TORRE CONTINUES TORRID TRASHING
Ex-Manager Rips Wells, Brown, and Others




By: Russ Rose
Special to Yankees Talk Shop
January 28, 2009

As more and more excerpts are revealed from his new tell all book, "The Yankee Years," it is becoming increasingly apparent Joe Torre is not the kind, grandfatherly, type we all thought he was.

One day after throwing Brian Cashman and Alex Rodriguez under the bus additional excerpts from the book have Torre ripping Kevin Brown, David Wells, Carl Pavano and Randy Johnson. He also continued to rip Alex Rodriguez.

Get a load of some of Torre's endearing words:

On Kevin Brown: 'I think he had some emotional issues. There were a lot of demons in this guy. It was sad.'

On David Wells: 'The difference between Kevin Brown and David Wells is that both make your life miserable, but David Wells meant to.'

On Carl Pavano: 'The players all hated him. It was no secret.'

On Randy Johnson: 'It was sad more than frustrating when we got him, because I thought we finally had someone you could hook your wagon to, and that wasn't the case.'

OUCH!

The new excerpts offered new insights as to what Torre thought of Alex Rodriguez. Torre said, "When it comes to a key situation, he can't get himself to concern himself with getting the job done, instead of how it looks."

Torre went on to say, 'He needs all of those statistics. He needs every record imaginable. And he needs people to make a fuss over him.'

Not only did Torre offer his own opinions, but he put forward some other peoples' opinions too. He cites comments by Yankees bullpen catcher Mike Borzello that Rodriguez was phony and knew he was phony. Torre also offers opines by recently retired pitcher Mike Mussina who, at one time, had his own issues with A-Rod. Additionally, Ex-Yankee and current YES broadcaster David Cone presented his insights on the steroid issue in the clubhouse and his personal feelings about Brian McNamee, who is currently at the center of the steroid scandal still swirling around baseball.

Torre also said in his new book he never felt appreciated by the Yankees hierarchy. 'You'd like to think if you work for somebody for a certain period of time that there'd be a time where they'd trust you somewhat. And I never got that. Even when we were winning, I never got that. That bothered me.'

Other areas of discontent was Torre's wanting to re-sign Bernie Williams at the end of his contract in 2006, but his thoughts were totally disregarded by Brian Cashman. Cashman signed Doug Mientkiewicz and Josh Phelps, both whom are described as busts.

Torre was against the signing of Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield, because the former was a defensive liability and the other, because he wanted Vladimir Guerrero.

As for Cashman, Torre thinks the rift between the two of them began when Cashman negotiated complete control of the team in 2005. Torre believes his opinions were ignored by Cashman It culminated in Tampa, Florida when Torre turned down a one-year, $5 million offer with incentives after discussing a two-year deal with Cashman the day before. Cashman reportedly remained mute during the meeting leading Torre to think Cashman no longer supported him.

It is amusing to a degree for Torre to say he never felt like he had the trust of management during his tenure in New York. Not that everything is a bed of roses, but if it was so excruciating for him why did Joe stick around for 12 years? Torre made a lot of money off the Steinbrenner family while holding the most prestigious managing job in baseball. He was given the players to win four World Series, 6 American League championships, and make the playoffs all 12 years he was in New York.

One of my problems with Torre is this. Although many of us may agree with some of, if not all of, Torre's thoughts, when does he take responsibility for things that may have gone wrong? Isn't he the guy in charge of the day-to-day team? Isn't he supposed to control what goes on in the clubhouse as the manager? He says he didn't know who was using steroids on the team? How about the spring training following the implementation of drug testing when Jason Giambi showed up in Tampa about 1/2 his previous size? Would that have been a clue? How is it he doesn't know about that, but has all these other juicy tidbits to relay to Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated who wielded Torre's poison pen.

Another problem is the timing of this book. Usually ex-baseball types wait until they're retired and away from the game before they fire torpedoes at people they worked with and for. Torre didn't waste much time. I wonder what the Los Angeles Dodgers think about this. I'm sure Frank McCourt and GM Nick Colletti aren't too happy about the possibility going into Spring Training at the Dodgers new facility in Glendale, Arizona, having to answer questions about the book.

What about the Dodger players? Do you think it might be going through some minds, oh say like recently retired Jeff Kent's, that Torre might later rat on them too? There has always been an unwritten law that says, what goes on in the clubhouse stays there. You go to the grave with it.

Not surprisingly, Tom Verducci today is defending Torre and the content of the book. You can read Verducci's comments on Sports Illustrated's website.

Unfortunately, there have been other breaches of trust. Jose Canseco dimed off teammates allegedly using steroids and HGH. Jim Bouton's "Ball Four" told on a lot of Bouton's Yankee teammates of the '60s. Now we have Joe Torre. This one isn't going to go away any time soon. So far all of the blows have been thrown from Torre's side of the ring. Once the book officially comes out you can expect a plethora of counter-charges from those whom Torre has impugned.

Stay tuned.


Sources include: New York Post, New York Daily News and Sports Illustrated


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