Torre turns down Yank's

[olafberserker]

Every one knows he was "fired".  No manager worth his salt would accept that deal.

Hey Cashman and crew I know a great manager you should pursue.  JOE friggin' MADDON.  Handle pitching staffs?  No one is better.  (nudge, nudge).  It might be tough on us Rays fans for awhile and the team may suffer, but we'll make the sacrifice so that you can return to your rightful spot above everyone else in the league.

Joe Maddon for Yankee manager.  You heard it here first.

[ufojoe]

With that contract, it's as if they were saying, "Well, we'll make it incentive-laden so that
Joe will have incentive to make it beyond the first round. Maybe now he'll get us to the
WS."

It's a joke. Incentives or not, you're going to get the same out of Torre every year. So,
either you want that or you don't. Should not have been a contract with incentives.
unless yoi thought Torre had stopped caring and needed a kick in the butt to make him
manage better.

Good pitching always stops good hitting and a $200 payroll. Yanks didn't have that
good pitching but their opponents did.

Randolph to the Yanks? I wish. I'd love to get rid of him.

Not going to happen.

[Morgan]

Torre has been given some of the league's best players, one of the highest player payrolls (if not the highest), probably the best scouting system and hasn't been able to win a championship over the last seven years.

He's been given the tools, but hasn't produced.   

His lackadaisical approach to managing didn't work.  There are coaches out there if given his squad would have easily have won their division and still be in the running for a Championship.

As a lifelong Yankee hater, I'm disappointed that Torre isn't staying.  Wouldn't be surprised if they (Yanks) hire a gutsy/fiery/motivating manager (Jim Leyland style) that'll make the Yankees a team to fear again.

[klb55]

As a Yankee fan, I'm livid about this pathetic offer.  Cashman, George Steinbrenner, or his sons were really stupid to offer him a 1 year deal that included a paycut.  I'm grateful for what Torre did for the organization.  It wasn't Torre fault that the pitching staff was completely inadequate.  Unlike a lot of fans and the Steinbrenner's I realize that winning every other World Series isn't possible and quite frankly is not good for the game.  Who every made this pathetic decision, which will have negative consequences, can kiss my butt.  I suspect it was Steinbrenner Jr.  Hey pal, you suck.  God damn, jackoff. 

[Sgt.Shultz]

.....Do I really care?

Besides the fact, there was related context to the organization. George Costanza was apart of the Yankees organization......ugh no sense in wasting humor on you....go pray to Jim and your newly enshrined Bulls idol in your closet.

[dr3z]

Wow, okay ESPN is taking this alittle to far, dropping around the horn for a 30 min "special" on Torre and the Yankee's...

[olafberserker]

Thanks, we can always count on you to bring a thread down a notch.

[Sgt.Shultz]

George Costanza for COACH!

[olafberserker]

Yeah I did hear that as well.  It would seem more likely that they would go after a name guy as opposed to a guy with little or no managerial experience.  Mattingly, Randolph, and Girardi at least have the Yankee cult following going for them.

[superbuc]

LaRussa has been bandied about....can you imagine him vs. the NY media on a bad day?

[olafberserker]

I would question Girard slightly as well, but he at least does have some managerial experience and did a very good job with far less than what he would have with the Yankees.  I don't know anything about Mattingly as a coach, etc.  He may have the perfect make up to get the job done and he's obviously a fan favorite. 

[superbuc]

Yea I read teh story now. That looks like a Yankees attempt to say hey we tried, but he wanted to move on and why would he take that deal. Mattingly has no managerial experience. I know he is the alleged favorite, but this looks like a bad move to me (which would make me happy of course). Girardi makes some sense. Willie Randolph maybe? If the Mets let him go.

I seriously doubt Torre graces a Rays uniform this year, but he'd sure be an upgrade of Maddon that's for sure. Of course my wife would probably be an upgrade over Maddon.

I think Girardi only has a year or so of experience...Marlins, only, right? I think Mattingly has been in that dugout awhile now and maybe can tweak the Yankees' game where he feels Joe made mistakes.  I think either choice would be great, though, personally  I'm not sure I'd want to follow Torre.

[dr3z]

One year 5 mil.

Flew to tampa to turn them down...........

Any suggestions on who's the fill in?

[olafberserker]

Rumor is Don Mattingly is at the front of the line, but I'm sure that there will be some more discussion.  I'm sure Torre isn't going to settle for a 1 year deal.   Why should he?  He'll get offers from several other teams I'm sure.

[superbuc]

I think both sides save face.  



Torre turns down offer to return as Yanks' skipper

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ESPN.com news services

NEW YORK -- Joe Torre rejected a $5 million, one-year contract to return as manager of the New York Yankees on Thursday.


The Yankees offered Torre a one-year deal with a base salary of $5 million and incentives that would have increased his salary to $8 million based on postseason performance. Under that offer, if Torre reached the World Series in 2008, an option for 2009 would have vested.

"We felt we needed to go to a performance-based mode," team president Randy Levine said. "We thought it was very fair. It clearly was at the top of the market, but we respect Joe's decision."

Torre, who had held the job since 1995, made an unannounced trip from New York to the team's spring training complex in Tampa, Fla., accompanied by general manager Brian Cashman and chief operating officer Lonn Trost. Levine said Torre turned down the offer during the meeting, which lasted about one hour.

"It is now time for the New York Yankees to move forward," Levine said.

Torre made $7.5 million this year, the final season of a $19.2 million, three-year contract.

Bench coach Don Mattingly is the leading contender to replace Torre. Yankees broadcaster Joe Girardi, the NL manager of the year with Florida in 2006, is another top contender.

Cashman said there will be a full search for a replacement.

Just 10 days ago, the Yankees were bounced out of the first round of the playoffs for the third straight year.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.