Thanks Joe Torre, Thanks A Lot

Here are a couple of thoughts on the Joe Torre book and a word on Andy Pettitte coming back:

*I can't, for the life of me, figure out why Torre decided to do this book at this point in time. The money? The guy must have a ton. He doesn't strike me as the type who MC Hammered his life savings away on herbal tea. To inform the world? Please. Most of the time, reflective books like this are written, what, 15 years after the fact. That's when people feel far enough away from a situation to where they are comfortable exposing the secret handshakes and towel whipping contests that no one would want to talk about in the moment. Torre just left the Yankees last year and some of his supposedly "favorite" players (Jeter, Posada, Mariano, Pettitte again) are still on the team.

That always seems to lead me back to bitterness. Torre never seemed like the type, by why else put this book out there unless you are still throwing a hissy fit over being asked to take a paycut and a one year deal.

Today on Mike Francesa's show, Bob Costas made what I consider to be the first good point he has offered since 8 tracks were a hot item. Bobby boy's point was that, no matter the TRUE tone of the book, Torre and Tom Verducci, the SI writer who worked on the book with Torre, had to know that the story was going to be the A-Rod/Cashman stuff. No matter what else was included, people outside AND inside the organization were going to clue in on those sections. Even the excerpts put out there by Verducci painted the Yankee brass in a bad enough light as to obviously annoy the wrong people. In one breath he essentially accuses Cashman of stabbing him in the back at his last meeting in Tampa and also asserts that Hal Steinbrenner offered him a job with the YES Network - a moment that made the younger Steinbrenner seem like a complete putz.

There are also rumors that the book paints George Steinbrenner in a less than flattering light. Now, that isn't shocking in any way. The Boss has done enough hooting and hollering in his time to piss off half the East Coast, and we all know how poorly the Boss could handle his employees. But George is obviously not in very good health right now and it seems to me to be in somewhat poor taste to put out a book that points out his less than desireable traits. Plus, think of the anger that is bound to elicite from Hal and Hank Steinbrenner. Ever have a family member who was sick? It is an emotional time, and you become pretty darn protective of that person, even if the accusations are ultimately the truth. Torre's revelations, no matter how scattered they are throughout a measured book, were destined to create a firestorm, and the former Yankee skipper had to know that and be okay with it.

*But, whether Torre did this for the money or the built up resentment, it really doesn't matter because, damn, I am definitely buying the book for two very good reasons. First, I have no doubt the book is true. Maybe Torre's take on a situation would differe from someone else, but the truth of the situation is, in my opinion, not in doubt. Second, this is going to be an inside look at not only the dynasty years but also a period in baseball history that is truly remarkable. Think about the 12 years Joe Torre was in the Bronx: you were only 2 years removed from the strike that nearly devastated the sport, Cal Ripken Jr. broke Lou Gehrig's consecutive game streak, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa went on the greatest home run race in history, culminating in McGwire breaking Maris' record, Bonds became an other worldly player, the 98 Yankees went down as one of the greatest teams in history, the steroids era exploded, revenue sharing and luxury tax monies created parity, the Red Sox broke their curse, etc......

That's a lot to have happen in a 12 years career with the most successful franchise in history, and I can't imagine that Torre's take on those dozen years are anything other than fascinating. Plus, during Torre's tenure, some of the best, and most controversial players in the history of the sport passed through NYC, from Jeter and A-Rod to Big Unit and Roger Clemens. I can't wait to hear his take on all of those guys.

*I kind of laugh when I hear people blow off the notion that A-Rod won't be affected at all by the comments made. Sure.

Let's look at this for a second, shall we? First, A-Rod's entire demeanor changes when he is put in a clutch situation. You can actually see the wheels in his head grinding. He wants no part of the pressure. Even during his amazing 2007 season, when he seemed to shed his choker ways, A-Rod went into hibernation when the world was watching him try to hit his 500th homer. So now, here is a book that reveals all of A-Rod's vanity, his obessession with Jeter (which earned him the nickname "single white female"), his inability to come through in the clutch, and his teammates reluctance to accept him, and we are suppose to assume that will not affect a man who is know to be emotionally fragile? PLEASE!!!!!

The best thing for A-Rod is the fact that he will be playing in the baseball classic and, thus, won't be put in the spring training meat grinder every single day. But I just have a feeling that, by the middle of the year, we're all going to be talking abaout how the controversy over the book may have effected the Rodster more than people were imagining when it first came out.

*To me, the only emotion I have regarding this book is sadness. I'm not pissed at Torre for writing the book, even though, as I said, I am very confused by his decision making. I am not ready to suddenly discount his entire time with the Yankees as being a lesson in hypocrisy. I don't view Torre as this unbelievable backstabber who should be shunned for all existence. I am simply sad.

Who knows how long it will take for the Yankee organization to get over this book. All I know is, anyone who was planning on buying a ticket for Joe Torre day better hope they live a long and healthy life. Those 1998 reunions at the new Stadium for Old Timer's Day? Don't look for Joe. Those Yankeeography tributes? Something tells me Torre will be left out of the mix. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised to hear the following from Bob Shepard at some point this year: "Now hitting, number 6, Angel Berroa, number 6."

This has done irrepairable damage to Torre's legacy, and that, to me is very sad.

I felt, like a lot of people, that a change was needed after the 07 season. Joe had been around for a long, long time, and asking someone to move on after 12 years coaching the same team isn't a slap in the face. But there was no question in my mind that the way in which it was done was in poor taste. If the Yanks wanted to get rid of Torre, have the guts to simply fire the man, right?

I can understand Joe being upset by the whole process, but burning bridges in this way is just sad to me.

*As far as Andy coming back, it is a great move for everyone involved. For those Yankee fans who are harboring some sort of ill will against Pettitte because of his decision to try and wait out the Yankees for a better deal, grow up. This is a business and Andy didn't OWE the Yankees to take a contract he felt was beneath his own value. Now, in the end, Andy might have screwed himself as he only has $5.5 million guaranteed coming to him rather than the $10 million he would have had if he signed earlier, but so be it. Pettitte played and lost (unless he meets all his incentives), but that isn't any concern to me as a Yankee fan.

With Pettitte, the Yankee rotation is suddenly deeper and more reliable. Plus, with everything going on now with Torre, it is good to see that a Yankee icon like Pettitte won't be staying away from Yankee Stadium for good as well. Old Timer's Day would have been real lonely in the next 5 years.