I'm out for today but I leave you with this video of Peter Gammons and Tim Kurkjian talking about the Joe Torre fiasco in New York. Personally, I think the deal the Yankees offered Torre was a slap in the face and he was in the right by refusing it. I understand that Torre hadn't lead the Yankees to the World Series in the past few seasons, but for all that he's done for the organization...he deserved better in this situation. If they wanted him back, they shouldn't have screwed around with him. If they didn't want him back, they should have just let him know right off the bat. This has to be a sad day for Yankees fans.....
Right on. Ina town where they are hiring talented players into a high stress situation they had the right guy for a job. A players coach willing to put himself between the talent and the boss who just so happens to be able to coach the game big or small ball. Too bad, and chance Buck puts up an article about Torre maybe moving to St louey
It's sad to see him go, but I don't really have a problem with the contract itself. In 2007 he was the highest-paid manager in the league, by FAR. (he made $7.5M, #2 made $3.5M). This contract would've kept him as the highest paid manager in the league, and had he won the series next year, he would've made more than he did this year.
I have a problem with the way they jerked him around, and I think that was the reason he said no, not because of the contract itself.
Agree with Brian. If this was an NBA player, would we be so quick to praise him if he refused to sign a deal below the max level and just retired? Look, I know Torre's been through a lot with George...but he's also been well-compensated for that lot.
The following are a series of letters written by Don Mattingly to his high school sweetheart Anne Meriwether. They were intercepted by a sports memorabilia collector and have recently been posted on e-bay with a minimum bid of $2,000. Anne never received the letters and knew nothing of Mattingly's attempts to contact her. She is currently married to an abusive roofer.
June 8th, 1979
Dearest Anne,
Hey, it's Don. Sorry about that thing at the prom. I swear I didn't mean what I said. It's just that Scoops got me drunk and I really did think I was fucking Amy Stoneman, but I'm not. Plus Amy's all pissed off too 'cause she heard about it. You can ask her - we're just friends. Well, at least we were. Anyway, there's good news. I got drafted today by the New York Yankees. Can you believe it? Me, a Yankee. I hope I fit in. They're sending me off to Oneonta next week. I hope that we can put our troubles aside and see each other before then. I'll be thinking of you.
Miss you,
Don
June 29th, 1979
Anne,
Hey, it's Don. I guess you're still pissed. Well, I'm not in Evansville anymore. I'm in the minors and it's okay, but I miss you. There's a bunch of girls that like us ballplayers, but I told them that I'm taken. That is to imply that you're my girl. You are my girl, right? Cause if you are then maybe you should write back. I'm lonely and in a bit of a slump. I was thinking about that time in high school when I was in a slump and you did that thing with your tongue that you never did before and then I started hitting the shit out of the ball... yeah, well I was thinking if you wanted you could come here and do that again - if you want. Anyway, I miss you. Write soon, okay?
See you soon?
Don
July 18th, 1979
Anne,
Hey, it's Don. I'm hitting .378 and I found a girl that can do that tongue thing just like you, only better. I also have a mustache now. The chicks dig it. They're talking about calling me up to double A next year. I'm gonna be in the big leagues. What have you done? Nothing. I'll bet Scoops and you are having fun, aren't you. Well guess what, Donnie's having fun too. I love the minors - and I don't love you.
Don
July 19th, 1979
Anne,
Hey, it's Don. Um, I was a little drunk when I wrote that letter yesterday. I sent it by mistake this morning. Sorry about that. I am doing well and things are fine, but I'd like to hear from you. I miss you sweet tits.
One of many 80's novelty baseball posters
Awaiting a reply,
Don
August 4th, 1979
Anne,
Hey, it's Don. Fuck you.
Don
September 6th, 1982
Anne,
Hey, it's Don. Don who? Don fucking Mattingly - big league baseball player. Making the league minimum, $42,000. Take that and smoke it. I'll bet now you wish you would have gotten back to me, huh? But you didn't. I have this great girl named Kim and I think I'm going to make her last name Mattingly. What do you think of that? You're pretty stupid.
Don
July 7th, 1984
Anne,
Hey, it's Don. I'm an All-Star and I just had my first child to Kim Mattingly. No, not Anne Mattingly the way God planned it, but Kim Mattingly. I make $220,000 now and I have a big house. You have everything but me. Take that, bitch.
Donnie Baseball
November 3rd, 1995
Anne,
Hey, it's Don. I'm retired and my back is killing me, but the $8.7 million I've banked over the past few years takes away some of the pain. They're going to retire my number and I'm a hero in New York. I don't know what you've done, but it isn't as good as me - you can bet on that. I'll bet you feel pretty bad, huh? Well, you should. I'm just writing to say that I'm over you. I have three kids and a wife that returns my letters. She even cooks now and then. I don't care about you anymore and I thought you should know that. Today I burned my high school yearbooks to symbolize the end of it all. It's over Anne, it's finally over. I'm sorry.
McBias, I think your argument, while somewhat strong, misses the point of this whole scenario. It's not Torre's fault he was the highest paid manager in baseball, his 12 straight years of playoff appearances earned him that right. It's also not Torre's fault that Steinbrenner came out before Game 3 (I think?) and said Torre would be fired if they didn't win the series.
That's bogus front office management, and it totally cut Cashman's nuts off. If Cashman is the GM, let him run the team. If he doesn't run the team, then he's gone along with Torre. Steinbrenner is a douchebag, and I'm happy that Torre didn't take this stupid ass contract when really, if any year Torre had to actually "coach" considering the amount of talent they've had, this year he had to coach the most. Horrible pitching, the Clemens ordeal, infusion of youth where youth has never really been a part of the Yankees roster, etc...
