So, the Yanks lost tonight - the third straight year they didn't go on to the World Series after making it into the playoffs, and everyone's disappointed, and George said the other day that if the Yankees didn't progress then Joe Torre might be finished as Yankee skipper...
But let me say the obvious: Third straight year that the Yankees didn't make it to the series after getting into the playoffs? For any other manager, that would be cause for the owner offering a hefty long term contract. How many other teams make it in the playoffs year after year - in the case of the Yankees and Joe Torre, 12 years, to be exact, with World Series wins and all.
But that's not the most important reason that Joe Torre deserves credit and continuation, in my book.
In the end, baseball is just a game. What lasting value it has comes from the humanity and lessons its players give to the world.
And when it comes to that, no one holds a candle to Joe Torre. He has brought to baseball a whole new level of decency, rationality, and humanity. I'm old enough to remember Casey and of course Billy, and they had their moments, but they were a different species of manager compared to Joe.
He has taught the world not only how to win - but how to lose, if it happens, with dignity. Since no one, no team, can possibly win all the time, that's a crucially important lesson.
I hope George Steinbrenner thinks a moment about this, before he announces the future for the Yankees.
2 comments:
Hey Paul, Sorry I haven't been around but it is our busy time at work. I am a die hard Mets fan but my heart went out to Torre last night. It also went out to my husband and probably 3/4 of Ny. That said Torre is a great baseball man with more class then most but he should have been gone 2 years ago. That being said he did bring a team up this year that was way behind and got into the playoffs, a feat other managers would have been given anything they wanted but you no this is the Yankees and there held to a different standard. I can't go any further or I might get nasty. There's always next October for the Subway series
:) You're a tough cookie, Dawn ... but I won't hold that against you ...
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