Torre Turns Down Yanks...

[GeorgiaBird]

For everyone who is worried this story is not getting enough coverage, ESPN will be doing a special one hour show on Torre turning down the offer at 1pm today.

I suspect they might have some people on to analyze whether Joe said "no" or "no thank you," the tone of his voice when he said it, and whether any Daily News reporters saw Jeter cry as he was paying off the parking tab for the women who had spent the night in his condo the night before.

(For those unfamiliar with the last part... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21333688/)

[Migrant Redbird]

I'm not especially sold on the idea that he's great at the usual manager-stuff. But I am convinced he's the all-time best Steinbrenner-neutralizer there's been yet.

Torre did a better job of maintaining good personal relationships with his players and his owner than anyone in a long time. In that regard, he might be the best ever.

As for the "usual manager stuff", we all know that the average fan can do that stuff as well as any professional manager anyhow, right? I don't think that it makes a lot of difference one way or the other, unless the manager loses the confidence of his players in his decisions.

Good managerial decisions fail all the time, while poor managerial decisions probably succeed a respectable percentage of the time as well, which means that I can't tell the difference between a good managerial decision and a poor one just by the outcome -- although that does seem to be the primary determining factor for the average fan. Except in the most egregious instances, I don't flatter myself that I'm able to distinguish good decisions from bad ones at all.

We know what George does. If the Yankees aren't in 1st place, George starts wetting his pants and mouthing off and making threats. Torre just sorta shrugs and says, "Um, whatever..."

We know what George did, with emphasis on the past tense. George has reportedly gone way downhill in the last 3 years. I have little doubt that it was George -- in one of his less lucid moments -- who directed his sons and flunkies to get rid of Torre, but I don't think that George has much at all to do with baseball operations anymore, except in isolated instances like this one.

Torre was good at handling the boss; Torre was good at handling everybody. I have been impressed with Torre as a manager since I saw him in the opposing dugout during the 1982 NLCS. I only regret that his tenure with the Cardinals came after Gussie Busch's death, at a time when the corporate beancounters at the brewery were interfering with the GM's ability to pursue and retain players. I've read that Torre would like to resume managing somewhere else, but I'm skeptical. I also think that his window of opportunity in St. Louis passed. I'm constantly surprised by Cardinals fans who rank Torre below La Russa, Herzog, and Schoendist.

[PeteU]

I always kind of liked Joe, pinstripes notwithstanding.

[Boy Howdy]

I hope this comes back to haunt the Yankees the way the Davey Johnson departure has haunted the Orioles.

I really believe there is a good chance of this happening.

Ths is why - despite my respect for Torre- I'm quite happy they gave him an offer he couldn't accept.

Early word is that Steinbrenner's sons don't intend to throw dollars around as freely as big George always has.

George apparently felt Torre got too much credit and too many dollars for the team's success over the years. Now they're going to see how what's left of the team functions without him. Based on the Orioles model, they're hoping for a Joe Altobelli result. I envision more of a Ray Miller scenario.

[RShack]

I have been impressed with Torre as a manager since I saw him in the opposing dugout during the 1982 NLCS. I only regret that his tenure with the Cardinals came after Gussie Busch's death, at a time when the corporate beancounters at the brewery were interfering with the GM's ability to pursue and retain players. I've read that Torre would like to resume managing somewhere else, but I'm skeptical. I also think that his window of opportunity in St. Louis passed. I'm constantly surprised by Cardinals fans who rank Torre below La Russa, Herzog, and Schoendist.

Prior to his stint in NY, the main knock against him was that be didn't care much, paid only part-time attention, and spent more time in restaurants than he did in the clubhouse. I'm not saying that's fair or accurate, but that's what I remember the knock on him being. At least in Atlanta (where I was at the time he was there.) I don't know what they said in St. Louis. (What did they say in St. Louis?) In the insane world of the Steinbrenner Yankees, that very same "What, me worry?" manner gets transformed from a liability into an asset. So, I don't think it's just the man, I think it's the right match between the man and the environment.

[cindyluvsbrady]

A Yankee fan offers proof that they're the Evil Empire (or so he says, anyway):

http://ourstereo.com/yankees/

Another perfect example of satans team:mad:

Thank you for posting this!

[GeorgiaBird]

On ESPN right now (hour two of today's sportcenter special), the graphic just said, I kid you not:

BREAKING NEWS Joe Torre rejects 1-year offer to manage Yankees next season

Breaking news. Cool.

[Migrant Redbird]

I don't know what they said in St. Louis. (What did they say in St. Louis?)

I was living in Maryland at the time when Torre was managing the Cardinals, without either internet or more than a spattering of Cardinals coverage in the local media, so I didn't discuss Torre with other Cardinals fans the way I have La Russa. I do know that there is a sizable group of Cardinals fans who regard Torre as a loser in St. Louis and only a winner in New York because of the outlandish payroll. A lot of those folks are also the ones who most avidly defend La Russa.

[square634]

"All I know is that Brian Cashman has a lot of balls... to handle at the same time."

[square634]

Joe Torre is giving a lot of great responses. But he did overlook one lucky moment - Jeffrey Maier!!