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Joe Torre, New York Met Manager, Hall-of-Famer

Edgy MD Jul 28 2014 11:14 AM

Let's start by saying that John McGraw at his best would have had a hard time keeping his head above water with the hand Torre was dealt in Queens. Good: [list][*]Loyally and faithfully stuck with the vestiges of Gil Hodges' old coaching staff. Even rehired them when he took over in Atlanta.[/*:m] [*]After Willie Mays was banned from holding an MLB job, he hired his old batterymate Bob Gibson, because he believed in the power of a legend on the bench.[/*:m] [*]As with Jeter years later, he tried to develop Mazzilli into a captain in training. It didn't work, but there's a long history of good managers identifying a young player and infusing him with all the manager's philosophy, making him the embodiment of the manager and his expectations on the field and in the clubhouse, allowing the manager to stay out of folks' hair. Stengel did it with Berra. Hodges/Seaver. Valentine/Alfonzo.[/*:m] [*]Was a willing and able face of a franchise, if a listing one.[/*:m][/list:u] Bad: [list][*]Consistently chose defense over offense up the middle, leaving the team with gaping holes in the lineup. Gaping. And I'm a Doug Flynn fan.[/*:m] [*]Had too much faith in Alex Treviņo's bat.[/*:m] [*]Liked Treviņo so much, in fact, that during a team slump, he tried to inject the lineup with offense by putting Alex behind the dish for a few days and moving Stearns to third. Probably unrelated, but Stearns hurt his elbow and was never the same.[/*:m] [*]Allowed Gibson's assessment of Roger Clemens to be passed up the chain, leading the team to lowball him, and him to go to college.[/*:m] [*]Was an early adopter of the designated-closer mentality, pitching Allen in late innings with a lead, and pitching Reardon when behind. Among other things, it probably led to the team selling Reardon below value.[/*:m][/list:u]

batmagadanleadoff Jul 28 2014 11:33 AM Re: Joe Torre, New York Met Manager, Hall-of-Famer

I saw Torre hit two solo HR's against Candelaria in a 3-2 Met loss at Shea. Anyone remember what the next day's headline was in one of the tabloids?

batmagadanleadoff Jul 28 2014 11:38 AM Re: Joe Torre, New York Met Manager, Hall-of-Famer

I'll accept guesses in lieu of memories.

Edgy MD Jul 28 2014 11:44 AM Re: Joe Torre, New York Met Manager, Hall-of-Famer

batmagadanleadoff Jul 28 2014 11:53 AM Re: Joe Torre, New York Met Manager, Hall-of-Famer

I'm looking for the back page headline.

Frayed Knot Jul 28 2014 12:33 PM Re: Joe Torre, New York Met Manager, Hall-of-Famer

Torre didn't write out his speech yesterday, and in giving his remarks off the cuff inadvertently left out any references or thanks to the late George M. Steinbrenner III. When it was pointed out to him shortly afterward Joe immediately went to the assembled press with his apologies and to make sure it wasn't taken as intentional. I would have liked it better if he had said; 'yeah I left his name out intentionally, what of it! He's dead now and no longer signs my paychecks' Consistently chose defense over offense up the middle, leaving the team with gaping holes in the lineup. Gaping. And I'm a Doug Flynn fan. One of his first acts as Yanqui mgr was to remove the then-popular Mike Stanley as the backstop and install the more defensive-minded Joe Girardi in his place (although Girardi hit decently well initially) and it wasn't until 1998 that Posada got the lion's share of ABs although Joe was smart enough to use Posada during the post-season. Not a popular move at the time among Yanqui fans, but of course many of the moves made in that era weren't well received at the time (trading for O'Neill, Tino-for-Mattingly, keeping Bernie Williams over Gerald, not re-signing Wetteland, others) Hmmmm, Girardi, another Captain-type championed by Torre.

Edgy MD Jul 28 2014 12:39 PM Re: Joe Torre, New York Met Manager, Hall-of-Famer

My position is that Girardi is gonna singlehandedly keep Posada out of the Hall of Fame, by cutting Jorge's career short as a player at the beginning, and as a manager at the end, both choices being questionable.

batmagadanleadoff Jul 28 2014 02:27 PM Re: Joe Torre, New York Met Manager, Hall-of-Famer

batmagadanleadoff wrote: I saw Torre hit two solo HR's against Candelaria in a 3-2 Met loss at Shea. Anyone remember what the next day's headline was in one of the tabloids? I was looking for Pirates 3, Torre 2 Thank you for playing.