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MLB - Sports Rumors

Fri Mar 07, 2008 6:58 am EST

Torre was 'uncomfortable' in New York his final three seasons

By Joe Zedalis

Joe Torre

Getty Images

With the situation in New York "deteriorating" after the Yankees were eliminated by the Red Sox in the American League Championship Series in 2004, Torre said managing in New York wasn't the same the past three seasons. He was ready to retire when he left a meeting with George Steinbrenner in Tampa without a contract in October the Boston Globe reported.

"I was pretty well satisfied with that," Torre said. "I knew I wasn't comfortable back there after the last three years. Then there were some feelers. The Dodgers wanted to talk. I don't want to downplay somebody else calling, but I seriously doubt that if it was somebody other than the Dodgers, I would have paid attention to it."

So spring training, without the Yankee circus, has been fun again. But, even with a new team and a new rival, Torre doesn't feel the need to show people anything, at least not about his ability to manage.

Source: Boston GlobeNew Window

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  1. zubee
    1. Posted by zubee Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:49 pm EDT

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    This was not a secret. It seemed that Joe did not have much input into the players the Yankees should go after in the free agent market. When Joe first came to the Yankees they played a different style of baseball, first to third, great defense and pitching, hit and run, in other words they created runs and found a way to win. The players he had refused to accept defeat. But it seemed the Yankee management got caught up in the homerun mania that was sweeping baseball and got jealous that they did not have matching power hitters. They changed Joe's style from baseball with speed to going to the big boppers. Joe went from a smart manager to being called clueless, which I don't feel was fair. It just proved that no matter how much you spend, you need team players and not "me first" players. Joe went from having players like Tino Marinez, Scott Brosius, Derek Jeter, Paul Oneal, to having players that would just as soon stand and admire their long homeruns instead of running from the crack of the bat and ending up on second instead of first. Management got what they wanted, a homerun highlight team instead of a disciplined championship team. They were good enough to win divisions and penants but did not have the right players to carry them all they way.
  2. live 4 surf
    2. Posted by live 4 surf Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:56 pm EDT

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    @1 way to keep the spam short,still could do better.
  3. live 4 surf
    3. Posted by live 4 surf Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:56 pm EDT

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    managing a 200 million team is tough, managing a 130 million team should be less difficult.
  4. jimmy o
    4. Posted by jimmy o Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:35 pm EDT

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    stop being a drama queen.....farkin puss
  5. bigboo's bro
    5. Posted by bigboo's bro Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:38 pm EDT

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    zubee, good analysis. Too intelligent for these rumor boards. I agree the type of players changed, but I also think Torre became complacent. Maybe it was a reaction to the increasing Tampa tampering in personnel decisions, or because the new "superstars" were uncoachable or couldn't play the kind of game he wanted, but there were too many examples where Torre was not managing the way he used to manage. And what on earth happened to the bullpen? The bullpen from a group that could give you the edge in any situation to a group of no-control-hard-throwers that could lose a game in any situation. The Steinbrenners may be good rotisserie players but they know nothing about baseball.
  6. Christian D
    6. Posted by Christian D Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:06 pm EDT

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    I would be uncomfortable in a stupid city like new york too
  7. Anonymous
    7. Posted by Anonymous Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:17 pm EDT

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    Dude. Seriously. The Yankees placed the utmost trust in you and spent $200 million on a team of all stars and then paid you millions because they believed that you could manage that team to a championship. All you had to do was win one more game in 2004. After that didn't happen, you mailed it in. Look forward to more of the same Dodger fans. If the team doesn't start winning, then you can expect to see lots of close ups of Joe Torre on the bench doing crossword and sudoku puzzles.
  8. joarby2
    8. Posted by joarby2 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:37 pm EDT

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    Clueless Joe is too much! I wanted this guy out of NY for the last 4-5 yrs. the same way I am feeling about Isiah Thomas right now! What the h_ll is going on with these owners? Do they not watch the games and see what the fans see? Thank God he is out of NY!
  9. Jon
    9. Posted by Jon Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:02 pm EDT

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    they might as well call this the boston globe blog. it's all we see. no rumors, anti-yankee, not interesting. sounds like the boston globe to me.
  10. Yanks09
    10. Posted by Yanks09 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:42 pm EDT

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    #2 yeah it was after the 2001 WS when they lost and they thought they needed to get more power so they singed Giambi, and then Sheffield came in, etc.
  11. bigboo's bro
    11. Posted by bigboo's bro Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:38 pm EDT

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    It is kind of unfair to say the Yankees placed the utmost trust in Torre, since many of the personnel and spending decisions leading to the $200 million bridesmaids were imposed on Torre straight from rotisserie central in Tampa. George's no-brain trust broke the mold of the championship teams and broke the bank doing so. Those decisions continue to hamstring the Yankees today: 'Roidboy Giambi of the disappearing stats and nonexistent defense; the amazing RodJob, who morphs into the invisible man post-season; the fragile Carl Pavano, who will injure himself if noone else will; and a bullpen that can't be counted on to protect any lead.
  12. FRANK J
    12. Posted by FRANK J Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:00 pm EDT

