Torre turns down 1 year deal

[trwi7]

On ESPNEWS right now. Wow maybe all the your job is on the line every year finally got to him and he said forget it.

[sbrylski]

I am suprised!

[patrickgpe]

pretty shocking since it was only a 1 year deal. I could see how he wouldn't want a multi year deal. I can't blame him because he has an owner alway putting pressure on you as well as now his sons telling the manager how to run a pitching staff. Yanks got what they deserved.

[sbrylski]

I haven't seen the report. Maybe there was a paycut?

[trwi7]

I haven't seen the report. Maybe there was a paycut?

 

It was 1 year $5 million with a $3 million bonus if they made the World Series.

[sbrylski]

It was 1 year $5 million with a $3 million bonus if they made the World Series.

 

So yeah, a little bit of a paycut.

[endaround]

That and a 1 year deal means another start like this year and he's gone in May.

[bjkrautk]

Every contract to work for Steinbrenner is a 1-year deal (the only thing that changes is the amount you'll still get paid if he doesn't keep you around).

[bklynbrewcrew]

The guy is an extremely overrated manager that doesnt handle a pitching staff well at all. Without a 200 million payroll he is just another guy. Still I wouldnt be surprised if he is managing the Brewers next year. I could see Attanasio firing Ned because a big name with Milwaukee ties is available. As much as I want Ned gone I really dont want Torre.

[patrickgpe]

The guy is an extremely overrated manager that doesnt handle a pitching staff well at all.

I disagree with the first half, but not the second. I thought this may have been one of his best managing performances of his career. The way he was able to bring the team back from a rough start says alot. He does misuse the pen, but we can say that about Ned too. I still think Mark or Doug needs to make that call to see if Joe is interested in coming here.

[Invader3K]

I really doubt Torre will be coming to Milwaukee. I mean, what would the most be that the Brewers would pay him...$1 or 2 million, at most? He made $7 million this year with the Yankees. I realize he'll have to take a pay cut anywhere he goes, assuming he wants to manage next season, but I doubt he'd settle for that.

 

On the Torre deal...my understanding is that it was a $5 million base, with incentives for each round of the playoffs they would make, including a 1 year extension if they made the World Series. I think the total raise would have only been about $500,000, unless I'm mistaken.

[patrickgpe]

i think ned will be the manager, i just think you need to make the phone call.

[bjkrautk]

i think ned will be the manager, i just think you need to make the phone call.

 

I think that Joe Torre is probably too old school (in other words, 'classy') to discuss a non-vacant managerial position.

[And That]

I think that Joe Torre is probably too old school (in other words, 'classy') to discuss a non-vacant managerial position.

Probably, but is he too old-school to discuss a non-vacant bench coach position as long as there is a vacant third base coach position? That's why I'd make the phone call. Maybe he wants a lighter work load, out of the spotlight. And he'd certainly put some pressure on Ned. I'm pretty confident he wouldn't think about it, but you might as well ask.

 

[Fatter than Joey]

And he'd certainly put some pressure on Ned.

 

I think Ned would quit if Torre was hired to the coaching staff -- so of course I am all for it.

[whynotthebrewers]

I will be in the camp of just being another manager. I believe that almost any manager could get that team to the playoffs. Having 15 guys that make over 10 mil and all being stars (some are a bit old) really doesnt take much. Especially when you get to play tampa and baltimore all the time. There big problem was having all those salaries and no pitching. I wouldnt call clemons at 44 an ace or even moose or pettite. Badly put together.

[dlk9s]

pretty shocking since it was only a 1 year deal. I could see how he wouldn't want a multi year deal.

On the other hand, I could see how he wouldn't want a one-year deal because he'd just have to deal with all the "if you don't win the World Series, you're fired" crap again next year.

 

[AmyintheSouth]

Performance based incentives for a manager seems incredibly disrespectful to me. They must have known he'd turn it down.

[jazzytrav]

On the other hand, I could see how he wouldn't want a one-year deal because he'd just have to deal with all the "if you don't win the World Series, you're fired" crap again next year.

I'm confused, and I was confused about this in the first place. If Torre's contract was up after this season, how can Big Stein even use that kind of threat? That would imply that they knew Torre wanted to come back, which wasn't a given. I didn't realize you could fire someone after their contract expired.

