Pinstripe Alley: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Sports blogs for fans, by fans.
New Blog: The Boxing Bulletin for Boxing Fans!

I think Pinella is in for sure

NY Daily News:

Unless other team officials can talk The Boss out of it, or unless Torre, 66, agrees to resign in order to save face, sources said principal owner George Steinbrenner will replace the manager who was credited with returning the team to its fabled glory. Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman is expected to keep his job, as are most members of the front office. Torre may be offered another position within the organizatio

Sources said Steinbrenner lost his patience over the team's listless play in its division series loss to the Tigers - and Steinbrenner is not expected to wait long to make his move.

Sources told the Daily News that Piniella has been in discussions with the Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants and Washington Nationals, and Steinbrenner does not want the Yankees to miss a chance to sign the man considered the natural successor to Torre for years...


I'll write up my thoughts after I take a bit more time. I do think it's time for Joe to step down. The decision to squeeze Sheffield and Matsui back in to the mix after they missed almost the entire season had many of us spooked. And WE WERE RIGHT.

0 recs  |  Comment 33 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

The real problems
4 world championships, 6 AL championships, 9 consecutive division championships ... fire the bum!  Of course, I am joking.  The Yankees have 3 major problems: 1) an over zealous owner 2) over zealous fans 3) over zealous NY media.  The problem is not Torre!

by nyerinfl on Oct 8, 2006 10:35 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Agreed. George should just
apologize to Zimmer and get him to hold Joe's hand again. That would be the cheapest solution anyway.
Everything looks nicer when you win. The girls are prettier. The cigars taste better. The trees are greener. --Billy Martin

by garp on Oct 8, 2006 10:37 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

George is getting really old...
I think he's up for paying anything and he really doesn't care, just wants another Title before he passes.
"Your booing isn't helping" --- AKJoe

by AKJoe on Oct 8, 2006 11:45 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Lupica put it best
If Torre got all the credit when they won those titles, why is it not his fault when they lose?

I'm not saying Torre should be fired, and I'd take him as my manager in a second... but if you had 6 straight years of failure at your job, would you be able to keep it? From a Big Stein perspective, that's what it boils down to.

Bleeding Green Nation Philadelphia Eagles Blog

by JasonB on Oct 9, 2006 9:19 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Lou says:
"I have no idea where this report came from. I haven't talked to anybody in the Yankees organization. I'm stunned."

-quote from Lou in the pregame show for the Cards/Padres game

by Fett42 on Oct 8, 2006 10:58 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Though this version of the article
Unlike the others, at least doesn't say Lou's been in talks with the Yanks

by Fett42 on Oct 8, 2006 10:59 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Good Question - who leaked?
George or Brian

by Al Rodgers on Oct 9, 2006 12:24 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Screw saving face
You want him out fire him but you gotta pay him.
I'm sure Lou has been in touch, all the more reason I would make George fire him.

If you want Pinella that bad then make it happen and be prepared to pay because it will cost you a lot on a number of fronts so be prepared to weather the storm.

Conquest Chronicles

by Paragon SC on Oct 8, 2006 11:11 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Take it from a longtime Mariners fan...
Lou Piniella (btw, there's two i's in there) is not going to be some saving grace.

Fiery?  Sure.  throwing a base into right field now and then can fire up the clubhouse.  But his track record with both managing pitching and handling young players is -bad-.  

I can't tell you how many young pitching prospects Sweet Lou chewed up and spit out during his tenure in the Northwest.  If he's hired, say goodbye to Mr. Hughes.

by oneiric232 on Oct 9, 2006 12:12 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

True
Lou would've been better when it was just vets and young position players... you do NOT want Lou right when your young pitching crop is coming up (also a lifelong ms fan)

by Fett42 on Oct 9, 2006 12:23 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

How many bases will Lou toss next year?
I am setting the over/under at 6

by Al Rodgers on Oct 9, 2006 12:22 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

ya know, I thought Randolph would be the successor
Being a life long yankee and a prospect park kid, I thought Willie would be the natural successor.

by Al Rodgers on Oct 9, 2006 12:45 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I thought the
talk was torre was grooming donnie baseball for an eventual takeover?
Losers always whine about their best. Winners go home and f*** the prom queen.

by Edwantsacracker on Oct 9, 2006 3:47 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Lou Piniella
If Piniella is hired as the new manager of the New York Yankees, then Philip Hughes should spend the entire 2007 season with the Columbus Clippers.

