With the dysfunctional Yankee universe still draped in extreme shock and colossal failure, Joe Torre is expected at Yankee Stadium today where the No. 1 question is Torre’s future.
After George Steinbrenner second-guessed Torre’s bullpen decision on Aug. 9 against the White Sox, Torre refused to comment on the issue because he didn’t want to distract his team during a pennant race.
“Ask me when the season is over,” Torre said.
Well, the Yankees’ season ended in Anaheim Monday night when the Angels won the decisive Game 5 of the ALDS, 5-3 after the Yankees blew an early 2-0 lead.
As soon as Hideki Matsui made the final out, Torre’s future became a very hot topic. Not the only one, but the sexiest.
While people close to Steinbrenner doubt he will fire Torre and pay him $13.1 million over the next two years not to manage, nobody will predict Torre will return for an 11th season. And Lou Piniella, a Steinbrenner favorite, is out of work.
Torre isn’t walking away from the money. Nor is Torre likely to say something inflammatory today that will lead The Boss to fire him.
Since saying, “I am not too happy with the manager” in August, Steinbrenner has refused to answer questions about Torre’s security.
Mel Stottlemyre revealed Monday on the eve of the Yankees’ biggest game of the year that he was “kind of fired in midseason” and it was a “chore to last this long.” The revelation leads to the conclusion Steinbrenner was going to box his pitching coach without telling Torre or GM Brian Cashman, both of whom didn’t know about it until Monday.
Steinbrenner went out of his way to praise Angels manager Mike Scioscia yesterday but didn’t mention Torre. This after Steinbrenner said the Yankees chances in Game 5 were on Torre’s shoulders following Game 4.
“I congratulate the Angels, and their manager, on the great job they’ve done,” Steinbrenner said in a statement. “Our team played hard but we let our fans down. Our fans are the greatest in the world and I want to thank them for their amazing support throughout the season. We will do better.”
Is that right?
With so many questions hanging over their heads, it’s fair to believe that the Yankees’ run of eight straight AL
East division titles is over.
Cashman breaking down in the clubhouse after Game 5 when asked if this were the last Yankee team he would be part of was a strong indication he is gone when his contract expires Oct. 31. The Phillies are very interested in him. The new ownership in Washington will have an interest. Two years ago, the Mariners sent out feelers to see if they could get Cashman.
With Bill Bavasi’s future uncertain, Cashman could surface in Seattle. Baltimore is a possibility, too, but Cashman may not want to work for Peter Angelos, who is as tough to work for as Steinbrenner but doesn’t make the financial commitment The Boss does.
Hideki Matsui will be a free agent and, his ALDS meltdown aside, must be resigned. However, there is no telling what type of offer agent Arn Tellem will get on the open market for Matsui.
Tom Gordon, Bernie Williams and Tino Martinez, whose option won’t be picked up, will be free agents.
On a lesser scale, bench coach Joe Girardi is close to being named the Marlins’ manager. That means if Torre is back, he will work with his fourth bench coach in four seasons.
No coach has a contract for next year. And who replaces Stottlemyre, considered by many to be the best in the game?
