Joe Torre is holding a hold a press conference at 2 p.m. at the Hilton Rye Town hotel. Read Jim Baumbach's story here.
2:01 PM. Waiting for Joe Torre to appear at the press conference. Camera crews set, talking heads making time.
2:03 PM. Joe Torre appears. Makes joke about his bald spot.
2:04 PM. Thanks George Steinbrenner for "trusting me with his club for the last 12 years." Seems to choke up. Thanks players and coaches, support staff.
2:05 PM."You can't thank people without thanking the fans...it's a special place." Says he had nothing to do with rally on Wednesday.
2:06 PM. Decided he wanted to talk to the participants face to face, to get his say. The meeting lasted 20 minutes. "I just felt the contract offer, the terms of the contract was the thing I had the toughest time with."
2:07 PM. Mentions the players, says winning the World series was the goal every year. Incentive was not a good thing for him or players.
2:08 PM. Thanks Brian Cashman for his support in 2006 with the contract extension.
2:09 PM. "Players have gone the extra mile..made my job a lot easier. The clubhouse was whole..." Starts fielding questions.
2:10 PM. "It's like going to the doctor and expecting the results", Torre says about the experience.
2:14 PM. Felt insulted by offer. "Discouraged by spot, never moved from offer they made."
2:16 PM. "Five million dollars is a lot of money...the fact that someone is reducing your salary is an indication to me that they are not satisfied with your performance." Hints that he would have taken a pay-cut, though.
2:17 PM. Goes down memory lane..."Can't tell you how exciting, appreciative, memorable this whole experience has been." Hard to tell whether he's slightly choking out of emotion.
2:18 PM. "I'm probably still not there yet... I was prepared for this. Talking about his experience of leaving."
2:19 PM. Will he accept a reoffer: "In order for something work...there's a certain trust that has to be earned." Long answer: no.
2:20PM. Explains that Steinbrenners seem "unwaverable."
2:22 PM. Surprised? "After last year, I don't think I can say surprised...we all know George is that hard taskmaster that wants to get his money's worth." Says two weeks to figure out whether they wanted him back made the offer a "little suspicious."
2:24 PM. Will miss most the players, the game and the coaches. "Dealing with people on an everyday basis..winning a battle."
2:27 PM. Who will he recommend? "I'm not sure I'm a position to recommend anybody, I just lost my job." Mentions coaches, not naming anyone. Doesn't sure if mentioning a name will help or hurt.
2:28 PM. Advice for the new guy: Don't be distracted. "The only you get accross to the players, you're paid to play, and on the results."
2:28 PM. About Steinbrenner: Felt that he needed to win every season, for New York.
2:29 PM.Regrets: Not on the 2003 series with Red Sox, covers every. Should have gone out himself during the bug swarm in Game 2 in the ALDS in Cleveland.
2:33 PM. Winning the World Series for a few years appears to be easy, but it's not. Little things change outcomes, it's a crapshoot in the 3-game series, he says.
2:34 PM. The Steinbrenners are still in charge.
2:35 PM. Is at peace with decision. People in grocery stores come up to him and ask him not to leave.
2:36 PM. Says that money was not the biggest obstacle.
2:38 PM. A lot of players called him. Leaves door wide open for managing again.
2:39 PM. His contract ends on December 1st, but "I'm free to listen right now" on managerial offers.
2:41 PM. Stumbles on whether he'd be willing to throw first pitch in the new Yankee Stadium. "I wouldn't be able to answer that right now," answers very evasively. His body language said NO, however.
2:42 PM. Final words to supporters. There are a lot of big hearts, mentions Giambi's return.
2:42 PM. "I've you would have told me this 20 years ago, I would have said you were crazy." Just drew a huge "please hire me" sign.
2:43 PM. Thinks that Cashman was on his side, but after he made renegotiating pitch to management yesterday, he did not get a direct reply.
2:47 PM. Jokes about wife's response, does not answer question about how she felt about his decision.
2:50 PM. Comments that it felt strange never having played for the Yankees and still managing them. "I still feel very much like a visitor to the organization."
2:54 PM. Asked a question about Levine and player motivation. Fields it right back to Levine.
2:55 PM. Both Girardi and Mattingly have been exposed to what's going on. "They'd go in with their eyes wide open."
2:57 PM. So what happens now? Says spare time will be more difficult, but will enjoy his family, maybe a trip to Wimbledon, major horse races in the summer. "It's not going to be as exciting as the win and losses."