As it is, there's no denying the fact that Piniella is a horrible at managing young pitchers. His track record with the Seattle Mariners and Tampa Bay Devil Rays during the 1990s and early 2000s is proof of that.

In the end, ultimately, Hughes would be mentally abused and physically overused via Piniella's impatience.

by AK1984 on Oct 9, 2006 12:59 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Pinella is not the answer
any more than Randy Johnson or Alex Rodriguez was the answer.  These impetuous moves we make when we lose a series and think that "X" is the magic answer is nonsense.  It's like someone is sitting there going "Oh I know, this guy will fix things."  And then that guy doesn't fix things or makes them worse (Johnson/Rodriguez).  

I think Torre made some bad decisions in the division series but I don't think Pinella is the answer.  

"The secret of managing is to keep the guys who hate you away from the guys who are undecided." -Casey Stengel

by bxgrl1 on Oct 9, 2006 7:33 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

You maybe
right but it doesn't look the buttons Torre is pushing is working anymore.  Time for a change.

by ReLaunch on Oct 9, 2006 7:35 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Torre isn't the problem on this team
I like Lou Piniella, but he's not the right kind of manager for this team.

Yes, he's a fiery guy and that's great for a younger team, but not a ballclub loaded with veterans because that will get old fast and cause more tension sooner rather than later.

IMHO, so many people took Torre for granted and dismissed his ability to diffuse controversy on the biggest stage in the land, rather than escalate it.  Piniella is almost the opposite of Torre in that respect.

The reason why that SI article created such a buzz  last month was because this Yankee team under Torre kept all of  the clubhouse stuff inside the clubhouse as it is supposed to be.  

The reaction by the media would have been far different if this kind of thing and clubhouse "turmoil" (for a lack of a better word) was the norm instead of a rarity over the last decade.

All of that professionalism that has been the Yankee way during the last 11 seasons is because of Torre.

I don't see that happening under Piniella.

Also, I think it's worth noting that Piniella hasn't exactly been in the middle of too many postseason celebrations in his own right.

He's already been the manager of the Yankees -- TWICE -- and I don't remember him having too much success.

He was also the manager of a team in Seattle that broke the AL record for wins in a single season in 2001 and were the favorites to win the World Series that season.

Well, that didn't work out so well for Sweet Lou because the M's got beat by the Yankees in the ALCS; a series they were favored to win.

Yankee fans have been so spoiled over the last decade that they seem to forget that the Yanks had been to a grand total of ONE postseason in the previous 15 years before Torre arrival and he helped deliver nothing but success and postseason appearances since the day he put on the pinstripes.

Torre had 11 straight playoff appearances, 9 straight division titles, 6 AL Pennants, and 4 rings during his tenure and some people think he's a worthless bum.

That doesn't make a damn bit of sense to me.

Let's not forget what the man did for this franchise before we kick him while he's down and toss him out the door like yesterday's trash.

Unfortunately, I don't think many Yankee fans will truly appreciate what the man did for this team until he's gone and his successor fails to get the Yankees to the postseason.

Just like the Atlanta Braves and their reign in the NL East, it's gonna happen eventually.

"To play eighteen years in Yankee Stadium is the best thing that could ever happen to a ballplayer." -- Mickey Mantle

by anaconda on Oct 9, 2006 11:37 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Torre has
done a remarkable job.  Many of his decisions lately though have been mind boggling.  He got out managed in the 04 playoffs, this year playing Sheff, starting Wright in game 4 (Wang said he could have pitched on 3 days rest but was left in NY).  My point is, his touch doesn't seem that good anymore.  Weaver instead of Rivera for a World Series game?  Come on.

by ReLaunch on Oct 9, 2006 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

The last time
The yankees had a manager other than Joe Torre I was 7 years old...
Losers always whine about their best. Winners go home and f*** the prom queen.

by Edwantsacracker on Oct 9, 2006 9:13 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Piniella
He would have been great for the 2005 Yanks, and the 2006 team, too, had Matsui and Sheffield not been injured.  But with major changes coming (i.e., a youth movement), he's just not the guy to be at the helm in 2007.  Torre may not, either, though.

Mattingly and Girardi would both be great choices, since they work well with the younger players, yet have played the game recently enough that they can connect with the veterans.  

