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Friday, October 10, 2008

USA Today: Torre’s brother: What Yanks did to Joe ‘was not right’

Well, let me tell you, Frank Torre was fortunate he was born in the Torre family...how else could he lounge around ML dugouts, get transplants and cool stuff like that.

Frank Torre, the 76-year-old brother of Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre, walked onto the field Thursday at Citizens Bank Park, and had one question:

“I wonder what the (New York) Yankees are thinking now while they’re fishing or doing whatever,” Torre said, smiling. “I have friends there. I will always root for Derek Jeter. But what they did to my brother was not right. Really, it was pathetic what they did. There was no class.”

What really disturbs Frank Torre is not so much the Yankees didn’t want his brother back, but the way they’ve acted since his departure.

“I hear (Yankees co-chairman) Hank Steinbrenner say where would Joe Torre be without the Yankees,” Frank Torre said. “Well, let me tell you, Hank Steinbrenner was fortunate he was born in the Steinbrenner family. His inheritance is a whole lot bigger now than it would have been if not for my brother. I think he gained a lot more money than my brother after all of those World Series.”

Repoz Posted: October 10, 2008 at 07:33 AM | 38 comment(s)
Related News: General, LA Dodgers, NY Yankees

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1. Gonfalon Bubble Posted: October 10, 2008 at 07:20 AM (#2975840)

Yeah, who would pay the slightest attention to what Hank Steinbrenner has to say about anything, if not for the dumb genetic luck of his family connection?

Well said, Frank Torre.

2. jyjjy Posted: October 10, 2008 at 07:59 AM (#2975846)

The whole "a pay cut is the equivalent to spitting on my grandmother's grave" stance taken by Torre at the time never made sense to me. He was still going to be the highest paid manager in any sport by far. The media ran with it though and a lot of people on here seemed to agree. I never got it.

3. SJ and the pants of freedom. Posted: October 10, 2008 at 07:59 AM (#2975847)

You know, Joe Torre was a failed manager until the Yankees gave him a third shot.

4. heals9 Posted: October 10, 2008 at 08:16 AM (#2975852)

Joe Torre is closer to his Hawaii home, gets most of the money and plenty of the limelight in LA, is in the playoffs and has a smile on his face. True, the Yankees not mentioning him during the farewell to YS was awful, but I'm not lighting a candle for a guy that is living the life in LA....three first-round exits for a 200 millionj dollar payroll, you have to do something. The way they did it sucked, but Torre would not have gottent his Yankeeteam to October, IMO.

5. Boots Day Posted: October 10, 2008 at 08:37 AM (#2975859)

You know, Joe Torre was a failed manager until the Yankees gave him a third shot.

Fourth. Mets, Braves, Cardinals, Yankees.

6. Fancy Pants Handle Posted: October 10, 2008 at 08:39 AM (#2975861)

Sibling sides with brother. Shocking.

Non-story.

7. Who wants Teixeira dessert? Posted: October 10, 2008 at 08:52 AM (#2975866)

Uh, isn't he making LESS money with the Dodgers? Why would LA insult him that way?

8. aleskel

Posted: October 10, 2008 at 08:59 AM (#2975874)

Why would LA insult him that way?

the Yankees' "insult" was the length of the contract they offered - it was a 1-year "one last chance" deal. And considering Torre is in his 70s and not getting any better as a manager, there was every reason for the Yankees to not want him hanging around for a long time. Really, from a PR perspective, they were stuck - if they completely cut him loose and didn't offer him a contract they would get skewered for throwing away such a vital member of the last dynasty, blah, blah, blah. Instead they made a token offer that they guessed he would turn down, which he did, and they got skewered for insulting such a dignified, classy man, blah, blah, blah. Whatever.

9. Slinger Francisco Barrios (Dr. Memory) Posted: October 10, 2008 at 09:25 AM (#2975886)

Really, from a PR perspective, they were stuck - if they completely cut him loose and didn't offer him a contract they would get skewered for throwing away such a vital member of the last dynasty, blah, blah, blah. Instead they made a token offer that they guessed he would turn down, which he did, and they got skewered for insulting such a dignified, classy man, blah, blah, blah. Whatever.

Actually, there is a safe PR move. You kick him upstairs. The clumsiness is in not at least offering that. (Or did they?)

10. aleskel

Posted: October 10, 2008 at 09:28 AM (#2975888)

Actually, there is a safe PR move. You kick him upstairs. The clumsiness is in not at least offering that. (Or did they?)

that would have been savvy, but what are the chances Torre would have accepted that? He wouldn't be GM with Cashman still around - would he settle for being an "adviser"?

