Joe Torre

By: Ronald Blum, AP

NEW YORK - Joe Torre rejected a $5 million, one-year contract to return as manager of the New York Yankees on Thursday. Torre, who had held the job since 1995, made an unannounced trip from New York to the team's spring training complex in Tampa, Fla., accompanied by general manager Brian Cashman and chief operating officer Lonn Trost.

Yankees president Randy Levine said Torre turned down the offer during the meeting, which lasted about one hour.

"It is now time for the New York Yankees to move forward," Levine said.

Torre made $7.5 million this year, the final season of a $19.2 million, three-year contract. His new deal would have included substantial bonuses for each round of the playoffs the team reached.

"We felt we needed to go to a performance-based mode," Levine said. "We thought it was very fair. It clearly was at the top of the market, but we respect Joe's decision."

Bench coach Don Mattingly is the leading contender to replace Torre. Yankees broadcaster Joe Girardi, the NL Manager of the Year with Florida in 2006, is another top contender.

Cashman said there will be a full search for a replacement.

Just 10 days ago, the Yankees were bounced out of the first round of the playoffs for the third straight year.





If I were Atlanta GM Frank Wren....get rid of Bobby Cox and go after Joe Torre.

 

i dont think so

Cox may be a post-season choker but he has done a good job with alot less payroll than Torre had to work with.

 

I think this ranks up there with dumb moves like the Chargers firing Schottenheimer.

 

That's because you're an idiot. If Cox wanted to retire (which he presumably will in '08 anyway), then going after Torre would make sense. But Torre is not an upgrade over Cox.


hanger4:
The Chargers waited until all the good coaching candidates were gone, and it's pretty clear that Torre had run his course in New York. He's not at his best when it comes to handling young players, especially young pitchers, and he doesn't seem to be motivating his charges. I think he did a great job in New York, but I also think it was very much time for both sides to move on.

 

Good for Torre. Fuck the Yankees

 

I am glad Torre didn't take this offer. They offer him 1-year 5 million for what he has done for the Yanks.

Torre will get a great offer from another team and not have to put up with the BS George will give him. I could see Larussa maybe going to the Yanks and Torre taking the head job at St. Louis.

 

If idiocy is defined as wishing my team would win the top prize instead of just settling for a lowly division title, then I'm guilty as charged. I think Torre would do well and would help develop the current player more efficiently.

And can you not say anything nice at all? When someone makes a comment, you cant just comment and move on instead you have to insult then comment. Can you not just say your peace without the insults?

 

What did Torre do before he joined the Yanks? Not trying to knock the guy but if he decides to manage elsewhere it will be interesting to see what he can do without that payroll and the superstars it brings.

 

What did Torre do for the Yankees? He had the highest payroll in baseball and the best players. I could have coached a couple of those Championship teams.

He got way too much credit when they won and way too much blame when they lost. 7.5 million is a joke for a baseball manager. They do very little. He made 4.5 million more than Pinella who was the next highest paid.

 

Theres more to it than just coaching. You have the put the best line-up in there to get you a win. If people are injured or hurting, then you have to work around that. The pressure in playing a market like New York is probably the toughest in the majors. When playing the Yanks, people are always out to beat you. Them and the Red Sox are the reason most teams will sell out their stadium is when either of those teams comes to town. The pressure to perform and win is tough. Torre had to deal with George, the media, the fans, and a pitching staff that saw 23 different starters this year.

What did he do? Won 4 championships. Led them to 13th straight playoff appearances. Before this year they had won the AL East 9 straight times. Only manager to have 2,000 wins and 2,000 hits. Hit his first ML HR off Nolan Ryan. So yea, as a team and individual, they did very little.


George had the best talent money could buy. When you have that much talent, somebody has to coach them and maybe the next guy will take them to 8 straight World Series wins. But with having the highest payroll doesn't equal out to World Series rings(even though George thinks that). It's about having the team play together and thats the problem that faces the Yanks every year. They never play as a team but as a person. That's why they are sitting at home and watching teams like the Rockies and Indians who play for each other going further than the Yanks. Torre can try to get them to play as a team, but it comes down to the players themselves and they havent done that. They know they have the best team in baseball but teams that play as a team, will do better in the longrun.