Thanks for the memories, Joe Torre.

In 1996 Joe Torre came to lead the Yankees. He was handed a team with a young Derek Jeter, Jorge Pasoda, and Andy Pettitte along with crafty vets such as Bernie Williams, Paul O’Neill, and Tino Martinez. Shrugging aside New York headlines touting him as “Clueless Joe” and the grumblings of fans that hiring him was a colossal mistake, Joe Torre, or Mr. Torre, as Derek Jeter calls him, led his team to it’s first World Series Championship since 1978. Torre’s later years with the team would resemble the late seventies. Just as Billy Martin was given ultimatums and never felt his job was secure, Torre would be told by George Steinbrenner to either win or be fired. Twelve trips to the postseason, five trips to the World Series, and four Championships later, Torre was told, for the second year in a row, win or be fired. Having second thoughts, Steinbrenner did offer Joe Torre a contract for 2007. A manager that has been with your club for twelve years and led your club to the playoffs in each of those years should not be offered a one-year contract. As if that was not enough, the contract was laced with incentive based bonuses. For every level of the postseason that the Yankees reached, Torre would earn another million making it possible for him to make eight million dollars for the 2008 season. If they were to win the World Series, Torre would receive a contract worth eight million dollars for 2009. Call me what you will, but a man who has worked for a company twelve years should not have to audition for his job. If Steinbrenner did not want to bring him back, don’t bring him back.

With all of that said, I do believe Joe Torre has nothing left to offer the Yankees. Right or wrong, the team has set a standard for itself. That standard is to win the World Series every year. Year after year Steinbrenner spends his money to better equip his team to win and, since 2001, year after year they have fallen short. There were questionable managerial decisions that were made be Torre this year. It is easy to sit back in my barstool and say as much but I can’t think that any manager in the league would have started Wang over Mussina in game four. Wang was the best pitcher in the rotation all season long winning 19 games and maintaining an ERA of 3.7. However, in game one, he folded. Perhaps it was his age but he showed that he was useless in the postseason and should have never gotten the ball with the season, and Torre’s job, on the line. Where was Jason Giambi? I do not care if the pitcher is right or left handed or if you were going for defense over power. In the playoffs, Giambi should be in the game. Doug Mientkiewicz is a much better first baseman. I get that. However, it makes no difference how good of a glove you have at first base if your pitchers cannot keep the ball in the infield. The Yankees have always played power baseball. Why change now? Matsui was hurt. He bats from the same side as a healthy Giambi yet he starts as the DH over Jason? Keep Mientkiewicz at first at let Giambi DH. These mistakes might be ok in a season of a hundred and sixty-two games or even a seven game series. However, in a best of five series, these mistakes are fatal. Did the best team win? No. Why? Well, Derek Jeter never got going, Alex Rodriguez did more than he usually does in October but it still was not much, the starting pitching failed to perform as the had since the all-star break, Jaba Chamberland was literally bugged on the mound, and Joe Torre failed fix what was broken.

I will miss you, Mr. Torre. The fans will miss you. Your players will miss you. It is time for a new era. Bring on Mattingly. Steinbrenner, ultimatums rarely produce results. Please allow Mattingly, or whoever takes over, time to do their thing.

Mr. May

October is upon us and with it comes cooler breezes and an off chance for storms. As children anticipate dressing as ghouls, pirates, super heroes, and princesses, I settle back with a cold beer and a bag of salty peanuts and take in the sports of the day. There is the joy that comes in the form of silver and blue streaking down field posting an undefeated first month for the Cowboys. Then there is the disappointment in the blue and gold and knowing that Touchdown Jesus has not smiled fondly on the catholic boys at Notre Dame. The eager anticipation that comes with the unknowing feeling at the beginning of the hockey season. I wonder if the Dallas Stars will do well this year. However, my favorite thing is the fall classic. The green grass and perfectly drawn base lines. The crack of the bat and the warm hot dogs. The smell of the leather and the crimson threads. This is a game. This is America's game. There is nothing better than sitting back and watching navy pinstripes going for yet another World Series. There is nothing worse than seeing the Yankees choke.

Alex Rodriguez is, without a doubt, the best player in the game today. He has won countless American League Most Valuable Player awards. Over five hundred career homeruns. He is one of the most clutch players to ever grace the game of baseball... in the regular season, that is. In the playoffs he has had fifty at bats. He has gotten a hit four times of those fifty. More recently A-Rod has gone zero for his last eight-teen at bats. We name Derek Jeter "Mr. November" for his prowess in late 2001 when the season was delayed in the wake of the Trade Center attacks. Although Derek's ability to make a clutch hit did not equate to a 2001 World Series championship, he has more than proved himself over the years leading the Bronx Bombers to titles 1996-2000. We are now looking to Alex Rodriguez to become the new "Mr. October". However, with his ability to dominate the league in the regular season and crumble in October, A-Rod, although he will, more than likely, break the career home run record set by Barry Bonds, will forever be remembered as "Mr. May". The man who couldn't get it done.

Will I change my tone if he comes through tonight with a big hit instead of striking out on bad pitches? Probably. However, he has to be consistent for his new nickname to fall away from him. Tonight we play in the Bronx. We get the last at bat. We will throw out The Rocket. If Torre is smart Giambi will get to swing his mighty bat. There will be no bugs flying around. October, for the Yanks, starts tonight.