Save Joe Torre

Sizemore rounding third . . .
Here's Damon's throw to the plate . . .
Bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce
~ Rob Neyer

I was thinking about the Joe Torre situation and I truly believe that we as anti-Yankee people should endorse him coming back in 2008. God forbid they get someone that can effectively use a bullpen. If Torre knew how to navigate through late inning pitching changes, he might have two more World Series rings to add to his collection.

Sure, that is pure speculation, but I am reasonably sure there were two series that I saw that were a directly effected by bullpen moves. I for one am fully supporting his return and I do believe we should pitch in and perhaps start a petition. I do think all our efforts would be for naught as I think they both move on, but we simply cannot give up the dream.

As to who would replace him if he was not brought back, the buzz has been that Tony LaRussa might be choice. According to Madden, LaRussa wants to manage at one more stop and have a chance to win another championship. The Yankees would certainly fit that bill and it allows Mattingly to get more experience under his belt. It does make sense since the Yankees would never go with a 'no-namer' and still positions Donnie Baseball as the heir whereas Girardi would probably be in for the long haul and blocking the Boss's favorite.

Of course popular notion is that no one could handle the media as well as Torre, but I call bullshit. I've heard many o' manager do pre/post games, including Eric Wedge during these playoffs, and many are very savvy and intelligent. The notion that no one else could do it is simply false and utterly ridiculous. Torre's staunchest supporters have always pointed to his handling of personalities, his even keeled approach, and the way he handles the media as the reason he is so successful in New York and simply do not believe anyone could do that outside of Yankee blood presumably.

I think all those people need to wake up and realize that Joe Torre does not walk on water, his poo does in fact stink, and the man is a marginal manager at best. Sure, he says nice things to the media, but I do believe a lot of people would have the ability to do that and LaRussa, Mattingly, or Girardi would be able to do just swell. It might be weird for a bit without him, but I'm sure things will return to 'normal' for the Yankees shortly.

* * *

Ha ha!

Clemens and his agents, the Hendricks brothers, a wily band of career plotters, knew the position the Yankees were in and held them up for a prorated $28 million salary, the highest single-season salary a major league player has ever had.

Clemens’s first start for the Yankees came June 9, which set his salary for the season at $17,442,622. Making 17 starts during the season, he earned roughly $1 million a start. But Clemens, a six-time 20-game winner and a seven-time winner of the Cy Young award, has the credentials to demand that level of pay, or whatever level of pay a club is willing to give.

Even if he was to pitch, he would have to do it for less than $10 million for sure. I hope he can manage to feed his family on that.

For the record, I seriously doubt he will be back.

Tim Marchan does not like the NL.

The Rockies and the Diamondbacks are the best on offer from the NL this year. One of them is going to follow in the proud tradition of last year's 83-win St. Louis Cardinals. Aside from our man in the Sangre de Cristos (and, possibly, the Almighty), no one should care all that much more than they care about Japan's Championship Series. The real title fight starts Friday, in Boston.

That is the load of crap. I do not think I need to remind anyone that 2000 went to the AL, 2001 went to the NL, 2002 went to the AL, 2003 went to the NL, 2004 went to the AL, 2005 went to the AL, and 2006 went to the NL. I may not be the smartest human in the world, but the NL has fared well despite being overmatched on paper in every contest that they won.

The AL winner is hardly a surefire bet to win anything. Yes, there are more talented teams in the AL, but I think history has proved that the NL has a shot here and I certainly do not agree that the NL does not have a team that the casual fan can get behind. Both teams are exactly the type of exciting team (and especially the Rockies) that a casual fan can get behind as they are the quintessential underdog.

Call me crazy, but there is a lot of young talented teams in the NL that have bright futures. Things go in ebbs and flows and the NL will rise again and may very well be on the verge of growing up if the Mets can finally make that jump to a perennial playoff team, the Dodgers young guys get a chance to play, the D-Backs keep taking steps forward, the Brewers keep getting better, and the Rockies keep up their resurgence.

There are teams that are loaded with talent that are extremely close to turning a corner and that is impossible to ignore.