HO HUM! Another Behind the Scenes Expose
Joe Torre the latest 'kiss and tell' assassin





By: Russ Rose
Special to Yankees Talk Shop
January 27, 2009

It's been nearly 2-1/2 years since I put my fingers to keyboard and wrote an article for this blog. This seemed like a good time to do so.

So, Ex-Yankees manager Joe Torre, along with Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated, has come out with a new tell all book entitled "The Yankee Years." How original. Do the names Jose Canseco or Jim Bouton ring a bell?

You can get a sneak peek excerpt of the book by going to Sport Illustrated's website where Joe talks in the 3rd person about his final day as the Yankee skipper.

In the excerpt Joe relates to Verducci how he felt somewhat betrayed by Yankees' General Manager Brian Cashman following the 2007 campaign where the Bombers had been unceremoniously ushered out of the American League Divisional Series by the Cleveland Indians. The same Indians the Yankees had beaten 6 out of 6 times during the regular season.

Let's not forget this followed two other ousters from the ALDS in '05 and '06 by the Los Angeles Angels and Detroit Tigers respectfully. And of course, these series debacles came on the heels of the infamous 2004 playoffs where the Boston Red Sox finally exorcised the "Curse of the Bambino" by knocking New York out of the American League Championship Series. Boston went on to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals in 4 games to win their first World Series championship in 86 years. By the way, did I mention the Yankees blew a 3-0 series lead to become the biggest goats in sports history for a 7-game series format?

Getting back to Cashman and 3rd person Torre. Torre wanted a meeting between himself and the Yankees hierarchy, including Cashman, down in Tampa, Florida. The day before the meeting Torre allegedly spoke to Cashman to discuss a two-year deal. Cashman told Torre it wasn't likely. Torre countered with a scenario where the Yankees would give him a two-year deal, and if he was fired in the first year, Torre would collect both the first and second year's salary. However, if he survived the first year and was fired the second he would be paid a reduced amount for the second year. The money amount wasn't important, just the second year. Torre said Cashman told him he would mention it to the Steinbrenners.

When the meeting came the next day Torre sat in front of George Steinbrenner and asked him if he wanted him to manage the team. Randy Levine and Hal Steinbrenner both said yes, but the offer was going to be for one-year, paying $5 million, plus $3 million in bonus money. Torre would receive a million dollars for each round of the playoffs the Yankees won. Levine described the bonus bucks as "incentives." Apparently, the word incentive incensed Torre. He looked to Cashman to say something and Cashman remained mum. No mention was ever made about the possibility of a two-year deal. So Torre said, "no," thanked the Boss and walked out with Cashman.

Torre said he asked Cashman what happened to the two-year deal scenario, and according to Torre, Cashman basically played dumb and asked Torre to explain it again, because he didn't quite understand it. Torre did, and Cashman went back into George Steinbrenner's office. Torre looked unbelieving after Cashman, thinking Cashman never mentioned the two-year offer. Cashman returned 30 seconds later and told Torre the bosses weren't interested.

OK, I realize the readers can go to Sports Illustrated online and see the same thing I just wrote about. The reason I did is to bring up a couple of other things. First, let's remember George Steinbrenner wanted to unload Torre a couple of times before the final divorce came. Each time Brian Cashman came to his rescue and helped talk the Boss out of pulling the trigger.

Secondly, Torre knew he got his bacon pulled out of the fire. He knows that if the Yankees don't win the World Series the season is considered a failure. If that's the case, then Torre failed to reach the Yankees goal 7 years running.

In reality, fate probably wasn't kind to Joe Torre. Winning 4 World Series titles in the first 5 years of his run spoiled, not only the fans, but ownership as well. Had the team spread those championships out over a few years maybe those last 4 years of failing to win a title might not have been so bad.

Another area Torre reportedly took shots at was in the direction of Alex Rodriguez. According to Torre, some of Alex's teammates referred to him as "A-Fraud." However, when asked teammate Andy Pettitte never heard another teammate use that term behind Rodriguez's back. Torre also alludes to the frosty relationship between Derek Jeter and A-Rod. He describes A-Rod as obsessed with Jeter as a perceived rival.

It amazes me how Torre, who is supposed to be a class act, would lower himself to authorize a book knocking one of his former players and front office personnel. Whatever happened to "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas?" Where's the trust? You're not happy so situations you've been privy to suddenly become dirty laundry? So far all we're reading or hearing about is Torre's account of the situation. He told it to Tom Verducci who wrote it down as gospel. In a court of law that's called "hearsay."

You just know there is going to be fall out from this book. I can't wait to see the shots fired from the other direction. I hope Mr. Torre is prepared to take his lumps, because in any failed marriage both sides are at fault.

The bottom line is Joe Torre comes off like a bitter, ex-employee who is trying to make himself out like some kind of victim. Given Torre's record in New York, he might not have been handled with kid gloves, but that doesn't mean Torre had to take the gloves off.

Round two should be a doozy.


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