11. Dag Nabbit: formerly tolerant of lactose Posted: October 10, 2008 at 09:40 AM (#2975895)

You know, Joe Torre was a failed manager until the Yankees gave him a third shot.

So Joe Torre's the reason the Mets weren't a dynamo in early 1980s Grant's Tomb.

12. KronicFatigue Posted: October 10, 2008 at 09:52 AM (#2975902)

I wanted to root for Manny's Dodgers, but now I guess I'm rooting against Torre's Dodgers.

13. James SC Posted: October 10, 2008 at 09:59 AM (#2975906)

You give him the same kind of thing the Dodgers did with Lasorda, make him a president of some suchary or another and let him take pictures and be a part of the "new winning team" and all that. Then, even if Torre turns that down you can leave with a "when and if Torre wants to come back to his home he will always be a part of the Yankees".

Don't offer him some non-sense 1 year deal heavy on the "we don't want you back" and light on the job security.

14. James SC Posted: October 10, 2008 at 10:03 AM (#2975909)

#14, see I wanted to root for the Torre Dodgers, because him being successful sticks it to the new clowns running the Yankees. However, I have trouble doing so because of Manny and the *profanity* he pulled this year.

However, despite that, easy to root for the Dodgers in this series against the Phils as a Met fan, but in the WS it looks like I will be rooting for the AL this year.

15. Nathan Kunkel Posted: October 10, 2008 at 10:39 AM (#2975935)

68. Joe Torre is 68.

16. KingKaufman Posted: October 10, 2008 at 10:44 AM (#2975939)

I wanted to root for the Casey Blake Dodgers.

But I don't like the Dodgers.

And I don't really care about Casey Blake.

Drat.

17. Crispix Attacks is in the best shape of his life. Posted: October 10, 2008 at 10:46 AM (#2975942)

Suchary?

18. Slinger Francisco Barrios (Dr. Memory) Posted: October 10, 2008 at 10:52 AM (#2975945)

that would have been savvy, but what are the chances Torre would have accepted that? He wouldn't be GM with Cashman still around - would he settle for being an "adviser"?

All that matters is that you can say you did everything you could, i.e., the highest road was taken.

19. Barry`s_Lazy_Boy Posted: October 10, 2008 at 10:59 AM (#2975951)

If Torre wanted to join an organization that respected its manager, why did he sign with the organization that forced Walter Alston to sign 23 consecutive one year contracts?

20. Dag Nabbit: formerly tolerant of lactose Posted: October 10, 2008 at 11:30 AM (#2975971)

If Torre wanted to join an organization that respected its manager, why did he sign with the organization that forced Walter Alston to sign 23 consecutive one year contracts?

Given that Alston retired over 30 years ago, the owner who did that has died, and his family has sold the team several years ago, I'm not really sure why that has any bearing.

21. Kurt Posted: October 10, 2008 at 11:38 AM (#2975977)

that would have been savvy, but what are the chances Torre would have accepted that? He wouldn't be GM with Cashman still around - would he settle for being an "adviser"?

All that matters is that you can say you did everything you could, i.e., the highest road was taken.

Well, what if you didn't want him upstairs, and you thought it was time for a manangerial change? Is there a classy way to show him the door, or is it inherently classless to move in a different direction?

22. akrasian Posted: October 10, 2008 at 11:48 AM (#2975987)

Well, what if you didn't want him upstairs, and you thought it was time for a manangerial change? Is there a classy way to show him the door, or is it inherently classless to move in a different direction?

If you want to go in a different direction - you don't offer him a contract, especially one you expect him to be insulted by and turn down. Choosing to go in another direction is fine - but don't try to present the appearance that Torre was actually wanted back as manager.

23. Slinger Francisco Barrios (Dr. Memory) Posted: October 10, 2008 at 11:48 AM (#2975988)

Well, what if you didn't want him upstairs, and you thought it was time for a manangerial change? Is there a classy way to show him the door, or is it inherently classless to move in a different direction?

The masses decide what "classy" is for themselves, and I'm guessing that that was the club's best option when taking that perspective.

For those who were there, did the Yankees catch a lot of this type of grief when they shitcanned Stengel?

Edit: as for not wanting him upstairs, everyone knows it's just a sinecure, it's just supposed to be "classier", whatever that means.

24. Barry`s_Lazy_Boy Posted: October 10, 2008 at 11:58 AM (#2975991)

Given that Alston retired over 30 years ago, the owner who did that has died, and his family has sold the team several years ago, I'm not really sure why that has any bearing.

