In Praise Of Joe

I have always been a fan of Joe Torre. When I was growing up, I enjoyed watching him as a player. When the Mets got him in a trade, even though he was on the downside of his career, I was thrilled. Then he went on to become the manager of the Mets, the laughing stock in baseball. I wished him well and loved the fact he was managing the Mets. He did not do great, but then again, he had little with which to work.

When Torre went to Atlanta, he was going to another cellar dweller team but he either helped turn them around, or he came in at the right time, and took them to the World Series. Perhaps the same can be said of the Yankees. Either way, he was the captain of the ship when these teams started playing well.

I have heard it said that with all the talent Torre had, he should have been as successful as he was. I felt he was able to take a bunch of good players and make them into a great, cohesive unit. He was also able to handle the egos of everyone involved. So, I feel Torre deserves a lot of the credit for the success of the Yankees.

All this being said, I do think it was time for him to leave. He had lost the ability to get the players to do what they needed to do. If you have read previous entries on my blog (about Willie Randolph), you know I am a firm believer that the most important thing a manager can do is know who needs a pat on the back and when it is needed, and who needs a kick in the ass and when it is needed, to get the most out of his players. After awhile, even the best have trouble with that and Torre was clearly having trouble.

I do think the Yankees should have been a little more honest, however. I understand that the offer on the table was still more than any other manager in baseball makes. Still, Torre’s comment that when you give someone a pay cut, it means you are not happy with the job he is doing, is accurate. Sometimes the pay cut maybe because the boss does not have enough money, but in the case of The Boss, that clearly is not the situation.

I wish Joe Torre the best. He has always been a class act and I am sure he will continue to be just that.