Torre turns down 1-yr offer by the Yanks

[Big Dakota]

1 year deal with an option.

 

[Big Dakota]

Looks as though Joe has turned down the offer. Good for him if the "Boss" doesn't have any more than a 1 year lame duck offer.

 

[03EBZ06]

Torre turns down offer to return as Yanks' skipper

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.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3069115

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Personally, I think it was a very stupid move by Yankees. Torres doesn't deserve this type of threatment, good on him to turn that crap down.

 

[Mavs Man]

Both moves surprise me, and yet, they DON'T surprise me. Does that make sense?

 

[AtlCB]

Somebody else will pay him a ton of money.

 

[Juke99]

The uproar in NY is just ridiculous. Torre was "set up"...he wasn't treated with "respect"...Francesca is going on and on and on about it on WFAN. I finally shut off the radio.

I guess I have a different take. Torre turned away from 5 million bucks...plus a million dollar incentive for making the playoffs (with a $200 million payroll, that's a given) and another million for advancing each round in the playoffs.

The next highest paid manager is Lou Pinella at 3.5 million.

When Torre was hired, he was a total flunkie. The headlines in NY welcomed his as "Cluess Joe".

Now he's a hero for making the playoffs with a franchise that throws money around as if there's an endless supply of it.

Joe Torre did SO well with the Yankees that he can afford to walk away from 6 million bucks. Blah blah blah, he always speaks about how he loves New York and the Yankees in particular. He CRIED, again, after the last game. But I guess he didn't love New York or wasn't sad enough to slave at his job for a paltry 6 million $$.

OY.

 

[03EBZ06]

I don't believe it was money that turned him off. It was that one year contract. A one year contract essentially makes the manager a lame duck manager, a position no coach/manager wants to be in.

 

[Juke99]

I don't believe it was money that turned him off. It was that one year contract. A one year contract essentially makes the manager a lame duck manager, a position no coach/manager wants to be in.

Well there was an option year...so the players would have known he could be back...plus it's a veteran roster and I think they are experienced enough to be able to play for a guy like Torre with a one year contract with an option.

 

[trickblue]

The uproar in NY is just ridiculous. Torre was "set up"...he wasn't treated with "respect"...Francesca is going on and on and on about it on WFAN. I finally shut off the radio.

I guess I have a different take. Torre turned away from 5 million bucks...plus a million dollar incentive for making the playoffs (with a $200 million payroll, that's a given) and another million for advancing each round in the playoffs.

The next highest paid manager is Lou Pinella at 3.5 million.

When Torre was hired, he was a total flunkie. The headlines in NY welcomed his as "Cluess Joe".

Now he's a hero for making the playoffs with a franchise that throws money around as if there's an endless supply of it.

Joe Torre did SO well with the Yankees that he can afford to walk away from 6 million bucks. Blah blah blah, he always speaks about how he loves New York and the Yankees in particular. He CRIED, again, after the last game. But I guess he didn't love New York or wasn't sad enough to slave at his job for a paltry 6 million $$.

OY.

I like Joe Torre as a person, but Dave Campo could manage the Yankees into the playoffs with that lineup...

He is an average manager...

 

[03EBZ06]

Well there was an option year...so the players would have known he could be back...plus it's a veteran roster and I think they are experienced enough to be able to play for a guy like Torre with a one year contract with an option.

Maybe so, but I think it was the gesture by Yankees management that caused Torre to walk away. He made enough money and I think he is walking away in a dignified manner, in his own terms, but that's just me.

 

[Nors]

I think the Yankees made a mockery out of the process.
They treated Torre poorly and I'm glad he told them to stick it.

It's going to funny when they don't make playoffs next year. Few can handle that Job and Torre was great at it.

 

[Juke99]

I think the Yankees made a mockery out of the process.
They treated Torre poorly and I'm glad he told them to stick it.

It's going to funny when they don't make playoffs next year. Few can handle that Job and Torre was great at it.

Poorly? They made the guy so wealthy that he could walk away from a 5 million dollar offer.

Lemme ask ya something....if he's SO great...tell me what team is gonna pony up the 7.5 million per season he got for his contract the last three years?

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Poorly? They made the guy so wealthy that he could walk away from a 5 million dollar offer.

Lemme ask ya something....if he's SO great...tell me what team is gonna pony up the 7.5 million per season he got for his contract the last three years?

What you say might be true Juke but let me just tell ya, there's a reason they hired Joe T. 12 years ago. Nobody else would take that job 12 years ago. Nobody would take it because nobody could take Georgie and the NY press. Well, neither one of those situations has gotten any better in 12 years. You may think that anybody can manage the Yankees into the playoffs but the truth is that the Yanks were at the bottom of the barrel when Joe came in. They were still spending money like nobodies business but it wasn't getting them anywhere. I think there's more to JT then just a guy filling out a lineup card. I think the Yankees might have made a mistake here. I guess we'll see.