In a world where meaningless platitudes and "respect" and "insults" are given this much importance, paying attention to additional ######## like what happened to the dodgers 30 years ago makes complete sense.

25. Joey B. Posted: October 10, 2008 at 11:58 AM (#2975992)

You know, Joe Torre was a failed manager until the Yankees gave him a third shot.

You know, not every manager can be wildly successful right out of the gate like Sparky Anderson. Most aren't, in fact. Bobby Cox and Tony LaRussa didn't set the world on fire right away either.

26. Swedish Chef Posted: October 10, 2008 at 12:15 PM (#2976010)

Well, what if you didn't want him upstairs, and you thought it was time for a manangerial change? Is there a classy way to show him the door, or is it inherently classless to move in a different direction?

You leak to your pet columnists innuendo about him, that he's a lazy skirt-chaser prone to the bottle.

What? Not classy enough?

27. The District Attorney Posted: October 10, 2008 at 12:20 PM (#2976016)

Joe Adcock was much better discussing this situation than Frank Torre, but for some reason, it never got play.

28. Gaelan Posted: October 10, 2008 at 01:03 PM (#2976061)

Anyone who doesn't think that the Yankees insulted Torre doesn't have enough pride and honour to understand what an insult is. I'm quasi cheering for the Dodgers because of the dignity Torre exhibited by turning them down.

29. phredbird

Posted: October 10, 2008 at 02:06 PM (#2976127)

agree that the yanks offer last year was pretty insulting, though the clamor seemed a bit much. torre just felt like he deserved a bit of trust in the form of a decent contract, esp. after 12 straight playoff appearances or whatever. i'm sure part of the reason for taking the dodgers job was cuz he simply wanted to keep managing, lucky for him this job popped up. he should get some credit for coming in and handling the messy situation in the dodger clubhouse with aplomb. particularly by going to an outfield of kemp and ethier in spite of jones' contract and pierre's popularity ... of course, it didn't hurt that ned colletti found his brain and grabbed blake and ramirez.

30. danup Posted: October 10, 2008 at 02:12 PM (#2976136)

Yeah, but how does this affect Frank Stallone?

31. KronicFatigue Posted: October 10, 2008 at 02:22 PM (#2976150)

I don't understand why the results are split into only two choices: 1) Keep Torre vs. 2) Let Torre go.

Is it that outrageous to think the Yankees actually thought "you know, Torre's not a bad choice for manager, but his value is a little less, so we're going to offer him less.

And in terms of it being a one year deal, isn't it possible that they kinda knew that 2008 was a year of transition, and were worried that Torre was going to continue to decline and yet they'd be stuck with him in 2009? Or should the yankees just be forced to pay everyone everything that they want?

32. jyjjy Posted: October 10, 2008 at 02:32 PM (#2976161)

Anyone who doesn't think that the Yankees insulted Torre doesn't have enough pride and honour to understand what an insult is.

Bull****, the Yankees have expectations of their team and it's nothing short of winning the world series. Torre succeeded remarkably and was rewarded handsomely with a staggering salary. He then failed for many years running. That may sound harsh but it's the truth and you don't reward failure. Not winning the world series 7 years running with the most expensive and talented roster in baseball while getting paid twice as much as anyone with a similar job is a huge failure. If he wasn't expecting a one year contract with a pay cut he should have. He was the Yankees manager for a long time and he knew exactly what was expected of him and his team. He had failed over and over and he knew it. If he had "honour and pride" and cared about the team he would've been glad to have a chance to come back at all and redeem himself(nevermind that he still would've been the highest paid manager in baseball by several million.)

33. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: October 10, 2008 at 02:38 PM (#2976170)

This would be the Joe Torre who was banging around the Dodger managerial job that still belonged to Grady Little at the time. That's the the Joe Torre he's talking about, right?

34. The Yankee Clapper Posted: October 11, 2008 at 07:58 AM (#2977562)

Actually, there is a safe PR move. You kick him upstairs.

That would have made for a rather uncomfortable environment for the new manager. Every 2-game losing streak would prompt calls to bring back the Proven Winner™, Future Hall of Famer Joe Torre. Not really an option.

35. Fumbduck Joe Bivens Posted: October 11, 2008 at 09:57 AM (#2977612)

You know, not every manager can be wildly successful right out of the gate like Sparky Anderson. Most aren't, in fact. Bobby Cox and Tony LaRussa didn't set the world on fire right away either.

Or Francona.

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USA Today: Torre’s brother: What Yanks did to Joe ‘was not right’

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