The Sporting Brews
Editorializing the Yanks since 2005.

by PinstripePowerhouse on Oct 9, 2006 12:03 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Donny Baseball
will manage this team in the future, probably in a few years.  He's the natural successor, imo.

by docgonzo on Oct 9, 2006 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

The SI article
was the moment that doomed this team in my opinion.

THe access given for that article broke the trust of the players for the concept of what happens in the clubhouse, stays in the clubhouse.

Torre should never, and in the past I don't think he would ever, have allowed such a story/such access.

As for Arod - he needs to understand that God does not give a rat's ass about whether it is time for him to 'produce'. God gave him the ability to hit the ball six miles, and God expects him to USE that ability to, well, hit the ball six miles.

I think Piniella would be a substantial error in judgment. Lou's a great player, but he's not a great manager (imo). With the potential to completely rebuild the roster, bring up younger players, and TEACH the game again - that's what Torre did well in the 90s.

But since 2001 when we went back to buying OTPs, Torre hasn't been able to do that. And the OTP'ers have done nothing in the postseason to deliver wins:

Giambi
(Damon - in brackets due to 3R HR in game 2)
Johnson
Wright
Sheffield
Rodriguez
Mussina
Matsui (technically an OTP'er)

They have all been horrible in the postseason. None have delivered timely hits/starts consistently.

But our one win in this series came from the homegrown guys -- Jeter 5-5 (who is consistent), Wang (not great but good enough), and the other HG'er Posada who had a good series at the plate.

I would prefer not to see Piniella manage the Yankees into the ground next year - regardless of how many times he kissed Arod on the forehead.

by detroit yankee on Oct 9, 2006 12:23 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Great logic
cause O'Neil, Broscious, Tino, Raines, Knoblauch, Girardi, Sojo, Justice, Cone, Clemens, Wells, Duque, Stanton, and Nelson were all great home grown players.
I know, I know: Posada, Jeter, Williams, Rivera, Pettitte, Mendoza, Lehritz.

And if the Yanks had won the ALDS, we'd be talking about how this tighter knit clubhouse was uneffected by the negative SI article.  Chemistry is a product, not an ingredient to championships.

Have faith in the Yankees my son. Think of the great DiMaggio.

by jscape2000 on Oct 10, 2006 12:49 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Right on
Chemistry is a product [of], not an ingredient to championships.

Truer words have never been spoken.

The Sporting Brews
Editorializing the Yanks since 2005.

by PinstripePowerhouse on Oct 10, 2006 10:09 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Torre has been great
We all LOVE Joe. If he isn't fired, the Yanks will need to make several big personel moves...Trade A-Rod please...Watching the Cowboys it's always TO all day... Parcells must be going nuts...

by John Amato on Oct 9, 2006 12:29 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Jeter says no to Joe go
If Jeter doesn't want him gone, he's not going to be gone.  If George wants anyone to be happy, it's the captain.

I do think he should have pitched Wang on game 4 and that he should have put Andy Phillips at first.  

I don't know what is wrong with Torre that led him to these decisions but someone should find out and fix it.

I do like the professionalism of this team and how everything (sans the SI article) stays in the clubhouse and I think Lou would undo all of that.  

They need to get more coaches into more active roles on the bench the way Zim was.  I assume the coaches and players knew that Wright and Sheffield were bad ideas.  Since me and everyone i know knew it, I assume they did.  I was screaming about Wright and Sheffield before the game.  hell, who couldn't see that loss coming?

I think Joe is amazing but some of his calls are just screwy sometimes.  He needs better people around him who can say "Hold it...let's think about this."  
 

"The secret of managing is to keep the guys who hate you away from the guys who are undecided." -Casey Stengel

by bxgrl1 on Oct 9, 2006 1:14 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Andy Phillips would of made the difference....
I'm still trying to figure out how a 3rd string fielder would of made a difference.  He shouldn't of even been on the postseason roster. Craig Wilson is way more versitle and a better hitter.  
"Your booing isn't helping" --- AKJoe

by AKJoe on Oct 10, 2006 12:36 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Joe's Strenght, And A Little Dose Of Reality
Joe Torre's strength as manager of the Yankees has not been in-game decisions, which is something he has always had trouble with, beginning with his managerial career with the Mets, and continuing through his tenure's in Atlanta and St. Louis.  Torre's great strength as a manager was a manager of personalities, of egos.  He has had help through the years with the players he had playing for him earlier in his Yankee tenure.  Torre handled personalities and egos very well, was able to be a lightning rod for the ownership's ire, and kept a cool, calm demeanor in the clubhouse and dugout.  Of course, winning World Series helped keep the egos and controversies in check.  