 

[Mavs Man]

I think it was a needed move on both sides.

Torre was basically in a thankless job with no job security. They were spending a bunch of money but their pitching wasn't much better than the Rangers (only 0.5 better ERA despite a much more pitcher-friendly ballpark). That's not Torre's fault as much as it was Cashman's responsibility to bring in better players (that doesn't include 45 year old pitchers who only work half seasons).

But a new manager, some roster turnover, and a declining payroll might be better for the Yanks in the long run.

 

[Juke99]

What you say might be true Juke but let me just tell ya, there's a reason they hired Joe T. 12 years ago. Nobody else would take that job 12 years ago. Nobody would take it because nobody could take Georgie and the NY press. Well, neither one of those situations has gotten any better in 12 years. You may think that anybody can manage the Yankees into the playoffs but the truth is that the Yanks were at the bottom of the barrel when Joe came in. They were still spending money like nobodies business but it wasn't getting them anywhere. I think there's more to JT then just a guy filling out a lineup card. I think the Yankees might have made a mistake here. I guess we'll see.

Plenty of people would have taken the job. In fact, there have been a gazillion managers that Steinbrenner hired and fired and there would have been several in waiting....just as there will be now. It's the New York Yankees. Someone will always want to manage that team...even given the circumstances.

The Yankees were not at the bottom when Torre came in.

1993- 88-74
1994- 70-43 in a strike shortened season
1995- 79-65 made playoffs.

That's not bottom of the barrel. And IMO, Showalter and Gene Michael built the team that Torre inherited.

I don't think there are going to be teams knocking down Torre's door with offers. And he'll NEVER make what he did with the Yankees because he's not worth DOUBLE the amount of the next highest paid manager in the sport.

I think Torre did a great job of keeping things calm. I also think that's not the most important thing anymore because clearly Steinbrenner is not in charge.

I also think there comes a time for change.

If the team does not do as well this year, I think it'll be much more a case of Steinbrenner's role being diminished and the bean counters being more influential in decision making. Steinbrenner would throw money around simply because he wanted to win. Hal, Hank, And Levine might not do that.

 

[03EBZ06]

Yankees wanted Joe Torre to walk, that is why they offered that contract, knowing Torre would not accept it. After Torre rejected the offer, did the GM and management asked Torre "what would it take you to manage the Yankees?", no, not according to the ESPN analysts. With that rejection, the Yankees now can say we made a fair offer but Torre rejected, they could now shift the blame on Torre.

As for any one can manage the Yankees and win, before Torre, when was last time they won WS? It was in 1978 and between 1978 to 1995, Yankees won just one pennent.

With Torre at helm, Yankees made 12 consecutive playoffs, winning four WS. He has won 76 playoff games, most by any manager. I'm not so sure Yankees can just plug in any manager to get those great results, I highly doubt it.

After winning four WS and getting in the playoffs for 12 straight years, winning 76 playoff games should garner some respect, not constant threat of firing by the owner, through the media.

 

[03EBZ06]

How many managers can say he took a team to WS six times in 12 years?

 

[Nors]

Poorly? They made the guy so wealthy that he could walk away from a 5 million dollar offer.

Lemme ask ya something....if he's SO great...tell me what team is gonna pony up the 7.5 million per season he got for his contract the last three years?

Thats not the point,

They leaked it out during playoffs he was out if lose. They lowered his salary by 1/3. They put incentives in his contract as if Torre needed it. They insulted him and he walked.

12 years, 12 playoffs and 4 World Championships. You don't treat loyal team guys like that the way Yankees just did.

I tip my hat to Joe. It's not just about the money Jmo.

 

[StanleySpadowski]

The Yankees played this about as well as they could.

Torre might be the worst manager in the game at managing a pitching staff over the long haul. Cashman and company instituted the "Joba rules" for a reason. Torre would have thrown him until his arm fell off.

The Yankees have some incredible young arms in Hughes, Kennedy and Chamberlain. I can't think of a single manager in the game that I'd want less than Torre handling them. He was great with veterans and pretty good with young position players but young pitchers just isn't his thing.

The Yankees haven't won the Series lately because the staff's always been in disarray in October. That falls on Torre's inept handling of them.

In the end, Torre will make the HOF thanks to lucking into the start of salary escalation. The career loser from the Mets, Cardinals and Braves suddenly becomes a supergenius? Or right place, right time wins the coaching lottery?