2:59 PM. Talks about money, "I don't expect another ball club to pay me what the Yankees paid me, at the start." We might see his resume in Careerbuilder pretty soon.
3:00 PM. Takes a swipe about fan expectations. Says after the Arizona loss in 2001, he felt "fans were a little spoiled. There was very wiggle room in this whole expectation game."
Complete Joe Torre coverage here.
Comments (129)
Everyone in the Media blaming Yankees president Randy Levine because The way He handle Joe's situation..
The Yankees give Joe extension of $19 million in 2004 after Redsox collapse . The Yankees didn't fire Joe back then? Grady Little was fired because He left Pedro too long, Why did Larry " Lucifer" Lucchinno didn't get fire back then? I don't see Media complaining back then about Lucchinno's Job security?
Grady was an incompetent manager and has proved it with his rancid job with the Dodgers this year.
Comparing Joe Torre to Grady Little is like comparing Frank Sinatra with some guy warbling on American Idol
Joe Torre is was a terrific presence in NY - he was not a terrific manager. That said, I will miss him.
He was the right man for the team for a long time...
The Yankees will respond with how well their pitching staff pitches
The difference between Joe and Grady is Joe has won more four more rings than Grady Little. Grady Little has zero rings..
Second, Joe and Grady who can't manage the Bullpen.. Both Managers are awful in bullpen management.
Agreed Sully.
Joe Torre was considered a joke of a hire until the Yankees won the WS - so too will the next one be judged.
Question is, why is it alright for everyone in the media to call the Yankees a $200 million failure for not winning the World Series but when Steinbrenner considers not winning a world series a failure he's being irrational?
I loves me some Joe T.!
Jim A.,
I was listening on line and guess the site got overloaded - what comment got that reaction from you?
I think down the road, in a few years after everyone has calmed down - there will be a "Joe Torre Day" at Yankee Stadium - his #6 will be retired and a plaque will go up in his honor.
Chip,
Just his comments about the NY fans, life in NY in general. He's just a good person is all I'm saying.
Anon... Grady did sooooooo much more than wet the bed in the bullpen
Look at the disarray of the Dodgers this year and the fact that they became lifeless tomato cans by the end of the season.
Put Torre in the Dodger role. I'm not saying they win the pennant (I mean who can beat the juggernaut Rockies?) but they remain competitive...
Put Grady in the Yankees and he'll lift A-Rod as a pinch runner in the 6th, let Clemens pitch the 8th while trailing 13-2 and have Rivera pitch 133 games in a row
Chip,
He got weird about throwing out the first pitch in the new stadium.
Also bit his tongue when taking a question from an ESPN reporter...he hates ESPN.
Jim A.,
I agree completely. He's a phenomenal man. And leaves big shoes to fill.
The next manager will have to win or people will fry him in the press - much like whomever replaces Mo will be run out of town for not being immortal.
Joe should be thanking the yanks and George. George took a chance on him yrs ago. If it wasnt foe george and the players he provided Joe with every yr he might never have won. Joe had great talent onhis teams every yr. He is great at managing the players and egos, but never great when it comes to on the field stuff. He hasnt been good since he got totally outmanaged in the bos choke a few yrs back.
Jim A.,
It wouldn't shock me at all if this situation was similar to the one with George and Yogi - he's a proud man and obviously (got the audio back) that pride was hurt. But in the end, he's going to the hall of fame as a manager because of the Yankees, and he knows it.
Jay, the first thing he did was a lengthy thank you to the Yankees and Steinbrenner.
Sory, I did not hear that part my bad. I am at work and only seeing the comments above All I am saying is he is a great guy and will be missed. But, I dont think he was ever a great great manager.
I don't get the impression, listening to him, that he's going to manage anywhere again.
Joe doesn't like Randy Levine, this I can tell.
Torre deserves better than this.
Right now you are seeing the main thing the Yankees are going to miss...
The ability to charm the media and keep the Levines (more the Steinbrenners) out of the clubhouse and focused on winning
Let's see how well Girardi or Mattingly does that
Why knows? They might be great
Everyone thought Showalter was the best guy
Jim.
There has been lots of talk for years that because George didn't really like Joe that Randy (in an effort to suck up) was often the one twisting a knife in Joe's back.
Jay,
No, he wasn't a great strategist, you are correct. Sometimes the good strategists can't make it because of their personalities (Valentine, Showalter come to mind).
He was just the right guy at the right time and I tip my hat to him and I'd love to see him get into the HOF.
