pro sports- Joe Torre tells Yankees to go take a hike. Good for him!

Please allow me to describe a scenario. You are an employee for a corporation. You manage a division of people who work under you, and have been a part of this white-collar organization for over a decade. You have a dedicated, hard working group of people that you manage. Through the efforts and production of the people that you manage, you have brought in millions of dollars of revenue into this business. Lately, although still very successful still, things have begun to level off. Through the first seven years while you ran your division, revenue skyrocketed over 250% during that time period. The last several years, while you have still brought in revenue for your employer, the percentage has dropped to just 75% of what it was 5 years ago.

The President and CEO of your company calls you into his office for your annual performance evaluation. He states that while you still made him 5 million dollars last year alone, just through the efforts of you and your division, he's upset that back in the year 2003, this figure was over 7.5 million. (He neglects to mention that back in the year 1995, before you came to be employed, his company repeatedly lost over 2 million dollars per year, and hadn't made any money since the 1980's). The CEO then discusses your salary for 2008, since your contract is up for renewal. The CEO informs you of the following. Because of the fact that you haven't been able to bring him in the amount of revenue the past few years compared to earlier this decade, (and even though the bottom line surplus that the company makes is still well into positive figures), your new contract will be for one year only. You salary will be reduced by 33.3%. Furthermore, for the CEO to renew your contract beyond next year, you must meet some performance incentives. Take it or leave it!

Joe Torre, (pictured above) the now former manager of the NY Yankees in a sense was presented with the same offer by the team's management as I illustrated in the example. To Joe Torre's credit, he told George Steinbrenner, his lackey sons, and team president Randy Levine to go take a hike. I choose to stand up and applaud Torre for his actions and the principles that he obviously believes in. I illustrated the example in my opening scenario to make a point to all the media knuckleheads, (JA Adande on the ESPN show "Around the Horn", loud-mouth Tony Kornheiser on "PTI") and the bone-headed fools who call into sports talk radio in the NYC area within the past few days yelling about the fact that Joe Torre still would have received a 5 million dollar salary if he had instead chosen to accept the Yankee management's extortion-type proposal, down from the 7.5 million that he made in 2007. Hey, Adande, Kornheiser, and you call-in radio sports fans let me ask you a question. You're in the same situation as Joe Torre. Despite the fact that for many years you have been highly successful at the job in your profession, what would you do if your employers came to you and stated that your next contract would include a 33.3% reduction in pay despite the fact that you have excelled at your job? Furthermore, it is explained that you are now required to meet certain performance expectations to enable you to be even employed beyond next year. Finally, your employers tell you that there is no room for negotiations, that is their final proposal. Would you just quietly accept what your employer offers to you, even though it is a blatant insult to both the ability that you do in your job, as well as to your intelligence?

As a person who has repeatedly stated in my blog posts that I cannot stand the Yankees. I will be the first to admit, however, that since 1996 Joe Torre brought nothing but class and dignity to an organization that was known for nothing but upheaval and chaos since the early 1970's when George Steinbrenner bought the team from the CBS corporation. Steinbrenner, the most demanding owner probably in the history of pro sports in this country became famous for firing managers, coaches, other team personnel, secretaries, and elevator operators as much as he changed socks. The late Billy Martin, who in 1977 guided the Yankees to their first World Series victory since 1962, (although Martin was fired the very next season midway through the Yankees being able to successfully repeat their eventual World Series championship), alone was hired and fired 4-5 times through the late 1980's by the egomaniac Steinbrenner. But, when Torre came aboard in 1996, he became the first manager who was able to ride and calm the demands of Steinbrenner. Perhaps the four World Series championships that Torre won within his first five seasons as Yankee manager had something to do with it. But, Torre's personality and class brought a new respect from people within the sports world who followed the team.

Torre's strength was his ability to handle the players on his team as men. Darryl Strawberry, the former Met, Dodger, and Yankee star player stated that Torre was easily the best manager that he ever played for. Strawberry also stated that Torre was a central support figure for him when he went through his periods of drug relapse and subsequent criminal court cases because of his addiction. The Yankee captain, Derek Jeter has always referred to Joe Torre, as "Mr. Torre". Enough said about the level of respect that Jeter so obviously has for Torre.

The Yankee management lackeys are now spinning the events surrounding the Joe Torre situation to the media as the team "now turning in a new direction". In my opinion, this new direction is going to result in the same type of chaos and tumult that existed circa 1982 for the organization. The team has some key players who are now free agents this winter. While Mariano Rivera and Jorge Poseda are now coming towards the twilight years of their careers, both had exceptional seasons in 2007. Poseda, alone had one of the best seasons in history for a 35 year old catcher, hitting .335 with over 20+ home runs and close to 100 RBI's. He also adeptly handled a pitching staff that broke in three young pitchers. The Yankees do not have a replacement catcher in their farm system anywhere near the ability of Jorge Poseda. It must be noted that both Poseda and Rivera revered Joe Torre who was their manager for over a decade. Rivera, in particular, made a statement in the media that he would not be pleased if Torre was not the Yankee manager in 2007, and that it might effect his decision as to whether or not he sign with the team next season. No Rivera on the Yankee's next season would be a crippling blow, as the team has plans to convert rookie phenom Joba Chamberlain into a starter next year.

In addition to Poseda and Rivera, perhaps the key player that the Yankees must have next season on the team is Alex Rodriguez. A-Rod has the right to opt-out of his contract beginning ten days following the conclusion of the World Series. A-Rod and his agent Scott Boras are said to be demanding a new 300 million dollar, ten year contract to take the player to the end of his career. This dollar amount, to most sane human beings, is almost an unfathomable amount of money to pay to any athlete. However, it is also clear that A-Rod will go down as one of the greatest players in the history of baseball by the conclusion of his career. If Rodriguez does leave the team, the 54 home runs and 155 RBI's that he had this past season for the team will also disappear. Despite the Yankee management's blowhard statements in the media that they will not negotiate with A-Rod and Boras should the player follow through and opt-out of his contract, let's see the team make the same statements in December when they have no candidate to replace Rodriguez at third base and hitting clean-up in the batting order.

Who came out the real loser in this ordeal surrounding Joe Torre? Let me give you a very succinct answer because it is not Joe Torre. The real losers are the team's management who will now have to walk the walk, now that they have talked the talk about really not needing Torre as their employee any longer. Steinbrenner's two sons, and President Randy Levine are nothing but a bunch of Ivy League squares who know nothing about baseball and couldn't explain to you what a 6-4-3 double play is if their lives depended on it. The other people who will suffer will be the team's fans. With the knuckleheads now running the team who will probably put unreasonable pressure on the next man following Torre as manager, I predict that the team will slowly revert back to the NY Yankees of the mid 1980's. They were a decent team back then. But, every season they did not even smell the post season playoffs, let alone a World Series as the team now demands each and every year. Good luck Don Mattingly, Joe Girardi, or whoever manages the team next year. Not only will you have the pressure of following a legend in Torre, (how successful were the coaches at UCLA who immediately followed John Wooden? Answer: not very); but management has made it clear that you had better guide the team to the World Series, at least. This task will be made all the more difficult if your everyday 2008 lineup card is missing Alex Rodriguez at third base, Jorge Poseda behind the plate, and/or Mariano Rivera in the bullpen!

I welcome any comments to this post, both from Yankee and non-Yankee fans!