 

That said, good for Joe. I'm glad he turned them down. Players and coaches need to start turning down the Yankees and take them down a peg. I realize that's not feasible since they can almost always offer more money than anyone else, but the next few years will be interesting. The Yankees 10 million dollar men are getting pretty old, and they seem to just be letting Arod and Mo leave. There could be some rough years ahead for the Yanks. Maybe Torre knew that.

[JrDave2304]

I agree exactly with what Steve Phillips and John Kruk have been saying on SportsCenter. They knew he would reject this contract. They never even discussed what sort of deal he wanted and let this offer be take it or leave it. Phillips said this was more of a PR deal so that higher ups could say "well we offered him a deal and he rejected it, so what can we do?". They wanted him to reject this offer and I'm glad he did. I'd be insulted if I made the postseason every year i've been there and wasn't offered at least a 2 year deal so I don't have to go through this kind of thing again at the end of next season. It has nothing to do with money, so I don't know what those two knuckleheads on PTI were talking about.

 

He'll manage sometime again I'm sure and be just as successful.

[MoneyballMan]

I agree with the "good for you, Joe"! It was great to see the gleeful east coast news stating that "Joe's coming back" just to see Joe stick it to them. Everyone just assumed that Big Stein could offer whatever he wanted and Joe would come begging back for the job. I have never been a huge Torre fan, but that just changed. Screw the Yankees and the elitist east coast media!

[recte44]

Ned would be stupid to turn down adding Torre to the staff. This is a guy who can make him look good. Here's a guy who can come in as bench coach, have a huge impact on Yost and the Brewers, and add years to Yost's career.

 

The only reason Yost should be opposed to that is if he isn't confident in his team's ability to get the job done. Heck, if that's the case, he doesn't deserve to be here anyways.

 

You don't think Mark A., a huge Yankees fan, will at least make a phone call?

[tomwopat]

Could this be construed as a vote of no-confidence in the jr. Steinbrenners?

[GenoSeligPrieb]

As brooklyn said, without a $200,000,000 payroll, Torre's just another guy...as he was with the Cardinals and Mets. In 15 seasons before joining Big Stein, Torre guided teams to 6th place finishes 4 times, 5th place twice, and 4th place another 2 times...just like any other run-of-the-mill manager. Like Phil Jackson, he's a Hall of Famer as a coach/manager, but ONLY when he's armed to the teeth with superstars.

 

Someone up the thread said Torre did one of his best managing jobs this year. Can't agree for a second.

 

Torre had Jeter, Rodriguez, Abreu, Posada, etc. all healthy and contributing better than usual. Mussina, Pettitte and Clemens were mostly healthy, and Rivera in 2007 is still better than most closers in the game. For that kind of talent, he BETTER make the playoffs.

 

The thing that drove ME crazy, however, was ESPN's breathless round-the-clock coverage of a contract offer being turned down. For all we know, Team Steinbrenner could read the negative press, field some angry calls from YES Network subscribers, and come back with a better offer tomorrow. Torre could accept (he has no spine, when it comes to his employers), and the big story deflates into a non-issue.

 

Notice Terry Francona's press conference, this afternoon? FIRST question, from an ESPN clown with a microphone, was NOT about his team's season hanging in the balance tonight, but 'what do YOU think about Joe Torre's contract offer?' It was shameful. Terry politely spoke well of Torre, but seemed pained by having THIS be the first question.

 

THEN, preppie ESPN-bot J.W. Stewart has Cleveland Plain Dealer beat reporter Paul Hoynes on the phone. The Indians can win the pennant tonight, but what's J.W.'s first question, to some Cleveland writer? 'What's the atmosphere like around there, with all the Joe Torre news swirling around?!' To his everlasting credit, Paul answered tersely "I think everyone here's pretty much focused on the game tonight." Nicely played, Paul!

[trwi7]

THEN, preppie ESPN-bot J.W. Stewart has Cleveland Plain Dealer beat reporter Paul Hoynes on the phone. The Indians can win the pennant tonight, but what's J.W.'s first question, to some Cleveland writer? 'What's the atmosphere like around there, with all the Joe Torre news swirling around?!' To his everlasting credit, Paul answered tersely "I think everyone here's pretty much focused on the game tonight." Nicely played, Paul!

 

Ugh I just wish one of these writers getting interviewed one day just went "If you want to ask a question about that team you should get one of their beat writers on your show" and then just hang up on him.