Chip,
Yep, I read that in somebody's column today, I think Wally Matthews.
Levine is a big suck up for sure.
AGAIN I still do not get how the same members of the press who use headlines like "$200 Million Down the Drain" when the Yankees don't win a title can get on the people running the organization who actually write those checks then when they basically feel the same way.
Ya, he is definitely a HOF. Showalter helped built this team in the beginning before he left. Joe walked into a winning situation. When he came in he was great, and braught alot of small ball to the club. Then as the yrs went on and not joes fault but they went away from that. Started signing big names, no small ball. They need to go back to that whoever the new mgr is.
You guys nailed it. Not a whole lot one could say on his ability to manage a game, but he could handle the most overbearing media and fans that exist for a sports team in the US.
Jay,
Showalter and the under appreciated Bob Watson too. How did Watson not get another job?
Jim, I know you'll think I'm nuts, but I think Bobby V would be a great manager for the Yankees.
He knows dealing with NY and the pressure. He's been a winning manager. He doesn't throw players under the bus. And he's got a personality that can handle it.
Watson did get another job - he's now working for MLB as their dean of discipline.
I actually wouldnt mind Bobby V either. Talk about a good mgr. He brought a bad mets team into the WS. But, i think Girardi will be good. As much as i love Donny baseball I am not sure if he is ready. O, and also dont forget gene michael. He had alot to do with building the team. What are your thoughts on Arod??
Chip,
Nah, I don't think your nuts. I have thought about it and I believe he runs a great game, but I just can't see he and the LevineBrenners getting along.
Chip... the nanosecond Bobby V started pulling his "I'm the smartest guy in the room" act, he might have Jeter smash him with a bat
Hey!
It's Kat!
I'd rather have an exciting season that lead to the playoffs every year with the hope of winning the World Series then be mired in last place with no hope at all...think KC, Tampa, Pittsburgh and their fans.
Since you are a long time Yankee fan I guess you have forgotten how it felt to come in 2nd place or worse every year like we did it he 80's. I guess you prefer a revolving door of managers instead of the stability of someone who can guide their team on to productive seasons.
Poor Joe ...worst thing that he did was win those 4 WS in 5 years. The Yankees spoiled the fans into thinking we are going to win every year because we are the NY Yankees. Unfortunately someone had better advise the other 29 teams that would love to beat us..I don't think they realize they are suppose to grovel at our feet and lose.
I would LOVE to win the World Series every year ...even if it did get boring...but...I also enjoy a FULL season of exciting, fun baseball even if we don't win it EVERY year. There was plenty of excitement this year starting with the amazing comeback, Arod's unbelievable year, the emergence of Hughes, Joba, Kennedy so that we may have a glimpse of the new and improved Yankee farm system and the amazing future players coming up. The return of Andy Pettitte. I went to so many games and loved every minute of it...I was at the final playoff game and didn't love every minute of that ..but..CLEVELAND PLAYED BETTER ...they had PITCHING...that's basically it.
Win or lose I'm a Yankee fan ...I'm not a fan of a team or manager ONLY when they win rings. I'm a fan because I love the team and I have a renewed hope every season we will be at the top again. I'm just realistic enough to know it's not going to happen every season but I have the joy of knowing it MIGHT !!!
Go Yankees 2008 !!!
Sully - good point, but I think that Jeter has enough respect for the organization that whomever they name as manager will get his respect. And I also don't think that Bobby would pull that with the Yankees. Nor do I think he would come out in a funny nose and glasses.
Who will hold Jeter's bat now Joe isn't manager of the Yankees?
If the yankees really wanted Joe back, they'd have gotten Joe back... when was the last time the yankees let a lousy couple of million stand between them and someone with 4 World Series under their belt?
Read Goose Gossage's book.
Bobby V was always playing the smartest guy in the room card
Did it in NY
Did it in Japan
Did it on ESPN
He needs a young team who will eat his sh-t... not stable veterans
Anon -
I'm not saying the Yankees should be expected to win the world series every year - I'm simply saying that it is the biggest double standard of them all for the same members of the media who smash the Yankees for not winning the world series despite spending as much as they do to now smash the owner for essentially agreeing with them.
Who will hold Jeter's bat now J that oe isn't manager of the Yankees?
It's Carlos Delgado Fault. I blame him for holding Jeter's jersey. Why can't He have Beckett Jersey instead of Jeter?
Pinstripes,
Jeez, you stole that just about line for line from Johnette Howard's article in today's Newsday.
