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Torre's Job Reportedly at Stake

stevekstevek Posts: 29,045 ✭✭✭✭✭
Torre's Job Reportedly at Stake

AP
Posted: 2007-10-07 15:46:28
Filed Under: MLB

HACKENSACK, N.J. (Oct. 7) - George Steinbrenner says Joe Torre most likely won't return to the New York Yankees unless they overcome their deficit against the Cleveland Indians and reach the AL championship series.

Gregory Shamus, Getty Images Are the Yankees playing to save manager Joe Torre's job? Apparently so, after owner George Steinbrenner was quoted as saying, "He's the highest-paid manager in baseball, so I don't think we'd take him back if we don't win this series."

"His job is on the line," the owner was quoted in Sunday's editions of The Record. "I think we're paying him a lot of money. He's the highest-paid manager in baseball, so I don't think we'd take him back if we don't win this series."

Torre was hired before the 1996 season and led the Yankees to four World Series in his first five seasons but none since. New York last reached the World Series in 2003, wasted a 3-0 lead to Boston in the 2004 ALCS, then was eliminated by the Angels and Detroit in the first round the last two years.

Cleveland led this year's best-of-five, first-round series 2-0 heading into Game 3 Sunday night.

Torre is being paid $7 million this year, the final season of his contract.

Steinbrenner also criticized umpire Bruce Froemming for not stopping play when insects invaded the field during Game 2 in Cleveland on Friday. Rookie reliever Joba Chamberlain threw two wild pitches that allowed Cleveland to tie the game in the eighth, and the Indians went on to win 2-1 in 11 innings.

Froemming called it "just a little irritation." Steinbrenner profanely dismissed Froemming's explanation.

"He won't umpire our games anymore," Steinbrenner said.

The Yankees complained to baseball commissioner Bud Selig.

"(Selig) just said, 'That's in the umpires' hands.' ... It was terrible. It messed up the whole team, (Derek) Jeter, all of them," Steinbrenner told the paper.

Steinbrenner also predicted Alex Rodriguez will remain with the Yankees. A-Rod has the right to opt out of the final three years of his record $252 million, 10-year contract after the World Series and become a free agent.

"I think we'll re-sign him," Steinbrenner told the paper. "I think he's going to have a good run the rest of the (postseason). I think he realizes New York is the place to be, the place to play. A lot of this (postseason) is laying on his shoulders, you know, but I think he's up to it."

The 77-year-old Steinbrenner, who has appeared to be more frail in recent years, said he will make the decisions on Torre and Rodriguez.

"I have full control," Steinbrenner said.

Steinbrenner, who has limited his public comments of late, was expected at Yankee Stadium on Sunday night.

"I haven't reached him this morning," spokesman Howard Rubenstein said. "I'm going to see him at the game."


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Comments

  • I don't know how Torre can stand being Steinbrenner-whipped. He should've walked out long ago.
    Wise men learn more from fools than fools learn from the wise.

  • He's making millions of dollars a year, and he was likely going to quit after this year anyways.

    Think he cares what a rambling old fool says about him to a newspaper? I know I wouldn't.
  • Well - if he knows he's going to quit after this year anyway, that's even more reason to speak up. Maybe he'll write a book one day.
    Wise men learn more from fools than fools learn from the wise.

  • Bosox1976Bosox1976 Posts: 8,551 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Either way, Torre is a class act and goes out a Champion.
    Mike
    Bosox1976
  • And goes out as one of the most overrated managers of all time.

    A career .471 manager before being handed the keys to the most expensive lineup in all of baseball, and, despite having spent a billion dollars on payroll the last 5 years, no world series championships.

    No, Torre is not a great manager, just a lucky one to be in the right place at the right time.
  • ziggy29ziggy29 Posts: 18,668 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Steinbrenner also criticized umpire Bruce Froemming for not stopping play when insects invaded the field during Game 2 in Cleveland on Friday. Rookie reliever Joba Chamberlain threw two wild pitches that allowed Cleveland to tie the game in the eighth, and the Indians went on to win 2-1 in 11 innings.

    Froemming called it "just a little irritation." Steinbrenner profanely dismissed Froemming's explanation.

    "He won't umpire our games anymore," Steinbrenner said. >>

    I love it. The Yankees' owner, of all people, complaining about an unfair advantage? Baseball economics give the Yankees that year in and year out.

    And how will he prevent Froemming from umpiring Yankees games any more? Buy all of MLB and become head of umpiring?
  • Wait, weren't both team's pitchers pitching with bugs?

    Why didn't Torre and the pitching coach go out there to walk Joba through it? Why was the yankees' pitchers the only ones affected?

  • I always thought that this year was his last win or lose. The job is most likely Mattingly's going forward. The dark horse is Girardi.
  • ctsoxfanctsoxfan Posts: 6,246 ✭✭
    I don't think Torre is a great game manager, but he is very good at managing the clubhouse, and keeping all those egos around him in check. To do that, under the microscope of the NY media for 12 years, is very admirable. I've always considered Torre a class act.
    image
  • " Steinbrenner, who has limited his public comments of late, was expected at Yankee Stadium on Sunday night."

