So who’s in charge here?
-
- October
- 19
These last two weeks were evidence of one thing: Nobody is really in charge of the Yankees.
It took 10 days to come up with the idea of getting rid of Torre by making him an offer he was sure to refuse? Brilliant scheme, fellas.
George Steinbrenner is still technically the principal owner. But the Yankees don’t even bother with the charade of issuing statements on his behalf any more. Yet somehow a reporter got through to him on the phone and the poor old guy was given a forum to ramble on about the umpires and his manager.
Hal Steinbrenner was given Steve Swindal’s old job last month. But he doesn’t seem to have any more power than his brother Hank. Until this year, neither man had an active role with the team. One breeds horses, the other runs hotels.
Meanwhile Randy Levine grabbed every second of airtime he could on the conference call today. This is the same guy who gathered the writers during spring training and tried to get us to do a story on all his accomplishments. Nobody was interested.
The power over baseball operations Brian Cashman gained had started to slip away based on the events of recent days. Hank Steinbrenner “insists” that Joba Chamberlain be a starter. Thanks for the input, Branch Rickey. Can’t wait to see what he insists happens next.
The Yankees have been a classy bunch a while now. For all of the antics in Tampa, at least Cash and Torre acted like professionals and it rubbed off on the players. Now Torre has been pushed out and Cashman seemingly marginalized.
Hopefully the Yankees will name somebody as CEO. Then we’ll know who is accountable. Or you can blame it on the manager. That seems to work.
—————
Sorry about the outages on the blog tonight. I don’t know enough about the technical aspects to tell you what the problem is or how to fix it. Obviously I’m not alone in that regard, unfortunately.
All I can say is that we’re trying to get it right.
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on Friday, October 19th, 2007 at 12:20 am by Peter Abraham.
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Peter Abraham
“This is the same guy who gathered the writers during spring training and tried to get us to do a story on all his accomplishments. Nobody was interested.”
OK, that made me laugh out loud.
But seriously? He really tried to do this? What an ultramaroon.
hank and hal got there jobs the old fashioned way they were born into it……..
SO….SO..
pETER you seem a little hysterical….they have cashman, oppenheimer, stick, and others involved in baseball operations…
randy levine is a political hack, so.. he ran guiliani’s office.
he is a dick, if you and I know it others know it also. the dignity got them yanks alot the last 7 yrs….baseball is a dog eat dog business….you think nice guy luchino and the sux owner who bought the team for less $ then others offered play fair????
12 years is long enough for all parties…
I dont understand how you liked Verducci’s article? Its so damn pessimistic about the yanks and so hard on Cash. I understand we love Torre. I love that guy.
It was just way too negative about the state of the Yankees going forward. I really, really, hated the article. It truly pissed me off until i realized how pissed off Verducci must have been when he wrote it. So i excuse him for it.
did oppenheimer, contreras, michael, eiland, and others get fired today??
The way Peter is acting is the inmates took over the asylum.. yeah the yankees disengenuisley pffered Torre $5 mill a yr. because the yare petty and unrealistic in thinking they can win it all each yr. SO…Guilty as charged, did anyone think this was not the case 13 yrs ago when thye hired clueless Joe to replace a very competent manager in Showalter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Peter,
Chill, and back down off the ledge. You’re starting to sound kinda hysterical. We got it, you liked Torre, and are unhappy he’s out. Deal with it. It’s time to move on. Sure, it could have been handled better, but it’s not the end of the world.
I think that the Yankees will definitely stay in good shape as long as Cashman is able to stick around and maintain the power that he has now. He has started to really find a groove and make smarter decisions, such as the rebuilding of the farm system and the promoting of future stars. Sure he misfired with Igawa, but find me a GM who is perfect, and I will show you one who is afraid to make a move. Cashman’s not afraid to take a stand one way or the other. He’s no longer trying to pursue aging veterans by offering them questionable deals. In a way, giving Carl Pavano too much money was a good thing, just because it taught the Yankees that it was time to build from within and change the culture. EVERY dark cloud has a silver lining, even that one!!
Pete — I think we found out who next “Boss” of the Yankees is and sadly, it’s Levine. They don’t need a CEO.
For you Star Wars fans, Big Stein was Vader. Levine is Palpatine. I think Cashman went from being Admiral Ackbar to Jar Jar Binks. A precipitous fall, if I’ve ever seen one.
“Now Torre has been pushed out and Cashman marginalized.”