Rob Dibble is blasting the Yanks on XM, using words like "gutless, classless".
Is it wrong that I half expected Joe to close the press conference by saying, "now if you'll excuse me, I need to get some Bigalow Green Tea?"
Joe, why did you pitch Weaver over Mo against Florida?
Dude's a nice guy but awful manager. Can't wait for the Tona Pena Era!!!
Jim,
Well if anyone would know gutless and classless it's Rob Dibble.
Ok - so we've all heard the same names - but lets assume the job doesn't go to Girardi or Mattingly - give me some names of potential Dark Horse managers.
I'm going with:
Bobby V
Joel Skinner (3b coach of the tribe and former Yankee)
Frank Robinson
Robbie Thompson (Yankee special instructor and organizational roving instructor)
Mike Hargrove
Ron Roenick - Angels' bench coach (after all they have beaten them enough...)
Alan Trammel
How come no one has mentioned Luis Soho. I think he would have the fire and would motivate the players. Is he even with the Yankee orginization anymore? Wasn't he managing in the minors?
I love the "fire up the player" consensus
Wasn't it Joe's calmness during the rough patch that kept the Yankees ship afloat?
It HAS to be someone that has the clubhouse's respect
I guess that narrows it to Girardi (who should get it) or Mattingly (who probably will)
Seriously, Bowa's sh*t would fly for one hour
if Willie was avail I would have said Willie.
Bowa should stay as a coach at the least - he's the guy who won't let young players like Cano get lazy.
Lord no not Willie - another wonderful man whom I have the utmost respect for, but clueless when it comes to handling a pitching staff - which is not really shocking since he learned much of his manging skills from Torre.
Soho! Soho! Soho! Soho!
Jim A.
Nope, haven't read the article, but if thats what she said - I completely agree.
Are you taking issue with the comment?
Anon, if you're going to campaign for the dude you should at least spell his name correctly - it is Luis SOJO
Actually Anon is referring to the fact he rented a loft on Greene Street and is excited about it.
So SoHo is correct
Alright so I spelled it wrong. Can't I have a little fun? Is Luis still with the organization?
Sojo is as good a suggestion as some of the names mentioned above, and just as likely to be seriously considered for the position.
Bowa, Stottlemyre to join Mariners coaching staff?
[quote]
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/rumors/post/Bowa-Stottlemyre-to-join-Mariners-coaching-staf?urn=mlb,49870
Manager John McLaren says he is "very close" to finalizing his coaching staff.
From all indications, Former Yankees pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre will become the pitching coach, Eddie Rodriguez the first-base coach, Norm Charlton the bullpen coach, Jim Riggleman the bench coach, and probably Larry Bowa the third-base coach.
The Mariners are expected to name the entire staff when all the pieces are in place. As of Thursday night, all but one of the selections had been finalized.
Source: MLB.com [/quote]
Randy Levine is the guy being painted as the bad guy in this - which is fine.
Bottom line - this is the first time that Cashman has had to hire a manager and he does so with only one year remaining on his contract. Talk about hot seat.
I know Sojo was in the lower minors for a couple of years, I think right now though that he's working out of the Yankee Dominican Baseball Academy.
I also hear that Tony Peña is the front runner for the Pittsburgh job.
Bowa won't take a job until he hears what's going on with the Yankees
I liked Sojo. I think he would do a better job then Mattingly. He has more years of coaching experience and he would defitinitly fire up his team.
A couple of weeks ago one of the City tabs ran a poll. The count showed that about 2/3 of respondents preferred Torre, half of the remainder wanted Girardi, a quarter of the remainder wanted Mattingly, and the rest were scattered (basically 'other').
The interesting part of that result to me was that twice as many wanted Girardi as wanted Mattingly.
Obviously the next manager will not be chosen by election, but it does hint at how the public might respond to the new manager if it is one of those two, as most people seem to think it will be.
I just looked onlne. Sojo is the manager of the team in Tampa.
According to Michael Kay The Yankees really wanted Joe Back. I think reason Why Joe didn't accept offer from Yankees because He can't guaranteed Yankees ownership n winning championship ext year. Joe doesn't think This team has no shot of winning WS next year.
Michael Kay has been known to serve as the mouthpiece for the Levine faction in Tampa.
I think Sojo is an inspired choice
He is beloved in the organization, was an underrated winner and Jeter talks about his tripping on the shoelaces in 2000 relaxed that team that ended the season badly and looked awful in the first game of the playoffs to go 11-4 the rest of the way in the playoffs.
