CLEARWATER – Don Zimmer sat next to Joe Torre for eight years as Yankee bench coach – and, eventually, as a friend.
Today in St. Petersburg, where the Yankees play the Devil Rays, Zimmer will be in the Rays’ home uniform and a member of a team George Steinbrenner loathes for many reasons besides Zimmer.
“I am looking forward to seeing him,” Torre said.
“It seems like he is having a good time, and that’s nice. Knowing Zim, that should be part of the requirement, that he has a good time. Lou [Tampa manager Piniella] is a perfect guy for him. The fact that he is home and will make selected trips, health-wise it will better for him. He won’t get as tired.”
Last season wasn’t fun at all for Zimmer, who openly feuded with George Steinbrenner when The Boss criticized Torre’s coaches. Zimmer fired back at The Boss on a lot of issues, and after the Yankees lost to the Marlins in the World Series he announced he wasn’t coming back because of Steinbrenner.
Recently in a Tampa restaurant Zimmer and Steinbrenner almost bumped into each other but said nothing to each other.
Zimmer ran into pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre and third-base coach Willie Randolph at a party in Tampa on Saturday night, but for the most part he will be seeing the Yankee family for the first time since the World Series.
Asked why Piniella is good for Zim, Torre replied, “They have something in common – they both love the horses.”