Shots In The Dark: The Sox Are Alive

Friday, October 19, 2007

The Sox Are Alive

How about that Josh Beckett? I think maybe he should win the Cy Young....

Meanwhile, after 12 years and 12 post-seasons, the Joe Torre era with the Yankees is over. I will blaspheme, but I don't think this is the end of the world. Torre is a lovely guy who's obviously great with his players, management, and the media. The lack of controversy during his tenure has been a joy and a relief to Yankee fans.

But he has never been the most skilled tactician, and—I know Sox fans will find this hard to believe—he was a better manager when Don Zimmer was his bench coach.

Also, I think Torre looks petty turning down a one-year, $5-million deal with incentives that could have brought the total to $8 million.....

Scott Boras, the agent for Damon and Alex Rodriguez, told The Associated Press that Torre would have lost respect among the players if he had taken a pay cut.

“It is difficult, near impossible, to accept a salary cut,” Boras said. “Successful people can afford their principles. They understand if they accept the position, there is a great risk the message to all under him is dissatisfaction.”

Does he think that any other team is going to pay a manager more?

¶ 6:14 AM

Comments:

You're wrong about Torre. They're speaking a different language here than you and I speak. With their offer (incentives and all), the Yankees were saying, "We don't want you." Torre understood the message and did what any self-respecting, very very rich person would do.

# posted by Anonymous : October 19, 2007 10:10 AM

I disagree. Torre was vastly overpaid. Even at $5 million, he would have been making $1.5 million more than baseball's next highest-paid manager, Lou Piniella.

$5 million plus $3 million in incentives to manage the Yankees?

That seems more than fair to me.

Maybe he's tired of it, and maybe he just doesn't want to manage any more. But if he goes somewhere else next year, he'll miss New York. And that team will find that he's a great guy but not a great strategist. Also, look out, relief pitchers!

# posted by Richard Bradley : October 19, 2007 12:01 PM

For once, I agree with Richard on a baseball matter. $5 million with incentives is not an insulting offer.

Having said that, I guess the question is with the incentives part. Do any other managers have that? It makes sense for a player -- you've come off a bad year, or an injury and the incentive laden contract incites you to play your best. But for a manager? Managers can't control everything; it's hardly fair that Torre has to pay the price because A-Rod chokes in post season. What can he do about that?

Plus, you have to wonder about the wisdom of it from the team's perspective. Imagine if Torre had that contract this year. He would have had a financial incentive to overuse Joba, leaving it more likely that his arm gets blown out, if that would make it more likely the Yankees get to the World Series this year. A one year incentive laden contract for a manager is very odd and may be counterproductive for the team. Maybe Torre realized that and that's why he said no. (Makes you wonder if they had just offered the $5 million he would have said yes.)

# posted by think twice : October 19, 2007 12:47 PM

Interesting point, 12:47. Glad we agree for once!

# posted by Richard Bradley : October 19, 2007 12:49 PM

Apparently he has been meeting weeking with a "stress-reduction psychologist' because he believed that the stress of his job would increase the chance of a relapse of his prostate cancer. IMHO, he is through with managing.

# posted by Anonymous : October 19, 2007 9:39 PM

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