A friend of mine, not even remotely close to being a Yankee fan (hating them, in fact), acknowledges that the Yankees early in Torre's tenure was a team, a true team, not just a collection of stars, like the current Yankees.  Is this Torre's fault?  Yes and no. If Torre is to get some credit for the titles, he should get some demerits for the team's failings.  

Will hiring a new manager cure the Yankees' ills?  Well, let's look at this realistically for a moment-- not Yankee fan/media reality but real-world reality-- here is a team that has won the division title every year for nine straight years and playing in five World Series with a record of 3-2 in those series.  Take a look at this for a moment.... 5 World Series appearances in nine years.... 3 World Series won in nine years.... Truth be told, Yankee fans, losing as your team has been losing should not be embarrassing, at all.  Your team was a part of history in 2004-- on the wrong side, however.  You lost to an Angels team in 2005 that has had your team's number for years, so that is not shocking.  In 2006, you got beat by good pitching.  Kenny Rogers' start was shocking, to be sure.  But Detroit was a good team this season, on the whole, who did play badly in their last 50 games.  Detroit's victory is not shocking, is not a sign of the end times, or anything like that.  It was a loss to a team that just played better-- which is how it works out most of the time.  Baseball has been like that for years, and will continue to be that way.

The fact that the Yankees haven't won a World Series since 2000 is not terrible, shocking, embarrassing, unfathomable, or any other adjective you want to use in that vein.  I mean this in a baseball-reality sense.  In a Yankee fan/media reality, the end is nigh.  What does that tell us?  The fault lies not in your stars but in yourselves.  

They will be back one day.  That day may not come that soon but it will happen.  The Yankees have too many resources at their disposal to not reach the promised land again one day.  You do have a little work to do.  Sheffield should be a goner, you will need some pitching (who doesn't nowadays?  That is another subject for another time....), and you will need a little luck.  And there are probably other little things that need to happen.  

For fans who have forgotten, or fans who have never experienced this, just remember, or get to know, the drought that existed from 1982 to 1994.  In that timespan, there were no World Series, no Division titles, and only a couple of season where these were possible.  Hey, let's go back farther than that, where the previous drought was from 1965 to 1975.  We can go back farther than that, the timespan of 1901 to 1920.  This proves that the Yankees don't win the World Series every year.  

They'll be back.  When the time, and the team, is right, they'll be back.  Once in awhile, it's good  to know how the other half lives-- you'll appreciate the titles more.  

by nettles9 on Oct 9, 2006 1:44 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Durr durr durr
Are you all retarded?
The clear and obvious problem in NY is pitching. You guys don't spend money on good pitching normally, but then when you do, it's on a forty year old man!

Steinbrenner is a shit.

by TruthtoPower on Oct 9, 2006 1:57 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

My Dear Sir....
I am not, as you so eloquently put it, a "retard".  And I'm sure many of the others who post here are not "retards", either.  Perhaps a mirror is in order.  

A quick thought: Never saw a post like this on the Amazin' Avenue blog.... I hope this caliber of reply is more the exception rather than the rule.

by nettles9 on Oct 9, 2006 2:12 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Obviously
that isn't someone that is on here often

by ReLaunch on Oct 9, 2006 3:51 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Welcome to Pinstripe Alley, an SB Nation blog about the 27-time (and reigning) World Champion New York Yankees.

Community Guidelines
Start posting about the Yankees »

Join SB Nation and dive into communities focused on all your favorite teams.

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

Small
Is Swish really on the trading block?

Recent FanPosts

Small
Another Way to Put Down the "Buy a Championship Argument"
Small
The Ultimate Free-Agent Tracker
08-04-08_0908_small
Pitching Thoughts
Small
Nick Swisher
Mickey-mantle-at-yankee-stadium-1963-photographic-print-c10115880_small
Center Field
Swish_small
Endicott College (Just North of Boston) To Host Yankees Celebration
Yankees_small
Favorite and Least Favorite Non-Yankees
29870_small
I can has Left Fielder?
29870_small
Why the Yankees should NOT trade for Roy Halladay.

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

SPONSORS


Managers

Mo_rivera_small Travis G

Bigblueview_small Ed Valentine

Editors

Small John Amato

Dsc00073_small jscape2000

Authors

Cyc2_small CrazyYankeeChick