TAMPA – Asked to handicap Joe Torre’s chances of remaining the Yankees manager, an organization voice said it was impossible because nobody knows what will come out of tomorrow’s Legends Field sit-down between decision-makers from the team’s New York and Tampa families.
Club president Randy Levine, GM Brian Cashman, COO Lonn Trost and assistant GM Jean Afterman arrive from The Bronx today. Tomorrow they will enter the Yankees’ spring-training headquarters and sit at a table with George Steinbrenner and sons Hal and Hank. For unknown reasons, Steinbrenner’s son-in-law Felix Lopez will be on hand.
Talk to Yankee employees long enough and ask them their gut feelings on Torre’s future and they predict he returns. Yet, nobody is guaranteeing that.
There have been behind-the-scenes comments made that indicate Torre’s 12-year stint in The Bronx will end tomorrow.
Furthermore, nobody who will be at the table tomorrow has given Torre the slightest vote of confidence.
Hank Steinbrenner, The Boss’ eldest son, is said to like Torre. However, Hank last week said “nothing lasts forever” when asked about Torre’s future.
People close to Don Mattingly and Joe Girardi, the leading candidates to replace Torre if he is axed, say they haven’t been contacted by the club. That could be taken as a sign that the Yankees are retaining Torre. Of course, their phones could ring tonight.
“It all depends on what goes on inside the meeting,” a voice said.
As for Torre, he wants to come back. But at what price? The $7 million he made this year was easily the most in the big leagues. With Hal and Hank running the show, there is a new emphasis on avoiding wild spending. Does Torre, who was into the development of Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, Ian Kennedy and the progress made by Melky Cabrera, want to come back for two years and $8 million with the understanding that 2009 is, in saloon talk, “a final final?”
Can George Steinbrenner, who didn’t sound like the feeble 77-year-old man many people believe he has become when he delivered an edict that Torre had to beat the Indians or likely lose his job, live with Torre as his manager when the new Yankee Stadium opens in 2009?
The Boss came very close to axing Torre a year ago. When he brought back Torre, Steinbrenner said he expected a World Series title. Instead, the Yankees got bounced from the playoffs in the first round for the third straight season.
George Steinbrenner has long been agitated for the credit Torre received for the Yanks winning three straight and four World Series in five years. Lately The Boss has been wondering what he has gotten out of the $19.2 million pact Torre signed in 2005.
Mattingly, a Steinbrenner favorite, was moved from hitting coach to bench coach last year in order to be groomed as Torre’s successor. But he has never managed a game at any level. Girardi, last year’s NL manager of the year with the Marlins, has support within the organization but it’s not 100 percent.
When they solve Torre’s situation, the families can send out for food and talk about what they are going to do with Alex Rodriguez, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Bobby Abreu.
In any other year, those names would dominate the headlines. This time, Rodriguez, expected to opt out of the final three years of a deal and leave $91M on the table, is running a cool second to Torre.
Rivera, Posada and Abreu are bunched in at third. Rivera and Posada will file for free agency after the World Series, and the Yankees hold an option for $16M on Abreu.