    I wish Steinbrenner would limit his public appearances and public statements , sorry I mean't : eliminate
    ORIOLES FOR TRADE
    My 57 set
    1957 O's team: Completed
    1978 O's team: 71.4%
    1980 O's team: 85.7%
    1974 O's team: 74.2%
  • baseballjeffbaseballjeff Posts: 1,082 ✭✭✭
    They say that every year about Torre. It doesn't mean anything other than they paid way too much for Roger Clemens, and 99% for the rest of the guys on the team.

    GO CLEVELAND!!!
  • Brian48Brian48 Posts: 2,624 ✭✭✭
    Torre deserves much more respect than this. I think he's done a great job keeping the team in contention and motivated to battle their way back from 14 games behind. Yes, he's got the talent pool, but that doesn't always guarantee anything.

    Anyway, if he is gone after this year, he'll be back in a year or two after he's had time to relax. If he even wants to that is.
  • I think this story was more of a distraction/ ruse than a real story.
  • Now it's being spun as he said it to motivate the players.

    $200 million of salary and *this* is needed to motivate his players?
  • rube26105rube26105 Posts: 10,225 ✭✭
    200 million would motivate me to do just about anything-theve been canning torre for years
  • ConnecticoinConnecticoin Posts: 12,868 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I thought Steinbrenner was dying??!!!?? Guess not.

    Hey Yankee fans -- if the Boss is healthy enough to tinker with things again, your team is doomed.

    The Boss should consider it a privilege to have Torre, and savor every moment he serves the Yanks. No other manager could have brought the Yanks back from the 22-29 pit they dug themselves in. Had Cashman gave in and fired Torre, the team was looking at 85 wins tops, even with A-Rod's 54 A-Bombs.
  • heh Torre's the reason they made the playoffs? You mean it wasn't the players on the field? *No* other manager could have managed that team to the playoffs?

    Wow, a lot of praise for a manager who was well under .500 lifetime before landing in NY.


  • << <i>heh Torre's the reason they made the playoffs? You mean it wasn't the players on the field? *No* other manager could have managed that team to the playoffs?

    Wow, a lot of praise for a manager who was well under .500 lifetime before landing in NY. >>



    its funny how you can point to the past to praise A-rods skills in the playoffs compared to his most current choke fest, but the current successes of Torre mean nothing compared to his "well under .500 lifetime before landing in NY".

    You are the most hypocritical nit picker i've ever had the displeasure of dealing with either professionally or personally. Do you ever tell the truth or have any intellectual honesty?

    its not an attack, just a legitimate question. Do you just stick your finger in the air to decide how you feel about something or do you just automatically take the opposite stance of whatever is posted? Taking a automatic contrary position to a statement is not debate, its just being contrary


  • << <i>
    its funny how you can point to the past to praise A-rods skills in the playoffs compared to his most current choke fest, but the current successes of Torre mean nothing compared to his "well under .500 lifetime before landing in NY".
    >>



    Because there's a marked difference between 35 (or 50) at bats that Arod has been battling through and over a THOUSAND GAMES that Torre managed to just a .471 record.



    << <i>You are the most hypocritical nit picker i've ever had the displeasure of dealing with either professionally or personally. Do you ever tell the truth or have any intellectual honesty? >>



    So Torre didn't have a sub .500 managerial record before coming to the yankees? Was that dishonest? Arod didn't bat over .300 in the 2004 postseason? Was that dishonest too? Just because I give you FACTS when all you get all day are moronic OPINIONS from your ny media, doesn't make me dishonest.



    << <i>its not an attack, just a legitimate question. Do you just stick your finger in the air to decide how you feel about something or do you just automatically take the opposite stance of whatever is posted? Taking a automatic contrary position to a statement is not debate, its just being contrary >>



    No, actually I look at the facts before I make a statement. It's something that, if more people did, they'd actually have an idea what they're talking about, instead of rambling on about how they feel and confusing that with statements of facts.
  • rube26105rube26105 Posts: 10,225 ✭✭
    ramble on rose-greatful dead


  • << <i>

    << <i>
    its funny how you can point to the past to praise A-rods skills in the playoffs compared to his most current choke fest, but the current successes of Torre mean nothing compared to his "well under .500 lifetime before landing in NY".
    >>



    Because there's a marked difference between 35 (or 50) at bats that Arod has been battling through and over a THOUSAND GAMES that Torre managed to just a .471 record.



    << <i>You are the most hypocritical nit picker i've ever had the displeasure of dealing with either professionally or personally. Do you ever tell the truth or have any intellectual honesty? >>



    So Torre didn't have a sub .500 managerial record before coming to the yankees? Was that dishonest? Arod didn't bat over .300 in the 2004 postseason? Was that dishonest too? Just because I give you FACTS when all you get all day are moronic OPINIONS from your ny media, doesn't make me dishonest.



    << <i>its not an attack, just a legitimate question. Do you just stick your finger in the air to decide how you feel about something or do you just automatically take the opposite stance of whatever is posted? Taking a automatic contrary position to a statement is not debate, its just being contrary >>



    No, actually I look at the facts before I make a statement. It's something that, if more people did, they'd actually have an idea what they're talking about, instead of rambling on about how they feel and confusing that with statements of facts. >>



    so now 35-50 games is a better benchmark than 1000's of games?
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