Joe says no
In the always punchy words of the New York Post, "Joe Torre fired The Boss."
The New York Yankees offered their manager of 12 years a one-year contract today, and Torre rejected it -- a shocking twist in the "Will Torre be fired?" speculation that has dominated baseball (well, aside from that whole playoffs thing) since the Indians eliminated the Yankees last week. So now Joe is officially gone, and the Yankees are looking for a new manager... who will know that he was George Steinbrenner's second choice.
The contract that Torre was offered would have been a pay cut -- sort of. He made $7 million this year; under the offered deal, he would have made $5 million, but with the potential for as much as $3 million in bonuses ($1 million per playoff round). So if the Yankees had been successful, he actually could have come away with as much as $8 million.
I wonder what Torre's motivation for rejecting the contract was? Did he consider the its one-year term an insult? Did he not like the bonus-based scheme? Or, the most delicious possibility of all for us Yankee-haters: was he planning this all along, rope-a-doping The Boss into making Torre an offer he don't refuse -- and then refusing it, just to embarrass the old man? Hahahaha... Joe Torre, now that you aren't a Yankee anymore, I can say this without shame: you are awesome.
Is there a possibility that, in deference to Joe Torre's service and contributions over the past decade, the Yankees made him an offer and asked him to refuse it, so that Joe Torre looks more respectable as he leaves the Yankees? Steinbrenner is certainly not an idiot; this scenario would allow for the graceful departure of a man who has earned the respect of his players and Yankee fans without really costing the George any embarrassment.
Posted by: Rick Boeckler | Oct 18, 2007 5:16:35 PM
Is there a possibility that, in deference to Joe Torre's service and contributions over the past decade, the Yankees made him an offer and asked him to refuse it, so that Joe Torre looks more respectable as he leaves the Yankees? Steinbrenner is certainly not an idiot; this scenario would allow for the graceful departure of a man who has earned the respect of his players and Yankee fans without really costing the George any embarrassment.
Posted by: Rick Boeckler | Oct 18, 2007 5:16:44 PM
There are a few teams out there that I'm sure would love to have a manager of Torre's caliber. Any team would indeed be smart to grab him, if they have a vacancy.
Posted by: Josh Rubin | Oct 18, 2007 5:23:06 PM
Girardi and Donnie Baseball are the likely frontrunners for his replacement. I'd be happy with either :-)
Posted by: Joe Mama | Oct 18, 2007 5:41:14 PM
I've heard rumors that Tony La Russa might be in the mix for the Yanks job...
Posted by: Scientizzle | Oct 18, 2007 5:58:41 PM
Yeah, clearly its Torre thats the problem...nice going Steinbrenner, whatever team manages to snag Torre would like to thank you :)
Posted by: David K. | Oct 18, 2007 6:23:40 PM
Steinbrenner knew if he offered Torre a pay cut he would be insulted and would most likely quit. This way, Steinbrenner doesn't seem like such a bad guy (even though he IS the bad guy).
Torre should go to Baltimore so in a season or two - after he fixes the mess down there the way he did in NYC - he can kick the shit out of the Yankees several times a season.
Posted by: Mad Max, Esquire | Oct 19, 2007 11:05:16 AM
Regarding La Russa, I think Steinbrenner has a mixed history when it comes to dealing with drunk Italians with mercurial personalities.
Posted by: Mad Max, Esquire | Oct 19, 2007 11:07:25 AM