[Idorsearogele]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/scorec...ticleID=176616

Sunday, October 08, 2006

Report: Torre likely to be fired

New York, NY (Sports Network) - Joe Torre has led the New York Yankees to the playoffs in each of his 11 seasons as the team's manager, but now he's reportedly set to be fired.

The Yankees, who won the AL East for a ninth straight season, were bounced from the playoffs on Saturday, losing to the Detroit Tigers, 8-3, in Game 4 of their American League Division Series. The Yankees lost the final three games and at one point had a 20-inning scoreless streak.

The New York Daily News reports club owner George Steinbrenner will likely pull the plug on Torre and replace him with Lou Piniella, who managed the Yankees from 1986-88. The newspaper reports general manager Brian Cashman and most of the front office employees are expected to keep their jobs.

Torre, according to the report, could also resign. The Yankees won the World Series in four of Torre's first five seasons as manager, but the club has been ousted in the first round of the playoffs each of the last two years.

Piniella led the Yankees to winning records in each of his three seasons, but the team never made the playoffs.

The 63-year-old Piniella has been working as a television analyst for baseball games. He most recently managed the Tampa Bay Devil Rays from 2003-05, but that team didn't have anywhere near what the payroll had in comparison to the $200 million Yankees.

Piniella went 200-285 in three years at Tampa Bay. He has also skippered for Cincinnati (1990-92) and Seattle (1993-2002) and was adorned as Manager of the Year twice, in 1995 and 2001. His 1990 Reds won the World Series.

As for Torre, this year was considered an underachievement even though the Yankees finished tied for the best record in the majors. New York hasn't won a World Series since 2000 and the Yankees are just 3-10 in postseason play since going 3-0 up on the Red Sox in the 2004 ALCS.

Torre's 11th appearance in postseason play with the Yankees, surpassed Casey Stengel (10) for the most postseason appearances by any manager in American League history.

The 64-year-old Torre has one season left on his three-year, $19.2 million pact. He's due to make $7 million next year.

[Malinguenem]

It will be sad to see Torre go.. I like him..But every good thing must come to an end, I guess..

[mtvlover571]

I hope Joe quits instead of letting Steinbrenner fire him.

But it might be tough to walk away from $7,000,000

[Loonerisav]

He is not going anywhere, at least for another season.))))))

[GinaIsWild]

Eh, he'll quit and run for mayor.

[Jjfotqse]

^^^ I think he would have a chance...

[TaliaJack]

New York Times: Joe Torre Haiku Contest

[Ferkilort]

Joe walks away from $5 million. Wow...25 families could comfortably live on $200,000 a year carved out of that salary. I'm not suggesting any kind of redistribution of wealth, but come on. Everybody is feeling sorry for a guy who willingly passes on a $5 million paycheck? If Steinbrenner wants to hire me for even a tenth of that whopping amount, I'll sign on that dotted line in a second.

[Zvssxstw]

You are being silly now Bob.

I do not feel sorry for him, but I believe the $5M was a pay cut. Also, compare the coach, the "leader" to teh players. How much respect does a coach get from his players when they all know they are being paid MUCH more than him? Who do you think the owners would listen to more? The ones they have the most money with.

So whatever. I do not think he would be offered as much as the players, but somehow saying that he should take what was offered and be happy is a little unfair.

[gorbasevhuynani]

^^

at $5MM he would still be the highest paid manager in baseball by 25% (Pinella is next at $3.9MM) so I am not sure the 'players not looking up to you because you do not make enough money' thing really works.. I mean other managers are able to command the respect of their players while earning significantly less.

To me the structure of the contract was a problem. For one thing, it was only a year which makes the mid-year fire him and buy him out option relatively inexpensive. The lack of security not only effects Torre but to an extent the team as a whole. In addition, adding perfomance clauses to a manager's contract is a bit tacky and disrespectful and further undermines his authority.

Basically had he accepted, Torre would have been forced to manage from a weak position next year and that would not have been good for anyone.