Did you see Cashman getting fired today? Nope. Cashman hasn’t been marginalized — in fact, there was never even a whisper his job was in jeopardy even though you could say this is as much his fault as Joe’s.
Cashman has as much control today as he did at the start of the year.
Felix Lopez has no power. He only has a position to appease his wife. She threw a hissy fit when Steve Swindal got elevated in the business. To calm her down, they gave him a job. He has no say in anything. Why his name even gets mentioned during these talks is a mystery to me.
So you went from calling the offer not disrespectful in your original post to complete outrage? LOL. I also appreciate the name calling and personal attacks on the Steinbrenner family and front office employees.
Very Professional.. Very Classy…
Randy Levine, and his 70’s afro/perm, is a weasel.
All you need to know about this team is that one of the head honchos is a freakin’ landscaper.
Pete,
Where is the evidence that Cashman has lost power? If anything the statements by Hal back-up what Cash was saying all along that Joba will be a starter. He also got the braintrust’s backing on his A-Rod stance. Cash seems to be more in charge not less. There is still a whole lot of good baseball people in the organization to run it. If Hank and Hal do the right thing and I really think they will, The Baseball people will run the franchise and not a hot tempered owner. This is a good thing, No?
The Steinbrenner family stinks and are filled with ingratitude. “INGRATES the whole lot of them!”
My wish for Levine,early transmission failure on the expressway at about 4:30 pm.(rush hour) and may the fleas of a 1000 camels infest your armpits.
With my complements!
Wow Pete you sound awfully bitter…
Pete –
Can you or your other reporter colleagues find out when Levine and Cashman will also be moving to the performance-based salary?
Since Cash was so intrumental in signing Igawa, Pavano, Giambi and Farsy’s big fat deals, how much of a paycut will he be taking to get more “motivated”?
Thanks.
Peter-
Please ban my IP from your blog. It’s a terrible addiction. I keep clicking on the link and then becoming madder and sadder from the schlock you’ve been writing. It’s horrible. If you have any decency, you’ll put me out of my misery.
Thanks!
Charlie
I’m upset at the way the front office handled the Torre situation. How can you treat a manager that brought us 4 world series rings and 13 straight playoff appearances with such disrespect? A small part of me wanted a change to the Yankees but not this way.
Charlie: Feel free not to read.
Dee: I’m sure Cashman would have no problem if they wanted to rework his contract making him the highest paid GM by 20% with bonuses if they make it to the LCS and WS.
Politics is a nasty business.
It’s going to be a bumpy winter, for sure, but as long as there’s a team out there, on the field on 1 April, we’ll be okay.
They are the Yankees. If they can come back from 21-29, they can handle anything.
Except maybe the Rockies.
From Rotoworld:
“According to ESPN.com, Nippon Ham Fighters manager Trey Hillman is negotiating with the Royals to replace Buddy Bell.
The Rangers and A’s flirted with Hillman last year. A former minor league manager in the Yankees system, he was viewed as something of a sleeper candidate to replace Joe Torre in New York.”
“Meanwhile Randy Levine grabbed every second of airtime he could on the conference call today. This is the same guy who gathered the writers during spring training and tried to get us to do a story on all his accomplishments. Nobody was interested.”
Heh, excellent read like always.
Your work is much appreciated.
Pete -
I think you’re just flat-out wrong on this. Huggins had to go, Stengel had to go, Torre had to go.
Soon George S will be gone, just like Jacob Ruppert is gone.
A-Rod, Jeter, Mo, Po and everyone else on today’s team will be gone someday (some sooner than others), just like Ruth and DiMag and Mantle are gone.
What endures is THE GREATEST TEAM IN THE HISTORY OF ORGANIZED SPORTS.
If Rivera’s loyalty has been to an individual, then, I’m sorry, but he’s gotten it wrong all along. The loyalty is to THE YANKEES.
At some point, every individual must move on. We fans can debate the wisdom of timing, but the fact is that someone must make the call.
I find it galling that anyone would slam in such a personalized way the ownership of the NYY. Especially since the Steinbrenner era began, they have consistently provided fans with a team that was always the best or among the best.
I’ve been a fan since Mantle; my father cheered for DiMag when he was a rookie.
Having lived through the CBS-era (many 20-somethings have no idea what I’m talking about), perhaps I have a deeper appreciation than most about this particular ownership team’s commitment to winning championships.
While I respect and appreciate Torre’s role and performance over the past 12 years, Steinbrenner & Sons, Levine, Cash and the rest have every right to hold a manager accountable.