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    Zubee,
    Torre wasn't a good manager before he came to New York and the players he won with weren't brought along by him either-they were already in the system (Jeter, Rivera, Williams). Joe should quit crying and be greatful for the millions he made. He should have felt uncomfortable the last three years because he didn't have the managing ability to win when faced with any kind of setback like an injury and he was still in the spotlight. As far as Mr. Steinbrenner is concerned, he is the reason Joe Torre had the players to win with in the late 90's. If you can't take the heat, pack your bags and move on...so-long Joe! (and good ridance)
  13. joarby2
    13. Posted by joarby2 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:37 pm EDT

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    #17 Zubee...you are correct on all cylinders! Everyone needs to know that Joe came to the Yankees with a reputation of being Clueless! Matter of fact his name is Clueless Joe and I am not making this up! He was clueless 80% of the time while coaching the NYY. He was extremely lucky that GS gave him the opportunity to coach NYY and made a name of himself and lots of money! Now please get lost Joe!!!
  14. The Real Deal
    14. Posted by The Real Deal Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:08 pm EDT

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    Joe is as good a manager as there is in Majot League Baseball. Yankee fans who used him as a scapegoat the past few seasons will turn on Joe Girardi very quickly unless he is able to win it all. It won't be easy with pitching still a big question mark.
  15. bigboo's bro
    15. Posted by bigboo's bro Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:38 pm EDT

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    You can't have it both ways, and claim that GS and the Tampa Terrors controlled personnel and were responsible for winning in the '90s, but blame Torre for not winning when the Tampa crowd changed the personnel. However, it is true that the Yankees were on an upswing when Torre arrived, and maybe he was given too much credit for those great teams. Also, I was disappointed by Torre's little drama queen snit when he rejected the Yankee offer as an insult. After all the championships and the millions he should have left more gracefully. I hope for the best from Girardi, but the current Yankee team is not championship caliber.
  16. Mr C.
    16. Posted by Mr C. Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:32 pm EDT

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    He should be uncomfortable considering he never took the Yankees out of the first round in those years.
  17. FRANK J
    17. Posted by FRANK J Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:00 pm EDT

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    bigboo's bro,
    I don't want it both ways, my point was not that Torre was solely to blame for the losing but that he didn't deserve very much of the credit for winning. He may have been a great friend to the players but it was agony to watch him mis-manage or not manage at all when games were going south. Yankee pitching looked worse than it was because Torre and Stottlemyre would watch as their starters got anhilated and then bring in someone that all the fans knew would pour gasoline on what was already a 4 alarm blaze. When the team is going right anyone can manage, a good manager proves himself when things are out of whack. Think of this years team like the first young team of the 90's, until they showed it on the field nobody would have guessed they were a dynasty...let's wait and see how this season shakes out, we only finished 2 games behind Boston last year and I believe this team has more potential than last years. Now it's up to them.
  18. jd 1
    18. Posted by jd 1 Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:19 pm EDT

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    21, look again, read the lineup card, and tell me they are not very good. They havee the best lineup in baseball, Detroit #2,Boston and the Angels 3,Maybe. suspect on pitching, but if the kids work out they have plenty enough to win it all.
  19. joebitots
    19. Posted by joebitots Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:38 pm EDT

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    In 2001 he was the best manager in Yankee history in the eyes of many Yankee fans. Now all of a sudden he's the worst manager ever to put on a uniform. Good luck Mr. Giradi
  20. jd 1
    20. Posted by jd 1 Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:19 pm EDT

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    By the way here is a Yankee fan saying Joe is and was a GREAT manager, good luck Joe.
  21. The Famous Turd Ferguson
    21. Posted by The Famous Turd Ferguson Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:22 pm EDT

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    #27. You are right. not all Yankee fans are that ignorant. It just seems the really stupid ones find there way here.
    You would swear some of them have to work at being as stupid as they are. Too bad they don't put all that energy they use for being stupid into fixing their streets.
  22. Mr C.
    22. Posted by Mr C. Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:32 pm EDT

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    James M,
    I'm curious as to what town or city you are from?
    Torre was a good manager but I think he got a bit too comfortable and I wish him well in L.A. I personally didn't like him too much at first since I liked Buck Showalter but looking back at 1996 Steinbrenner did the right thing. Girardi being the new skipper may just be what they need.
  23. Blake Z
    23. Posted by Blake Z Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:09 pm EDT

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    Man you yankee fans are such whiny babies the guy only helped guide the team to playoffs every year and won 4 world series titles with your team. It's not his fault that the management upstairs put together a team full of juicers and egomaniacs that couldn't play together. What are you guys going to say about Girardi when you guys miss the playoffs this year. The Angels win the west, the Red Sox will win the East, and Detroit and Cleveland will win the central and the wild card, so that leaves the yankees out of it. Your starting rotation is weak and your line up isn't the best anymore. That would be great if the Blue Jays finished above you. I think Torre will do good in LA we have a lot of young talent that he will help bring along and bring some prestige back to the team. Go Blue!!!
  24. jd 1
    24. Posted by jd 1 Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:19 pm EDT

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    30, James, never been to NY huh. By the way I live in your town, " I see stupid people everywhere, and the thing is, they don't even know they are stupid"
  25. Mr C.
    25. Posted by Mr C. Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:32 pm EDT

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    Blake Z, so in your mind the Yankees wont make the Wild Card but the Dodgers will go from being 4th to winning the West? Dude how many drugs are you currently on? I like how the Dodgers have young talent with former juiced up Kent. It's been 20 years since the Dodgers won buddy!

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