[duncanalisstmp]

It wasnt the 5 million as much as those ABSURD incentives that they attached to the contract. Any competitve person at that level would not put themselves in a position where they can earn more $$ to be succesful. It would tarnish his integrity, and I think (if I was Joe anyways) it would have played on his conscience had he actually won.

I always had a bit of a soft spot for the Yankees because of Joe Torre, now that he was ousted I could totally dislike them. I hope that they hire LaRussa and crash and burn with him.

[ASSESTYTEAH]

The entire Torre removal episode was badly handled.

At least old man Steinbrenner, when he was in full control, would have fired him immediately, and taken the heat. Now you have a nameless committee, ownership and those that speak for ownership, crafting a document that was intended to insulate them from criticism. Ironically, that document and the manner in which it was presented, is what is drawing the most criticism, not that Torre is no longer manager.

From a financial standpoint, the contract was ridiculous. As noted in the media, the extra money amounted to what was paid for two starts by the Rocket. Chump change for an organization that paid through the nose for Wright and Igawa.

It has been mentioned that the Yankees paid out $1 billion in salary since 2000, and not won anything. Excuse me, but payroll is business, so if you're going to talk business, where do the Yankees stand financially?

From a baseball standpoint, the removal was short sighted. Funny how in baseball it's called manager, not coach as in other sports. The season is long, they play almost every day, spend a lot of time together - it's not unlike a firehouse, with bigger egos. The manager has to keep everyone focused, while what goes on "between the foul lines" is overblown. I've followed baseball for a long time, and have no doubt that I could make the correct tactical moves during a game. As for the rest of the job, I'm sure I'd fall flat on my face.

Torre's value in an intense media center like New York can't be overestimated. Just look at what's going on with Mangini and the Jets, circling the wagons against the press. Off the field, Torre was the face of the Yankees. They are still hated, but unlike the Bronx Zoo days, they are now respected as an organization. How can you last 12 years in a high profile job in New York, and not once lash out at someone, say something you had to apologize for, or claim you were misquoted?

Even at his press conference after he refused the offer, there was no rancor, although he was obviously upset. When asked if he would come back for some ceremony at the stadium, he said he could not comment on that now.

He said he went to Tampa to find out if anyone wanted him to be the manager. His conclusion was that they did not. They may have wanted him to accept the money, but money wasn't the point. If your main interest is the money, you don't turn down $5 million unless you have a better job lined up. Torre used words like mutual confidence and trust. He said he thanked George (no longer referring to him as Mr Steinbrenner) for trusting him with his baseball team for 12 years. It's obvious he thought that trust was gone. If you believe Randy Levine was surprised that Torre rejected the offer, he may have grown cynical during his time as Giuliani's deputy mayor. Levine was largely responsible for the new stadium deal - a rip off of the taxpayers.

Torre closed this chapter with his character intact. To a man that's already wealthy, that's gotta be worth at least $5 million.

[GohJHM9k]

Levine was largely responsible for the new stadium deal - a rip off of the taxpayers.

The #1 reason he even became Yankee president in the first place. He an his political pull around city hall I'm sure ended up in a sweetheart stadium deal for the Yankees.

[BarBoss]

@ zippy

I think that is pretty much spot on. The contract was structured so as to force Torre to not accept it.. given the incentive clauses and contract length (1 year) he really had no choice. Accepting those terms would have demeaned him and undermined his position and reputation in the clubroom and in the press room alike.

Look, the ownership of this team has every right to hire and fire whomever they please. Afterall, that is a privledge that comes with ownership. But the offer was disingenuous... they never intended for Torre to accept it. Instead it was structured to give the owners an out.. "... he is still the highest paid manager.. blah blah blah..."

And you are correct, Steinbrennar would have handled it more directly, which at the end of the day is hands down better than that the 'committee' did. It just reeks of snivly, cowardly overtly political hacks trying to make a best effort stab at managing public relations.