes the hit.
But the hit for what? That second-half surge was remarkable. So Joe Torre got them into the post-season when, at the All-Star break, it looked like their season was over, and he gets the raw deal?
I think they’re confusing Torre with A-Rod.
I’m a METS fan, but Torre did not deserve that invitation to decline.
Then again, I’m sure that it was designed that way. The Yankees, out of respect for all he’s done, make a concilitory, but modest, offer and Joe declines the offer to save face. They part on respectable, not bad, terms.
Nice play, Steinbrenner(s). But we all know who got shafted here. Thankfully, though, he leaves with his dignity intact.
Tuning Spork on October 18, 2007 at 11:41 PM
Boy thank God we resigned Charlie Manuel before Torre was cut. It would have been horrible to have to have Joe Torre, Mr. Baseball Manager Himself, to manage the Fightin’ Phillies with out one pennant race in 17 years.
Vincenzo on October 19, 2007 at 12:29 AM
The same people who ragged on Torre all year saying he isnt making the right moves and the Yankees are done, are now saying the Yankees suck cuz they released a great manager. I guess thats what a Yankee hater does. However, dont bury the Yankees even if Rivera and Posada and Pettite do go. They are indeed, still the richest team in baseball and with the Steinbrenner torch being passed down to his sons…they will feed this monster. Last year there was a shortage of good free agents but this year there is a better lot. The Yankees actually apologized to you all for not winning the World Series..thats a true winning spirit. I luv being a Republican Yankee fan. At least we all agree Pelosi sux.
malkinmania on October 19, 2007 at 12:36 AM
So what? No sympathy for anyone involved. I’d do cheetah flips for 5 mill to coach a farging GAME.
rotorhead on October 19, 2007 at 3:28 AM
The salary cut -was- intended to drive him away. I hope the Yankees melt down over it. It was a classless, ignorant way to handle things.
dogsoldier on October 19, 2007 at 6:51 AM
Joe Torre manages pitchers as though there is always another ten games in the season. That’s one cause for the quick exits. I thank Joe for his effort but it is time to move on.
The Yankees have a great nucleus of young talent and they also have some extra baggage. Some cleaning is in order. There may be a couple of lean years but they will be back.
drjohn on October 19, 2007 at 7:28 AM
An offer of $5 million with incentives for $3 million more is public humiliation? Only in spoiled, decadent America.
Despite 7 years of failure including losing in the first round for three years in a row with the most expensive team in baseball history, the guy wes fortunate not to be fired outright.
MaiDee on October 19, 2007 at 9:31 AM
Donny Baseball is the next Yankee manager, unless he has a moment of clarity and realizes he’d just be making himself the next feature attraction of the New Zoo.
There’s no question that Steinbrenner didn’t want the negative press of directly firing the beloved Torre, so he extended an insulting offer sure to be rejected.
The only question remaining is how poorly the players take to Steinbrenner’s lack of guts or class. Hmm, not really, I’m sure every one of them already new Big George for what he is. The second worst owner in professional sports.
Freelancer on October 19, 2007 at 10:00 AM
And what other team has a better record than the Yankees for the past 12 years? 12 straight years in the playoffs and you consider that a failure, a reason to fire? Let’s hope you are not judged by the same standards at your work.
right2bright on October 19, 2007 at 10:03 AM
right2bright Absolute failure. Torre started off great with 4 World Series wins.
Since then:
1 He lost his last 2 World series including to the mediocre Florida team.
2 He is the ONLY manager in history to blow a 3-0 series lead (vs. Red Sox) in the playoffs.
3 He has lost in the playoffs five years in a row never making it back to the World Series.
4 He never made it past the first round in the playoff three years in a row.
5 With the Yankees talent my pet parrot could take them to the playoffs. So there.
MaiDee on October 19, 2007 at 10:25 AM
Memnon,
Yep. He paid Clemens over $4 million per win. That’s just nuts, and it isn’t Torre’s fault.
Pablo on October 19, 2007 at 10:37 AM
F__ Steinbrenner right in the ear. All his money can’t buy him a world series. boo fricking hoo!
Joe Torre is a class act.
Go Braves! (we remember ya, Joe!)
the front office of the yankees ain’t fit to shine Scheurholtz’s shoes.
Not that i thought about it or anything.
JazzBass on October 19, 2007 at 12:01 PM
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