Before you curse or condemn the “bloodied hands” of this ownership team, maybe you and the rest of the pitchfork- and torch-holders might take a moment to consider what a Yankee team will be like when it is eventually taken over by someone or some entity that does NOT share Steinbrenner’s commitment to championship play.
Of course, they’re taking the heat now, but they’re doing the right thing…Hughes and Chamberlain will be much better off, and the health insurance bills for everyone else in the bullpen will be greatly reduced without Torre.
Some day or other, Torre’s day would end. It happened today.
I wish Joe the best.
Wishful,
The Steinbrenner family took a lost franchise under CBS and turned it into a 4 billion dollar enterprise. They have 10 trips to the world series under their charge and have repeatedly invested in the team rather than profit take. They have turned this franchise into the envy of the sporting world. So they didn’t give Torre a golden parachute…to freakin bad….
Donna,
What do you have against landscapers? I have friends who have turned cutting lawns into very lucrative business’s and make more than most doctors. your statement reeks of either Classism, or racism, which is it? Because someone starts their career as a laborer does not mean they can not improve themselves and become a successful leader.
As Joe Torre would say, we’re gonna be fine. Don’t try to do too much, let’s just take one at bat at a time.
I didnt want Torre to come back, I thought it was time for a change. BUT couldnt they have a meeting with him and just tell him that they wanted to go in a different direction!!?? I mean really it took 9 days and 8 stooges in a room to come up with this $5m and bonuses deal. This was a way that they thought the organization wouldnt look bad for just getting rid of him and instead Torre choose to leave. $5m is still alot of money, but the Yanks have wasted over $200m on garbage like Pavano, Wright, Igawa, Brown and Johnson along with others did they really think that Torre would take the job knowing that $2m was soo important to them. I would of expected more from Cashman, especially because he was soo close to Torre and what he had done for this team. But obviously Cashman had to look out for himself also and wanted to make sure he wasnt out the door with Torre.
The fact is that the Yankees offered Torre a contract that would still be the highest in baseball. If Torre accepted the terms, do you think the Yankees were going to say “sikes, we were only kidding?” They had no real way of knowing he would decline. Torre let his ego get in the way if he really wanted to stay on as manager.
I played in the organization during the end of the CBS ownership and for the first few spring months of the new owner George Steinbrenner……It was A& AA ball…..Yanks were in the hunt in 72 but faded around Labor Day and Detroit ended up winning the East, and lost to the Reggie -less A;s…..
GreenTeaSucks:
“Dee: I’m sure Cashman would have no problem if they wanted to rework his contract making him the highest paid GM by 20% with bonuses if they make it to the LCS and WS.”
You’re on. I’m all for Cashman taking a 50% paycut from his current salary. And if he signs another Igawa, can he work for pretzels?
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Eric Young,
Great Post!!! These 20 somethings do not know how bad things can be with a cheap owner who only cares about the bottom line. Even in the 80s when the team was not going to the post season every year, they still averaged more wins then anyone else and fielded some pretty awesome teams.They just didn’t have enough pitching.
Bobcat- Thanks for the Hillman info, I hadn’t heard that. He may end up with the Royals job. Terry Pendleton was also mentioned for that job at one point, but it looks like he will be next in line for the Braves when (IF) Bobby Cox retires.
Pete,
I know the whole point of this blog and other blogs like it is to create an open forum for diehard Yankees fans to discuss the goings on of our favorite team. Safe to say, it has been a huge success. With the amount of comments before, during and after games, I am not the only one who feels this way. I usually do not post because more often than not, the nonsense that many posters try to pass off as fact unfuriate me to a point that cannot be healthy. But there has been a disturbing trend that I have noticed as of late: People have been awfully harsh both on the blog, and more importantly, on you. I understand that because this is an open forum, people are encouraged to write whatever they’d like about whoever they’d like, but you do not deserve half of the crap that has been written about you.
You do a pheonominal job with this blog and I am always intrigued to read your take on the various issues in Yankeeland. I am sure the blog may seem tedious to upkeep at times and the criticism may be a little much to take, but I am posting this so you know there are diehard Yankees fans out here who both enjoy and appreciate the hard work you put in every day.
Thanks.
I’m probably in the minority, but I’m ok if Rivera and Posada leave because Joe left. Thats probably around at least $75 million over the next 3 years for players that are eventually going to start to deteriorate. I know no one is on the market that can even come close to what they offer, but you dont get younger by continuously overpaying aging talent.
If Rivera leaves, go hard after Coco Cordero, even though he’s probably going to stay in Milwaukee. If not him, do you try closing with Linebrink?
If Posada leaves, the best of the best available is probably Torrealba, and he’s already 30. I would love if they could get Jeff Clement from the Mariners for some pitching, but who knows if they’d want to trade him.
When will Randy Levine get the boot. I can’t stand the site of his smug face.
I said quite a while back that I felt that the die was cast with the Joba rules; that Joe wouldn’t be back. I felt then that when they give you a player and then prescribe to you how that player is to be handled; they don’t trust you and thus why do they need you to be the manager.
I said at the same time that if they told everyone not to talk about the Joba rules and then Torre continues to talk about them in whatever fashion, it would seem to me to be a clear case of insubordination.
It also seemed to me that Cashman started to appear in the clubhouse more and seemed to be getting quoted about his spin on things more so than in the past.
Can’t wait to see the offer Arod gets!
HAHAHAHA. ridiculous
Did anyone notice NoMaas is gone?
I’ll miss his site…I didn’t always agree, but his arguments were always provacative.
Does anyone else think a lot of the media’s fawning coverage of Torre–and it’s blasting of Steinbrenner’s ownership team–is based on the fact that Torre gave access and respect, while the ownership team speaks only through Rubenstein?
I remember reading a hit piece that Murray Chass wrote for the NYT because Steinbrenner had the gall of CANCELLING an interview with him.
Everyone has a personality and not everyone’s personality compliments that of the sports writers.
It would be nice, however (and certainly more professional) to leave the axegrinding out of the paper.
(Sorry if it seems I keep posting wierd or redundent stuff…the site is being a little weird. I’ll kick back and read from here on out.)
Hey Pete,
Ditto Mike’s post! Thanks for the most current news and for being REAL! I like hearing your opinions! Funny how you’re great to some when they agree with you, but just a reporter when they don’t! Thanks for the great forum.
Now goodnight!
The Yankees’ actions towards Torre were, face it, in a word: disgusting. Their clownish offer was insulting and transparent and reminds me of the shoddy way they did business back in the 80’s. Steinbrenner and his cad-like behavior are the reason the name “Evil Empire” was attached to the organization in the first place (by a team that behaves similarly). To the extent he is no longer in charge, it seems as if he has handed down these traits to his sons. The apple didn’t fall all that far.
I can only hope that the public backlash will make these fool reconsider their enormous error in the way they have treated a decent man, the only source of warmth flowing out of the icy corporate chamber.
Hank Steinbrenner was repeating what the word was on Joba Chamberlain since he was sent to the bullpen in the summer. Joba will be a starter in 2008. He is not suddenly making this up. He is noy making Farnsworthless a starter (yet). Remember how the Yankees had to craft special rules to prevent a certain manager from overusing him needlessly (which said manager jettisoned the first chance he had in the ALDS, pitching Chamberlain a second inning with a 5 run lead). Its decisions like that and also bringing in Offenhauser (I know it’s not his name but it was a racing engine in my youth so I use it) instead of Hughes (perhaps Torre couldn’t pick him out) in Game 1 and batting Mientkiewicz instead of Jason Juicehead in game 4 when the Yankees fell behind. Torre has his good points in the clubhouse but on the field he has lost his touch.
VO111,
I’m entitled to my opinnion.Who cares what you think?
Pete,
For such an accomplised writer your “chicken little” and the “sky is falling antics” are quite sad.
I must say though I have never seen a writer who doesn’t do this ! The funniest thing is that you heap all the praise on Torre for the job he has done yet none of the fault for the last seven years. Can’t have it both ways !
2003: Loss in WS to Florida
2004: Loss in ALCS
2005: Loss in ALDS to Anaheim, 3 games to 2
2006: Loss in ALDS to Detroit, 3-1
2007: 2nd place finish, loss in ALDS to Cleveland, 3-1
Now you can blame the bugs, a squirrel, or whatever else you’d like but the fact remains 7 years of nada !
So after a quick scan of the morning headlines, it seems that the only fan reaction to the Yankees ‘terrible’ handling of Torre is shock, sadness, and anger. Really? Seems about 50% / 50% according to this and other blog sites where people can express their own opinion. I for one am happy and ready for a change. How come this opinion isn’t being reported?
I like this site a lot and appreciate Pete’s effort to keep it constantly updated, but over the course of this year I’ve noticed that nice guys who are quotable and make a reporters life easier, are Pete’s favorite people to defend. Damon and Torre being the prime examples. Can’t blame him for human nature, but there is definitely a trend.
I have nothing against landscapers. I have something against landscapers who sit in a position of authority on the Yankees and are involved in major decisions on the running of the franchise with no qualifications whatsoever other than glomming onto the boss’ daughter.
Maybe next week they’ll let Joe the Legends Field Plumber negotiate Mo and Jorge’s new contracts.
Wow, this is embarrassing.
If you’re this close to Joe somehow, Pete, you really ought to step back and breathe a little because you’re absolutely destroying your credibility the more you deal with it.
Wishfull, Whatever….you sound like a typical whining Met fan…
Donna,
So you have seen Mr. Lopez’s resume? You have no idea what his qualifications are or his role in the braintrust. Maybe he over see’s maintainance issues on the multiple properties that the franchise owns. Maybe he oversee’s the half dozen grounds crews that the Yankees employ. Maybe he has a seat at the board because he has something to offer. He may have been a Torre supporter…To judge him on the fact that he was lucky enough to marry up is unfair. There are thousands of buble headed bleach blond woman on the road driving 100,000.00 cars and wearing 20,000.00 rocks on their fingers because they married some doctor or lawyer. I have worked side by side with carpenters and laborers who had PHD’s and Masters degrees because they made more money working with their hands. Do you know what Mr. Lopez’s education level is? do you know what his qualifications are?
And by the way, Joe Torre didn’t have a clue as to who Joba or Kennedy were.
So you really should edit out that Hughes crack as to not look like a bigger ass.
I’m just not on board with the whole “Torre was disrespected ” or “run out of town” angle. And not just because 5 million is still a ton of money or anything. Of course it’s a huge pay cut and pay cuts are difficult, but he never should have been making more than twice as much as any of his peers. Why should the Yanks be handcuffed by a dumb deal Swindal made 3 years ago? If you don’t concentrate on the 7.5 he made last year (the 3-year avg was actually just 6.4 million), this is still head and shoulders above his peers. How is that disrespect?
And everyone seems to love to use the “twisting in the wind” comment, but this was a big, important decision and that takes time. Especially in a huge organization in the midst of a change in leadership.
I will agree that the performance-based nature of it is odd and unprecedented and feels insulting on the surface, but we don’t bat an eye at player’s performance-based contracts. And I think they were just looking for SOME way to have him earn the same (or more) ridiculous money he got this year.
The only thing I find suspect is how fast the “negotiations” went. It feels like it was take-it-or-leave-it.
It’s nice to see the media is in full Torre defense mode. I guess they are all lining up to see who gets to ghost write Torre’s next manifesto. Torre was a great manager and deserves all honors, but it was time to move on. The Yankees relented with a compromise contract, but Joe wanted more. That’s business…everyone moves on, except the heart broken media, of course. Perhaps the best thing about Torre leaving is it brings to an end an era of compromised sports journalism. Sadly, many in the media, Pete Abe included, have put their fondness for Torre ahead of their objectivity. Once the temper tantrums have passed, all can return to normal.
This is all the same hand-wringing and tear-jerking we saw when Buck Showalter was allowed to walk at the end of his contract: oh, those evil Yankees, treating a guy like Buck so shabbily…they don’t know baseball from a hole in the wall!
I remember reading quite a few knee-jerk-reaction whoppers from the beat reporters at the time…I could swear I read all these same pieces then with the name changed the name from “Showalter” to “Torre” for the 2007 update.
wow
I usually enjoy this blog but you’re making it harder and harder to read when you spew this garbage.
Pete,
I’m a HUGE fan of this site and a compulsive reader who enjoys your writing and appreciated the time you put into it.
But for the first time I have to say I think you’re missing the story here and it does seem your objectivity is totally AWOL.
I wonder if as a Mass native whose relationship with the club is relatively recent, you are mistaking the New York Yankees for “Joe Torre.” It might make for better reporting to take the temperature of the fans who have been through decades of this kind of stuff (and know a REAL backstabbing when they see one) than responding so rashly.
This is right up there with your “What’s the big deal with Don Mattingly in these parts?” post of a week ago…
Tampa really messed this one up. By going public with the details, they showed everybody how little they thought of Joe, and left no room to reenter negotiations in the future. Levene taking control of the conference call more than Cashman tells you who has the power now.
