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.

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.

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!

“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?”

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 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…

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.

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…

I usually enjoy this blog but you’re making it harder and harder to read when you spew this garbage.

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.