new york daily news: torre to be canned

this is all about taking back page from the Mets - and it worked.

the discussion everywhere is about Joe Torre and nothing about the Mets winning.

Its vintage George.

 

Boom - the problem is the vintage is the 1980s.

With Torre's comments about A-Rod in Tom Verducci's article and Torre moving A-Rod down in the lineup, it appears to be almost a showdown between Torre and the Tampa "baseball people". I think it is a case where Torre has to maintain credibility in the clubhouse with Jeter and Giambi, who seems to be regarded as a leader by other players.

I agree with Casty's assessment of Joe Torre and I'll go one step further - I think he is the greatest manager in the history of the New York Yankees. Stengel and McCarthy had a far bigger talent advantage against the rest of the league.

I think Torre is pushing because this is a way out of a situation where the Yankees will be a team in decline next year - Wang would be the top starting pitcher since Mussina is a free agent. I'm not saying Torre is doing anything wrong or unethical. The Yankees got the best possible first-round matchup they could have hoped for and still lost. What is worse - to get paid $7-million and try to manage this team, which might have a strong enough offensive lineup to make the playoffs but doesn't have the pitching or to get fired and collect $7-million without the worries.

Let's imagine Warren Buffett bought the Yankees and handed the team to you. Look at this financially. If you fire Joe Torre, it costs you $7-million. If you get rid of A-Rod, you probably will have to pay much more than that to another team to take his contract.

In the long run, however, you have other problems. Keeping A-Rod would be an unpopular move, and that would affect selling advertising on YES network and selling luxury boxes when the new stadium opens in 2009. On the other hand, trading A-Rod would be very difficult.

Also, if you fire Torre, you make Jeter unhappy.

Not a good situation.

 

George loves to steel the Mets thunder .

 

George can steal as much "thunder" ashe likes. But there will be a World Series championship trophy in Queens this year and there hasn't been one in the Bronx since 2000.

 

George should try to win something this century. Nah, that's not true. I want to see what he pulls after the Mets win the Series. What's left? Dying?

 

Not going to happen. Even though the Yankees are gone, the two AL teams still have the best pitching staffs the Mets have faced this season and their hitting, while not that great in the AL, is legit compared to the crap being thrown up in the NLCS. Juan Encarnacion still has a job? Are you kidding?
AL will roll in the World Series.

 

Hell, I'm still trying to figure out how the Cardinals made it this far - they have Albert Pujols ... um, Rolen had a nice year. They have no pitching other than Cris Carpenter. And they won the division! Great pitching matchups to come in the NLCS for sure ... other than Carpenter and Glavine, are there any decent starters?!?!?

 

Not unless you count the immortal Oliver Perez. Seriously though, it is pretty shocking that the pitching for these two teams has carried them this far. I predicted the Mets would win it all, but now I am thinking Carpenter is good for two wins and could possibly come out of the pen if there is a Game 7.

 

And there hasn't been one in Queens since 1986. If the Mets win, I'll pull a BYH and won't sign in for a week. Care to wager, old man?

 

There's virtually no way Carpenter gets into three games. He pitched the clincher against the Padres on Sunday, which means the Mets won't see him until Game 3. After that, the only way he pitches again is if it goes to Game 7, unless he goes in Game 6 on three days rest. In any case, this series has to go a long way just to get Carpenter a second start, which doesn't bode well for the Cards.

 

Good point, for some reason I was thinking he would go in Game 2. Heck at this point I think it would be smart of the Cards to throw him on three days rest in Game 2.

 

Madden's good, but it appears that his Sweet Lou fantasy cigar has exploded in his face,
this time around . . .