Torre is a skilled interviewee, but his responses have elicited some personal impressions. First, he is very emphatic that what he has written is true. I don’t doubt that the instances he talks about took place. What is subjective is the tone – he believes his tone was fair. A reader may not see that. And while something may be true, it may not be necessary to divulge.

My impression is that Torre talked to Verducci about particular players and perhaps made blanket statements such as, perhaps, Kevin Brown was an emotional wreck. Well, Verducci can’t write that without asking Joe, how? In what way? Give me an instance. It’s easy to see how that would lead to Torre talking about the time Brown was curled up in a corner. A supporting anecdote, if you will.

The problem with the stuff about Cash is there is not enough concomitant support for his move to embrace sabermetrics, no acknowledgment the he had the difficult job of getting the Yankees to catch up in the changing landscape of team/organization building. I believe Torre was trying to help Brian remember the “heartbeat,” but it comes off as condescending in the book. Again. Attribute that to tone.

In the interview, all the explanations and qualifications go a long way toward making some the book’s contents more understandable. Why weren’t those in the book itself to avoid this controversy? Especially with respect to ARod. In the interview, Torre seems to really have cared about ARod and wanting to help him, but the book comes across so much more critical and harsh. And they need to clarify in the book that the A-Fraud stuff was only the first year. It was not stated that way in the book. At any point.

With Verducci’s SWB reference for ARod, was it wrong to ARod to look to Jeter for guidance in how to handle oneself in NY? I think characterizes the situation in too negative away.

He says he wanted only to manage one more year and only one more year, but wanted a 2-year contract to ensure against his job status coming under scrutiny on a daily basis by the media. If that is truly the case, why not offer this: Give me a 2-year contract, but I will retire after the first year and guarantee that to you in writing. I think if he had done well the first year of that contract and won the WS that guarantee could have been torn up and he could have managed the first year in the new stadium.

Going back to Cashman, I wish Costas had asked Torre about the passage in the book where Torre talks about how Zimmer didn’t trust Cashman and after awhile, Torre started to question whether he could/should trust Cash. I’d like to have seen how Torre explained that.

It is a good book. All the historical information is great. Overall it reads well and I didn’t get the feeling it was mired in the salacious. I think some references, some of that anecdotal support, could have been toned down and still rung true.

I think the interview by Costas puts the book in a better perspective, and I do think Torre answered most of his questions and acquitted himself well without seeming too uncomfortable. I don’t believe he realizes, still, how those of us reading the book perceive some of the tone of the book. They are 100% correct, in my case at least, that the book is so much more than the sum of its excerpts.

Part of it is with Swisher and Nady they have some nice depth. They have b/u catchers – but not a backup to Posada’s offense. Unless they need another full-time catcher, I don’t think it’s possible to get someone who will be at the ready. A guy who is good enough to replace Posada is probably already playing everyday for someone else. Cash’s move to get Pudge last year didn’t turn out well, but the he had the right idea.

It would be nice to upgrade at CF, but what would you be looking at losing in order to do so? And why not at least enter spring training giving Gardner and Melky the opportunity to fight it out?

One of Cashman’s strengths is fixing on the fly. If they HAVE to replace Melky/Gardner, I think he’ll be quick to put something together.

But don’t forget that this is a really good pitching staff – with mostly proven guys. They have a good chance that the pitching can get them through a few close games.

It’s going to be interesting to see how everything unfolds.

Arun has a point. A team with an identity is almost always more cohesive than a thrown together collection of past all stars. Just look at the ’95-’01 or so Yankee teams. It was a blend of home grown and free agent talent that accepted the Yankee way on how to go about their business. You get clamboring to sign every good free agent out there because X is better than our Y and you have a team without a base.
Gardner and Melky are not bad players. Nor are Hughes or many others. They may be ready. We’ve already signed three huge free agents and a guy that will likely be a fine utility player. How much more tinkering does the team really need? When is enough enough?
I will say a team is better with a mix of stars and young and hungry players than a boatload of free agent past or present all stars 99% of the time. Let the Yankees be the Yankees.

btw, trivia question: which Yankee utility player had the most appropriate name ever?

This one’s for you

http://www.nydailynews.com/spo.....pen-2.html

in really not big on ST, the only thing we’re going to know coming out of it is whether jorge can squat behind the plate to start the season. i dont believe ST performance will indicate whether melky or gardner will work out at CF, b/c what happens in ST never carries over into the season. also consider that this year with the wbc going, it will really by scrubs against scrubs in ST alot of the time.

i think we need to upgrade at CF or at b/u catcher. i trust that cash has some kind of plan to address this, id really hate to have to wait until the trade deadline before something can be done but i guess im willing to wait and see what jorge can do in ST.