Who would you prefer -- Torre or Mattingly?

by anaconda on Apr 30, 2007 4:26 PM EDT in New York Yankees News

Lots of PA readers are advocating (and in some cases demanding) the immediate termination of Joe Torre as manager of the New York Yankees.

Brian Cashman has recently been taking responsibility for this team's woes because he is ultimately in charge of putting this team together and giving Torre the tools to win.

If Torre does indeed become the fall guy at some point in 2007, who will replace him?

Historically speaking, managerial replacements in the middle of the season are usually promoted from within the organization and already on the coaching staff. The Yankees appeared to have tipped their hand during the off-season when they promoted Don Mattingly to Bench Coach in order to groom him to become the next Yankee manager.

There is no question that Don Mattingly is one of the most beloved Yankees in the last 25 years -- but the guy has never been a major-league manager and has been performing his current duties for just a couple of months -- including Spring Training.

I have no doubt that Mattingly is going to be the next manager -- no matter if it happens tomorrow or next season. Some Yankee fans may believe there are better candidates for the job (ie: Joe Girardi), but the organization appears to be leaning towards the inexperienced Mattingly. Perhaps the Torre detractors should keep this in mind when demanding for his head after the first month of the season.

How would you feel about Don Mattingly becoming the next manager of the New York Yankees? Could he make a difference this season?

My best guess is that Joe Torre survives this season but will be replaced upon season's end. After sticking his neck out on the line in support of Torre following the 2006 ALDS, Cashman isn't going to fire him during the 2007 campaign unless The Boss steps in and demands it.

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Comments

Torre

It's not time for change yet. Everyone is still trying their hardest (even Bobby Abreu).

Mystique, don't fail me now!

by jscape2000 on Apr 30, 2007 4:35 PM EDT reply actions

I agree

And note Jeter's comment. ~The speculation (about Torre)is "unfair" and "should stop".

I do not think it's time for a change.

now

What makes a good manager?....Good Players. (Yogi)

by Cbeck3 on Apr 30, 2007 5:21 PM EDT up reply actions

jeter

jeter needs to keep his fucking mouth shut. the great defender of people he likes on the team. fuck him. i could not care less what jeter thought about the firing of torre or hiring of anyone else. as soon as you let a player dictate managerial decisions you risk alienating other players. torre needs to go and i look forward to the day he leaves and never comes back to yankee stadium. i realise there is only so much you can do in baseball, hit and run tehre, blah blah blah, but this guy fucking falls asleep on the bench. he is SLEEEPING. you seen the telecast, hes the old man that can sleep with his eyes open. he only wakes up to call on proctor, the relief pitcher hes designated to kill this time (1 a year) and then goes back to sleep. he should go home and fish and think about how only coudl have managed to lose to teh marlins and sox in consecutive years. what a feat. congrats joe!

by sornypanafonic on May 1, 2007 3:24 PM EDT up reply actions

While people

may agree with you Torre need to go, the stuff you say is ridiculous. Your line "i look forward to the day he leaves and never comes back to yankee stadium" is retarded. Yes, he is a moron with the bullpen and the way he treats "his guys". But to say a manager that has been there for 4 WS wins, 6WS appearances, playoffs everyear as a manager, should never come back to the satdium. Retarded.

Great Success!

by ReLaunch on May 1, 2007 9:34 PM EDT up reply actions

Right now, I prefer Torre over Mattingly...

... if you truly believe that the coaching has failed the team and caused the Yanks to lose games, then Mattingly is a part of that chain. I don't think that Mattingly is advocating field decision that are wholly different from Torre.

by nyg2008 on Apr 30, 2007 4:35 PM EDT reply actions

What I meant was that...

... I don't believe that Mattingly is trying to get Torre to go in a different direction during a game and Torre is rebuffing him. I think they are on the same page on field moves, for the most part.

by nyg2008 on Apr 30, 2007 4:55 PM EDT up reply actions

It would be obvious if...

... Mattingly and Torre were clashing on managerial decisions during a game.

by nyg2008 on Apr 30, 2007 5:06 PM EDT up reply actions

We knew it when Mel Stottlemyre was...

... angry with Steinbrenner. We knew it when A-Rod and Jeter were clashing.

by nyg2008 on Apr 30, 2007 9:09 PM EDT up reply actions

It took

4 years to finally hear someone admit about the clash between Jeter and Arod

Great Success!

by ReLaunch on Apr 30, 2007 9:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Torre should stay

and we might want to wait longer than a month before passing judgement on a guy who's gonna have his # 6 on the leftfield wall someday.

But if they did do something dumb like fire him, they wouldn't replace him with Mattingly mid-season. They'd go with Bowa or Pena and let Donnie take over things with a full spring training to work with.

by matthaggs on Apr 30, 2007 4:42 PM EDT reply actions

i hope youre kidding

...number 6? on the wall? please say its not so. that would be a terrible waste of a number. i really hope you take into account the overall quality of the teams he has managed. if only other managers were so fortunate. a retarded monkey could have managed this team, wait thats torre, well maybe half retarded. har har har.

by sornypanafonic on May 1, 2007 3:32 PM EDT up reply actions

Speaking of retarded monkeys

by matthaggs on May 1, 2007 3:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Agreed

Torre's number will clearly be retired.

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on May 1, 2007 3:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Ditto....

by anaconda on May 1, 2007 4:46 PM EDT up reply actions

No debate

Mystique, don't fail me now!

by jscape2000 on May 1, 2007 7:40 PM EDT up reply actions

I think you would have to

bring Joe Girardi into the mix as well.