2008 Cubs Preview
Right on. Ina town where they are hiring talented players into a high stress situation they had the right guy for a job. A players coach willing to put himself between the talent and the boss who just so happens to be able to coach the game big or small ball. Too bad, and chance Buck puts up an article about Torre maybe moving to St louey
It's sad to see him go, but I don't really have a problem with the contract itself. In 2007 he was the highest-paid manager in the league, by FAR. (he made $7.5M, #2 made $3.5M). This contract would've kept him as the highest paid manager in the league, and had he won the series next year, he would've made more than he did this year.
I have a problem with the way they jerked him around, and I think that was the reason he said no, not because of the contract itself.
Agree with Brian. If this was an NBA player, would we be so quick to praise him if he refused to sign a deal below the max level and just retired? Look, I know Torre's been through a lot with George...but he's also been well-compensated for that lot.
Just for shits and giggles, a few letters from the next yankee manager to his hoosier girlfriend.
COurtesy of: http://www.phat5.com/features.asp?StoryId=310&SectionID=2&sort=0&filter=0&threshold=0&Curpage=3
The following are a series of letters written by Don Mattingly to his high school sweetheart Anne Meriwether. They were intercepted by a sports memorabilia collector and have recently been posted on e-bay with a minimum bid of $2,000. Anne never received the letters and knew nothing of Mattingly's attempts to contact her. She is currently married to an abusive roofer.
June 8th, 1979
Dearest Anne,
Hey, it's Don. Sorry about that thing at the prom. I swear I didn't mean what I said. It's just that Scoops got me drunk and I really did think I was fucking Amy Stoneman, but I'm not. Plus Amy's all pissed off too 'cause she heard about it. You can ask her - we're just friends. Well, at least we were. Anyway, there's good news. I got drafted today by the New York Yankees. Can you believe it? Me, a Yankee. I hope I fit in. They're sending me off to Oneonta next week. I hope that we can put our troubles aside and see each other before then. I'll be thinking of you.
Miss you,
Don
June 29th, 1979
Anne,
Hey, it's Don. I guess you're still pissed. Well, I'm not in Evansville anymore. I'm in the minors and it's okay, but I miss you. There's a bunch of girls that like us ballplayers, but I told them that I'm taken. That is to imply that you're my girl. You are my girl, right? Cause if you are then maybe you should write back. I'm lonely and in a bit of a slump. I was thinking about that time in high school when I was in a slump and you did that thing with your tongue that you never did before and then I started hitting the shit out of the ball... yeah, well I was thinking if you wanted you could come here and do that again - if you want. Anyway, I miss you. Write soon, okay?
See you soon?
Don
July 18th, 1979
Anne,
Hey, it's Don. I'm hitting .378 and I found a girl that can do that tongue thing just like you, only better. I also have a mustache now. The chicks dig it. They're talking about calling me up to double A next year. I'm gonna be in the big leagues. What have you done? Nothing. I'll bet Scoops and you are having fun, aren't you. Well guess what, Donnie's having fun too. I love the minors - and I don't love you.
Don
July 19th, 1979
Anne,
Hey, it's Don. Um, I was a little drunk when I wrote that letter yesterday. I sent it by mistake this morning. Sorry about that. I am doing well and things are fine, but I'd like to hear from you. I miss you sweet tits.
One of many 80's novelty baseball posters
Awaiting a reply,
Don
August 4th, 1979
Anne,
Hey, it's Don. Fuck you.
Don
September 6th, 1982
Anne,
Hey, it's Don. Don who? Don fucking Mattingly - big league baseball player. Making the league minimum, $42,000. Take that and smoke it. I'll bet now you wish you would have gotten back to me, huh? But you didn't. I have this great girl named Kim and I think I'm going to make her last name Mattingly. What do you think of that? You're pretty stupid.
Don
July 7th, 1984
Anne,
Hey, it's Don. I'm an All-Star and I just had my first child to Kim Mattingly. No, not Anne Mattingly the way God planned it, but Kim Mattingly. I make $220,000 now and I have a big house. You have everything but me. Take that, bitch.
Donnie Baseball
November 3rd, 1995
Anne,
Hey, it's Don. I'm retired and my back is killing me, but the $8.7 million I've banked over the past few years takes away some of the pain. They're going to retire my number and I'm a hero in New York. I don't know what you've done, but it isn't as good as me - you can bet on that. I'll bet you feel pretty bad, huh? Well, you should. I'm just writing to say that I'm over you. I have three kids and a wife that returns my letters. She even cooks now and then. I don't care about you anymore and I thought you should know that. Today I burned my high school yearbooks to symbolize the end of it all. It's over Anne, it's finally over. I'm sorry.
Donnie Mother Fucking Baseball
McBias, I think your argument, while somewhat strong, misses the point of this whole scenario. It's not Torre's fault he was the highest paid manager in baseball, his 12 straight years of playoff appearances earned him that right. It's also not Torre's fault that Steinbrenner came out before Game 3 (I think?) and said Torre would be fired if they didn't win the series.
That's bogus front office management, and it totally cut Cashman's nuts off. If Cashman is the GM, let him run the team. If he doesn't run the team, then he's gone along with Torre. Steinbrenner is a douchebag, and I'm happy that Torre didn't take this stupid ass contract when really, if any year Torre had to actually "coach" considering the amount of talent they've had, this year he had to coach the most. Horrible pitching, the Clemens ordeal, infusion of youth where youth has never really been a part of the Yankees roster, etc...