Boss upset Torre did not support Arod

by ReLaunch on Jun 7, 2007 11:48 AM EDT Comment 18 comments

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/jon_heyman/06/07/scoop.thursday/index.html

Torre's recent criticism of Alex Rodriguez's controversial "Ha!" play against the Blue Jays last week earned George Steinbrenner's wrath and an uncomfortable phone call, courtesy of the Boss, SI.com has learned. General manager Brian Cashman did the honors on Steinbrenner's behalf, but it was the owner who most disapproved of Torre's failure to support Rodriguez over A-Rod's Toronto screaming strategy.

Word that Torre was taken to task at Steinbrenner's behest might explain Torre's uncharacteristic over-reaction to a New York Daily News back-page headline, "Joe to A-Rod: Shut Up." Perhaps Torre thought the strong headline contributed to his airing out, so he lectured the media and recruited a couple TV types to support his fairly unworthy cause. While the headline certainly wasn't literal and somewhat exaggerated, Torre's reaction to A-Rod's tactic, one of Torre's greatest strengths as Yankees manager has been to deal maturely with the tabloids.

For 12-plus years, Torre also has done a magnificent job protecting everyone else in his clubhouse, but curiously seems to have a different standard for the imported superstar. A-Rod's play -- in which he screamed to distract inexperienced third baseman Howie Clark, causing Clark to mistakenly allow Jorge Posada's popup fall for a single in the Yankees' 10-5 victory -- received mixed reviews. Understandably, however, Steinbrenner didn't think any of the negativity should come from A-Rod's own clubhouse. Torre called A-Rod's act "probably inappropriate," and asserted it was "probably something he shouldn't have done."

The same could now be said for Torre's critical remarks; they're something he probably shouldn't have said. After being chastised, Torre explained to his bosses that he didn't mean to demean A-Rod, then apologized to them and to Rodriguez. Torre hasn't always seemed to be in Rodriguez's corner, such as when he batted the superstar eighth in a desperation move during the playoffs last year -- another move his bosses disagreed with.

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I second that..

If he disagreed, that should of been handled in his office, not in the media.

by AKJoe on Jun 7, 2007 12:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Well

I agree it was a mistake, but clearly the headline itself was false too, and Torre didn't control that. He disagreed with Arod more mildly than the headline declared.

Hey we won two games in a row, is everybody a little happy! I am, hopefully we can make it three.

by Greenfuzz on Jun 7, 2007 12:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

He shouldn't.

of disagreed publically at all though.

Very happy about the wins....Only 10.5 games back now...This is easy.

by AKJoe on Jun 7, 2007 12:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ugh

Hopefully winning will put all of this "Days of Our Lives" bullshit on the back burner where it belongs.

For the record Torre answered the question(s) the media asked him honestly and calmly, and it was only after he had already spoken to Alex about it personally. Torre can't win there. If he says "no comment" the press assumes the worst and writes their assumptions in print (always dangerous), if he gives a straight answer they use a crazy headline.

When ARod answers questions the media asks him, it's the media's fault for asking them, not ARod's for answering them stupidly. Thankfully ARod seems to have given up on this practice.

If he keeps hitting all will be fine. Especially now that Cairo is in the lineup.

by matthaggs on Jun 7, 2007 12:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Arod's always wrong.

Here's a guy hitting close to .300 with 20-some homers, and people are bitching at him. I'm the first one to bash him if I think he's under-performing, but I'm also going to come to his aid if I feel he's being berated unjustly.

The press needs to leave his private life alone, and stop trying to derail him on the field. It pisses me off. I watched 61* a couple of nights back, and I see a real similar hatred to Arod that was pointed at Maris from the press.

I suppose it's the "demand the pound of flesh thing." It's too bad. I think it hurts everyone.

"Baseball is the background music of my life." -George Will

by Ronster22 on Jun 7, 2007 2:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's true

The guy cannot move a tenth of an inch in any direction without taking a hit from somewhere. I for one am sick of the entire thing. The idea of contemplating anything other than Arod's play on the field at this point induces nausea.

I can't hear another trade, opt-out, mistress, clutch related word on this topic. It's permanently over for me, I'm just going to watch the guy play ball. And BTW enjoy myself while doing so.

by Greenfuzz on Jun 7, 2007 8:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Welcome back greenfuzz

It seems like it has been a while since you have been around

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on Jun 7, 2007 8:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

wow, pfisty

being nice

Pride, Power, Tailgating

by ReLaunch on Jun 7, 2007 8:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It happens

When we win.

River Ave. Blues
Yanks and prospects

by PinstripePowerhouse on Jun 8, 2007 8:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

well

i watch 90% of games time delayed on Tivo now, so it interferes with live posting during games. I do go and read the last third of the comments after the game is over, but it kind of impedes my posting.

I did get the Tivo so I wouldn't be handcuffed to the apartment during the season and could actually go out in public and hang out with living human beings, in that way it's a success. But it does make me less of a poster on PA.

by Greenfuzz on Jun 8, 2007 1:37 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Feature

On the game threads, is there a way to have a line inserted at the start of each inning? Maybe if someone with administrator rights is live posting, they could just hit a button that would make it say "start of 4th" or something. At worst, someone could just post a comment saying that.

by SP on Jun 8, 2007 4:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Interesting from LoHud

http://yankees.lohudblogs.com/2007/06/07/theres-something-happening-here/#comments
Our upcoming schedule is manageable. If play well we should make up some ground; if we play very well...

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

by jscape2000 on Jun 7, 2007 2:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

George is right, but wrong

The boss's anger over Torre's failure to come to A-Rod's defense proves my point: the Yankees don't have A-Rod's back, don't recognize him as part of their family. That hurts the team to have such division within the ranks.

But George should shut his big mouth too. Don't air your dirty laundry in public. Deal with it privately. Torre was wrong, but George was wrong to castigate him in the papers.

Then again, the Yankees ceased to be about winning a long time ago. They're just as happy to be a media circus instead of a baseball team as long as it sells tickets.

by Nettles Fan on Jun 7, 2007 5:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yankees are totally about winning

so I'm not sure what you mean. You think they like the media circus? Trust me, A Rod and the lap dancer aren't why people come to the ballpark.

by Yankee Fanne on Jun 8, 2007 9:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If they had lap dancers

I would come to more games.

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on Jun 8, 2007 9:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If you buy enough beers

you can pay enough to feel you should have had a lap dance thrown in.

by Greenfuzz on Jun 8, 2007 11:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Media Circus

I absolutely do think people like the media circus. And George loves it. The Yankees capture the back page win lose or draw. You can't get that kind of publicity by accident; you have to buy it--with supersized salaries, inflated egos, titillating story lines, and drama drama drama. If the Yankees went about business the way the Chicago White Sox of 2005 or the St. Louis Cardinals of 2006 did, they'd win a World Series. But they're not built that way. They're built to fill the stadium every day with the ongoing saga that is the Yankees.

Do you really think the folks who sit in the $90 box seats of the $500,000 luxury boxes give a rat's ass about A-Rod's average with runners in scoring position? They're there to negotiate deals with bankers and lawyers, watch a few innings of baseball, cheer or boo when instructed, and leave after seven innings.

Winning the World Series for the Yankees is as superfluous as a tax cut for billionaires. Sure, they'll take it, but it's not the be-all and end-all.

by Nettles Fan on Jun 12, 2007 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

oh, joe

there really is just no point in talking to anyone from the post anymore. it's such a show; they wantonly make things up just to sell their trashy paper. ugh.

proud of the pinstripes tradition and dedicated to the pursuit of excellence. a yankee forever.

by nyy23girl on Jun 12, 2007 2:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs