Estranged Yankees Joe Torre and Don Mattingly are very much alive for postseason glory with the Dodgers, while their former team is done after a 13-year run."I guess it was so pre-determined, the way they've been talking," said Torre, now the manager of the Dodgers, who reduced their magic number to clinch to three just hours after the Yankees were eliminated.
"It's very unusual. You think of Derek Jeter -- his whole career he's been in the postseason. He's never experienced this. I guess they've had a feeling for a while, it wasn't going to be a good ending."
Despite his awkward departure from the Yankees in the offseason, Torre said he takes no satisfaction in Yankees defeats.
"The satisfaction I have, going someplace after 12 years, and you leave wondering if managing can be fun again, because the last few years back there weren't fun," he said. "I don't take satisfaction in the Yankees being eliminated. But it's satisfying that we win three games here and we're in, especially with all the ups and downs we've had."
I'm sure, that Torre does feel some satisfaction deep down. After all his Dodgers are headed for the playoffs, and Hank and Hal's Yankees are headed home. Maybe he's just happy he got out before this season, so that he couldn't be blamed for it, like he's been blamed for everything else the last few years. But being the man that he is, I also believe there is part of him that would rather see his former players playing in October. He still cares about a lot of the players on this Yankee team."I'm sure it's tough for the Yankees -- something different, for sure," said Mattingly, who took over as Torre's Dodgers hitting coach at the All-Star break after missing the first half attending to his family. "Jeter, [Andy] Pettitte, Mariano [Rivera]. They haven't missed in a long time. It's one of those years in a tough division to play catch-up.
"But this year is a transition year for them without Joe. I interviewed for the [Yankees] manager's job and I knew going in that it was sort of a no-win situation. You listen to them talk, and I don't think they realized what Joe did for them for so long, how special he is at what he does.
"I think they sort of took him for granted, didn't realize all the things he brings to the table as a manager. You've seen it here with the Dodgers this year. How he keeps the ship going the right way, keeps things on track when it looks like things are getting ugly."
Donnie's honesty is kind of surprising to me, makes me think he might have been a good pick for manager. And I'm also glad he said what he said. I agree with him completely about how the Steinbrenner's saw Torre, and didn't realize what they had with him. He was very unappreciated by the organization and by many fans as well, and it's a shame things ended the way they did.
I don't know about you, but I'm rooting for the Dodgers to go all the way.
5 Comments:
same here. I'll root for Dodgers to win it all.
As will I. I still like Torre and Mattingly, and let's not forget about Larry Bowa.
I was all for the Dodgers. Then they went a traded for Manny. I'm sorry guys, but I can't pull for someone I consider a disgrace to the game to win another world series.
Mateo, you're a hatter, I think Manny acted a fool because the way Boston organization treat their players, no respect at all for their accomplished veterans, its like their policy is something like use and abuse them then release them, it happened to Boggs, Clemens, Damon and its going to happen to a lot more of their players. And I can see why Manny acted like that, I couldn't see the Yankees giving the boot to Jeter or Posada or Rivera or treating them like dirt after their championship years, it’s just not right.
Mateo,
Come on stick with Torre and Donnie Baseball. You mean to tell me that every player the Yankees have had over the years played the game the right way, and wasn't a disgrace to the game? What about all the steroid users, did they respect the game by cheating?
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