"Hating the New York Yankees is as American as apple pie, unwed mothers and cheating on your income tax."

by YANKtheTitle on Apr 30, 2007 4:51 PM EDT reply actions

Bowa

Mattingly needs a year as a bench coach. Bowa is my choice. He's a lightning rod ala Billy Martin. His act gets tired after a season, but by then Donnie Baseball will be ready.

by Ronster22 on Apr 30, 2007 5:03 PM EDT reply actions

Pena ...

I'd like to see Pena continuing in his role as Jorge's adopted father. He's the reason Posada is still grooving while Varitek is sucking hind tit. I don't wanna' mess with that love story. I read some stuff about Girardi that makes me alittle gun shy. I like him, though. But Bowa makes the most sense to me. He's got a great relationship with the players, and he doesn't take shit from anyone. But like I said, he wears on a team, and is probably only viable for 1 season. After that ... #23

by Ronster22 on Apr 30, 2007 5:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Stump Merril should

be in the mix also. So should Dallas Green.

Great Success!

by ReLaunch on Apr 30, 2007 5:04 PM EDT reply actions

Dallas Green

Didn't he die?

by Ronster22 on Apr 30, 2007 5:09 PM EDT up reply actions

yeah, and ironically he died in Houston

ARod/Jameson '08

by Al Rodgers on Apr 30, 2007 5:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Don't forget Walter Matthau

Wilford Brimley

Dark Horse: Don Nelson

ARod/Jameson '08

by Al Rodgers on Apr 30, 2007 5:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Um.....

Everyone? Can I have your attention, please? Let me just say this....

It has only been a month!

Someone correct me if I am wrong but haven't the Yankees started off kind of rough for the last few years? Remember two years ago when they got swept by the lowly Royals and everyone panicked-- and they won the division, right? Is Torre really managing any differently then he has the last few years? The Yankees have time. Look, someday, maybe even this year, the Yankees won't win the division. Give it some time, though, okay?

However, if they get to the end of June and are still floundering.... then everyone can pull out their " the end is nigh" signs.

by nettles9 on Apr 30, 2007 5:21 PM EDT reply actions

I actually thought that as well...

... but it turns out that it wasn't completely true.

At this point in...

2006, we were 13-10.
2005, we were 10-14.
2004, we were 12-11.
2003, we were 21-6.

With the exception of 2003, the Yankees have generally gotten off to rough starts. Nothing like this, but still.

by nyg2008 on Apr 30, 2007 5:24 PM EDT up reply actions

2005

They were 10-14, huh?
They're 9-14 now. That makes tomorrow a must lose or else we'll have to reduce the panic level considerably.

Mystique, don't fail me now!

by jscape2000 on Apr 30, 2007 5:27 PM EDT up reply actions

LOL

What makes a good manager?....Good Players. (Yogi)

by Cbeck3 on May 1, 2007 12:35 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree - Yankees had a worse start in '05

We were 11-19 after the first week of May and managed to win the AL East, albeit by the thinnest of margins. I wouldn't be surprised if people were giving up the season and calling for Torre's ouster back then, too.

by docgonzo on Apr 30, 2007 5:26 PM EDT up reply actions

2005

I remember the 2005 start- then I went on a vacation where I was incommunicado and when I came back they had won something like 10 out of 11, I think that was the stretch where Tino hit 7 homers in 8 days.
Fortunately, I'm going on another wilderness vacation at the end of May, so there's hope yet.

by SP on Apr 30, 2007 5:31 PM EDT up reply actions

O/T Jaret Wright on DL - AGAIN

Bwaaawawwawawawawwawawaww!

Baltimore just put wright on the 15 day DL, just one day after he came off the 15 DL!!!

hahahhhahahahahhahahah

there's no crying in baseball, but there is sure alotta laughter!

ARod/Jameson '08

by Al Rodgers on Apr 30, 2007 5:37 PM EDT reply actions

That would only be funny

if Cashman was smart enough to actually use Britton. Having him rot away in AAA makes the trade seem worthless.

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on Apr 30, 2007 9:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Britton Banished

I was taking a dump yesterday, and while thumbing through one of my fantasy guides (not that kind of fantasy guide) I stumbed across Britton and began to wonder what the hell happened to him.

The Orioles were quite high on him. He's got size, and stuff. So why the hell isn't he in the mix of mediocre to terrible Yankees pitching?

by Ronster22 on May 1, 2007 8:36 AM EDT up reply actions

Mattingly isn't available

he's currently committed to an upcoming broadway production.

ARod/Jameson '08

by Al Rodgers on Apr 30, 2007 5:57 PM EDT reply actions

Al you be the man

You have a gift!
From porno hotties to the kindly scarecrow, you never disappoint or cease to amaze. I love you, man.

by Ronster22 on May 1, 2007 8:33 AM EDT up reply actions

...and he tips his cap!

I'm such a ham. Mucho gracias, Ron!!

ARod/Jameson '08

by Al Rodgers on May 1, 2007 5:02 PM EDT up reply actions

The problem with this team...

is bullpen management. It's been that way since Stottlemeyer left 2-3 years ago.

Torre has never been known as a bullpen manager. He has trouble not overworking his relievers.

Since Donnie Baseball has been on board, it's not gotten better. If anything, it's gotten worse.

Isn't Whitey Ford still around?

by GrandEd on May 1, 2007 7:44 AM EDT reply actions

Oh really, who

was the pitching coach when Sturtz, Quantrill, and Gordon were being blown away?

Great Success!

by ReLaunch on May 1, 2007 9:32 PM EDT up reply actions

Karsay too

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on May 2, 2007 9:41 AM EDT up reply actions

Torre deserves to stay

Right now I don't think it would be fair to ask Mattingly to take over this mess. What happened in April is NOT Torre's fault, and he should not take the fall for it. Valentine's Views

by ETVal @ Pinstripe Alley on May 1, 2007 11:32 AM EDT reply actions