Does Torre Deserve To Be Canned?
In professional sports, one of the hardest jobs to coach/manage has been the Yankee’s position. The enormous pressure put on the unlucky soul who gets this job is almost too much for one person to handle. Joe Torre, the man who has held the job for the past twelve years, may become the latest victim to succumb to this pressure. After his team fell down 0-2 to the Cleveland Indians, owner George Steinbrenner declared that Torre would not be back if the Yankees did not win the series.
Now, a few days later, the Yankees are once again out of the playoffs and Torre’s job is seemingly gone. But does the long-time skipper deserve to be canned after leading his team to the playoffs every year? I would say no.
How many people really thought New York could win the World Series this year? A faulty and old pitching staff with an injury-prone line-up hardly seemed very threatening. Still, the team shook off a horrible start and made the playoffs as the wild card. Why not give Torre some actual young talent for once instead of overpaying old sluggers? If anyone deserves to go, it is Brian Cashman, the man making all of these personnel decisions.
How many other managers could win three titles and take the team to the World Series four times? How many others could take on different personalities, injury problems, and big-time pressure and produce twelve playoff seasons in a league where only four American League teams get to go every year?
The answer is not too many. If the Yankees fire Torre without giving him a chance with a competent general manager, they will find themselves regretting it next year and longer.