He was a coach, a player, a Yankee who loved the organization (read the Olney book about how stunned Sojo was to play for the Pirates for a few months) and unlike Mattingly has been a manager.
Sojo actually makes more sense than Mattingly except that Mattingly was the poster boy for the Yankees during a bad era.
(Kind of like the Red Sox making Mo Vaughn the manager or the Mets making Todd Hundley manager)
Randy Levine running the Yankees = Jim Dolan running the Knicks
I don't think the Steinbrenners will let the same thing happen to the Yankees that has happened to MSG and its teams.
If I had f*cking gun, I shoot the motherf*cker seriously..
I have always said Torre was a classy guy and his strengths were handling the NY media and the egos on the team. His weaknesses were his poor game management and lack of motivational personality (see bump on the log).
I say Paul O'Neill for manager. He was the fire and heartbeat of those championship teams!
Teams go in cycles and different style managers are needed at different times for teams. That's why Billy would follow Bob Lemon and vice versa. They were exact opposites. Like Ying and Yang.
JT's time has come and gone. It is time now for the opposite style of manager. We need some fire, intensity, focus, and motivation. Sorry, but Donnie ain't it.
PinStripes- No, I agree with the comment as well. Just thought it was weird that it's exactly what Howard said in the paper.
Chip-
Frank Robinson? Mike Hargrove? Huh? No way either of those guys are even considered. I like Frank, but the NY media would shatter him and Hargrove just quit on a team in first place at the time.
Sojo encountered some issues and left the single A team he was managing, didn't he? I don't recall what happened exactly.
I can't vouch for the validity of this at all, but the rumor I heard about Sojo was that he was too focused on winning, rather than serving as a holding station for those on the way down and nursery school for those on the way up.
Quick side note:
Chris Russo just said that the Yankees will bring in a disposable manager - an older manager who has been with a couple of clubs, that no one really thinks of as a long term solution.
Doesn't that pretty much describe how Torre was perceived when he got the job 12 years ago?
absolutely not on O'Neill - more to the point I don't think he would take it if offered.
Sojo would not be a bad choice - kind of like a classy version of Ozzie Guillen.
I have a little issue with the 3:00PM entry of the Torre press conference. Torre did not "take a swipe" about fan expectations. He made a joke about how fans expect so much and that when they lost the 2001 WS on the last pitch, a fan he was giving an autograph told him "you'll do better next year". He was making light of it.
Joe, we'll miss you. But you did the right thing walking away. You should have been held in higher esteem by the Yanks, something that didn't happen this time.
As a die hard Sox fan, I can definitely speak for a lot of fans saying we'll miss the rivalry with the Torre-led squad, it was truly a great run. You were a great manager with NY and will always be respected by the fans of the RSN.
Gammons on Beckett all about reliability
[quote]
http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?name=gammons_peter&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fespn%2fblog%2findex%3fname%3dgammons_peter
There is no true comparable, not Bob Gibson or Jack Morris or Curt Schilling. When Josh Beckett stands on the mound, he has the air of the ultimate teammate, one who exudes reliability and responsibility. And Thursday night he stared into the eyes of elimination and the Cleveland Indians as if he were throwing a side session in June.
Beckett has pitched three games this postseason, and won all three; the Red Sox went home to Boston Friday with five postseason victories. This October, he has pitched 21 innings, allowed 13 hits and two runs, walked one and struck out 26 -- unbelievable numbers -- and in his career has pitched in eight postseason games and has a 1.78 ERA. "He has," says teammate Alex Cora, "that rare combination of great talent and the burning desire to be great. It's unbelievable to watch."
Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis have that burning obsession for greatness. They just don't have Beckett's God-given ability, as if more than a handful do. After Beckett shut out the Angels in the ALDS opener then blitzed the Indians in the ALCS opener, I searched for the appropriate word to describe the 27-year-old Bob Gibson of this generation. "Reliability" came to mind, which he liked. "That," said Beckett, "is how I want to be perceived by my teammates." And they appreciate that he cares only to be judged by those teammates, allowing the media to judge him by performance, not words.
While he was 94 to 98 mph with his fastball, on Thursday he had dominant command of his we-gotta-get-outta-this-place curveball and spotted his changeup and running, sinking, two-seam fastball.
"Josh never stops trying to be great," says pitching coach John Farrell. "'Special' doesn't do him justice."
Terry Francona and Farrell deserve credit for backing Beckett off during the season, so that he is as fresh now as he's been. Ironically, one reason Beckett will likely lose the Cy Young Award to C.C. Sabathia is the 43 fewer innings he threw than his Cleveland counterpart, but those 43 innings may be a major reason he is at full throttle in October while Sabathia is struggling for his command. Making certain that Beckett was in perfect shape was one reason Beckett was not rushed back in a panic to pitch Game 4 on three days' rest. It worked, of course, but some of the reaction in Boston -- where Red Sox Nation has become more anything-less-than-the-world-championship-is-failure than Yankee Nation -- makes one wonder why Francona would even consider an extension past 2008, if he were so offered.
*****
• It appears Tony La Russa will re-up with Cardinals owner Bill DeWitt in the next few days with a three-year extension. The GM search will be postponed until after the World Series because DeWitt is hoping to lure Indians assistant Chris Antonetti. But Antonetti, one of the game's brightest and strongest value-based executives, is not certain to leave Cleveland, so Rick Hahn of the White Sox may remain the front-runner.
• After all Joe Torre brought to the Yankees in terms of winning, values and dignity, to be pushed out by a transparent "take it and leave it" offer was one thing, but for his adversary Randy Levine to 1) make reference to the Yankees' offer as the highest in the game (wow, is Levine calling Joe a mercenary?), and 2) talk about "a performance-based model" was a vile, tawdry embarrassment to the Steinbrenner family. During the playoffs, media members found it amusing to listen to Levine criticize Torre in the press box, but his Thursday statements were an affront to the Yankee tradition
• The Pirates would love to have Farrell as their manager. He may be the only person in the sport who will be a manager and a general manager before he retires.
[b]• Former Indians pitching coach Mike Brown, who scouted the American League playoffs for Arizona, was the pitching coach for the Nippon Ham Fighters. He says 21-year-old Yu Darvish "is the best young pitcher in the world," and predicts a major posting war in the near future for the 6-foot-5 right-hander who allowed 123 hits and struck out 210 in 207 2/3 innings this past season.[/b]
• When team physicians tell you five Red Bulls are more dangerous than amphetamines (greenies), one realizes what a thoughtless scattershot MLB's drug hunt might be.
[b]• Scott Boras' search for leverage to get the Yankees to the level he wants for Alex Rodriguez begs the question: Can he get the Mets involved, regardless of position?
• Two teams say their personnel people in Venezuela say the danger level is so great they worry about the viability of sending American players to that winter league, and are concerned that the league itself may have trouble completing its season.[/b]
[/quote]
something tells me the Yankee/Sox rivalry will not be any less intense with a new manager. Speaking of Yankees/Sox here's another name to throw into the mix:
Mike Stanley - long time Yankee catcher, served as bench coach in Boston for a few years after he retired. Calm, even demeanor - and as we all know, catchers make pretty good managers. He hasn't been in baseball since 2003 though. According to Wikipedia he retired to spend more time with his family.
How much more dysfunctional can a front office get than to have the team president sit in the press box 'amusing the media' with criticisms of the coach DURING THE PLAYOFFS???
Gammons: "During the playoffs, media members found it amusing to listen to Levine criticize Torre in the press box, but his Thursday statements were an affront to the Yankee tradition."
Sorry, I left out the name of the loathsome Levine, to whom gammons referred.
Here is the question that all of this brings up.
Will the next manager, whomever it is, be forced in his first year to win a world series or face harsh criticisms and comparisons to Joe Torre. If the Yankees lose in the ALDS (assuming they make the playoffs) will we, as Yankee fans, have to listen to knuckleheads chirping about how "well now they should fire him like they did Joe."
Personally, I think this is a story until a new manager is brought in and then Free Agency takes center stage - and then it becomes a story again in Spring Training and when the team hits its first bump.
Overall though, I think we're all adults and realize that this is part of the business of the game.
Dysfunctional and loathsome indeed.
Even Gammons can see it.
But you know he was the person in that press box who was most amused by the snide talk.
HGH - we covered earlier that Levine has sucked up to the Boss by being pretty vocal in his dislike for Torre.
Bottom line is however you slice it, if the manager and owner don't see eye to eye the owner is going to win. The way it was handled stunk but I don't begrudge the Yankees the right to change manager.
I think that's the big thing. If the Yankees had just fired Joe this isn't a big deal - but the way it was handled made it worse. In fairness it is the first time that Hank or Hal have had to fire a manager so you'll have to give them some leeway for not having their father's experience at it.