Unfortunately, the Katzenjammer kids, Hal and Hank, seem to be more interested in seeing how much of George’s money they can keep rather than doing as their father did, and commit to winning.
The Yanks will now be one of those teams who will be competitive all year only to fall out of contention late. Every so often they will make the playoffs and get bounced first round. They should just sell the team to Mark Cuban.
Pete,
I appreciate the effort you put into this blog and I can understand what you’re saying about the whole Torre affair and the state of the Yankees’ ownership right now.
Folks, Joe Torre was/is a good man. I’ve been of a mind that his time was up at the Yankees and that it was time for a change. But they should have shown Joe the same class and respect that he brought to the organization in letting him go.
Instead, George blathers about how it’s “win or we’re not bringing him back.” Then after the loss, his idiot sons and minions let him twist in the wind for 10 days, whilst hatching some goofball plan (that appears to have been crafted by 5th graders) to can him without pissing off legions of ticket buying, merchandise wearing members of Yankees Universe.
This isn’t about baseball; it’s about common decency. Has society reached the depth that someone who achieved what Torre has, with class and grace every step of the way, just gets thrown under the bus like this? Pathetic. It’s hard to be a Yankees fan these days.
Almost makes me long for the “good old days” of CBS ownership…
Enough pining already. No, it’s not Torre’s fault the Yanks are sitting home (hmm…well, Jeter isn’t from what I read) in October.
But, c’mon. Torre had unlimited resources, was paid handsomely and didn’t get it done. Is winning the World Series a realistic goal? I don’t know, but you can’t say that the Yankees organization didn’t give Torre everything…every player, tons of autonomy on the field…everything he needed. And they didn’t get to the WS (again).
It is no secret what the expectations are…Championship. And how ’bout this: if Torre felt he had a good chance to win the Series next year, he’d have taken the package…cuz it would amount to a raise if he did. So maybe the expectation of winning the Series is unrealistic…you can’t throw money at it to get it done.
I was gonna come up with my own post but this person’s covered everything I wanted to say perfectly lolPete,
“Where is the evidence that Cashman has lost power? If anything the statements by Hal back-up what Cash was saying all along that Joba will be a starter. He also got the braintrust’s backing on his A-Rod stance. Cash seems to be more in charge not less. There is still a whole lot of good baseball people in the organization to run it. If Hank and Hal do the right thing and I really think they will, The Baseball people will run the franchise and not a hot tempered owner. This is a good thing, No?”
Come on! All this “Joe Torre is being crucified” is sickening! I respect Torre is a fine baseball man, he earned much respect for both himself and the NY Yankees over the past 12 years. Will that win the Yankees championships?
With Joe torre as manager, The Yankees have won 4 of their last 21 Post Season games…with the (by far) highest payroll in baseball! Obviously, he’s not the sole person to blame.
Consider this:
If Derek Jeter hits .225/.298 over the final 3 years of his $18 Million per year contact, would you:
a. Give him a raise and a long-term deal?
b. Give him the same deal?
c. Offer him an incentive laden contract that would allow him the same/more salary if he achieved certain performance measures?
Baseball is a business. That’s why its not run by baseball fans. Joe Torre is 68 years old. Even if you love and respect Mr. Torre, would it be prudent to offer him a raise and a long term deal because he is a nice guy?
Wasn’t Yogi Berra a nice guy? Or Tom Kelly? Or Bob Lemon?
MLB owners have the responsibility to conduct their matters with integrity but also make sound decisions that are best for the organization and their clients.
The Yankee’s offer to Joe Torre has met those parameters.
Torre apparently felt it didn’t meet his demands.
That does not mean its an unfair offer considering all the circumstances.
Time to move on!
It was reported everywhere that Cashman wasn’t going to bat for Torre this time and, by some, that he was actually for a new manager. It’s definitely a HUGE stretch for anyone to think this was a sign he was losing power.
Randy Levine, known slimeball that he is, was the perfect and logical choice to play public bad cop. That’s why he handled most of the conference call. Common sense is our friend instead of hyper-overreaction.
Regarding Latham Joe’s post: Why couldn’t the Yankees have shown some sack and simply said, “Joe, we appreciate all you’ve done for the Yankees. We feel it’s time to head in a new direction and we’ve chosen not to renew your contact. Thanks.”
Instead, they go through this charade of offering him a lowball contract, knowing he won’t accept the terms. Sure, it’s business, but it’s a small, weak person’s way of doing business. The Yankees are being run by a bunch of gutless wonders.