Mattingly to Yanks: I'm Not Ready

The Star-Ledger of NJ reports Don Mattingly told Yankee brass he's not ready to manage the club. The former clipper captain served as Joe Torre's bench coach this past season. Mattingly's name has surfaced as a possible successor to Torre should the Yanks fire their manager. YES Network broadcaster and 2006 NL Manger of the Year Joe Girardi is also a candidate, as is St. Louis skipper Tony LaRussa.

The Yankees made the 2007 playoffs after starting the season 21-29. Torre has guided the team into the second season in each of his 12 years as skipper. However, the Yankees have failed to advance past the first round of the playoffs in each of the past three seasons.

New York lost the ALDS to Cleveland in four games this season despite beating the Indians in all six of their regular season meetings. Yankee veterans Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera are both set to become free agents. Each has said they'll wait and see what happens to Torre before signing a contract.

Would be a Mistake to Fire Torre

The Joe Torre Watch has entered Day 3, but it still appears unlikely he'll be back for Year#13 of his Yankee tenure. Torre, who has had this team in the playoffs every year under his watch is currently being twisted in the wind as Big Stein and his posse take their sweet time deciding his fate. If they truly want him gone, as it appears to be, they should have the decency to make it quick. Torre has been nothing but a class-act since joining the New York Yankees after the 1995 season.

But the act of firing the man who has had so much success here makes no sense. Who will the Yankees find that is better? Don Mattingly? Joe Girardi? Tony LaRussa (gags)? Torre is about as perfect for the Yankees job as it gets. Yeah, you can quiver over his bullpen decisions and being ultra-loyal to veterans that he loves (i.e. Mike Mussina, Hideki Matsui, etc), but he handles the pressure of New York and a crazy owner better than anyone. Torre handles the largest, toughest media in the world with ease. Furthermore, his calming influence has allowed a group of stars just to play ball. Had Mattingly taken over after the '06 loss to Detroit, would he, as a rookie manager, been able to get this team out of the hole they were stuck in around midseason. It's a little naive to say anyone can manage the Yankees just because they have a $200 million payroll. Yes, anyone with a pulse could win with the resources this team has, but would the egos be able to mesh like they have under Torre's watch? Tony LaRussa would micromanage this team to death, and thus turn off a bunch of egos. You think they'd want to play for that? You wouldn't see players giving the same kind of effort for him as they do for Torre.

Those fans who think Joe should go are just spoiled fans. He won 4 World Series in his first 5 years as manager. Had he spread those out we wouldn't even be having this discussion. Yes, he has had some bitter postseason defeats, but is it his fault his offense goes 6 for 28 with RISP in the playoffs? Is it his fault his ace, Chien-Ming Wang, stinks up the joint in Games 1 & 4? Is it his fault his young phenom, Joba Chamberlain, was eaten alive by a bunch of bugs who ended up causing him to throw the tying wild pitch in Game 2? Fans are taking for granted this man has led their team to the playoffs every year. Yes, the goal is to win it all, but who out there is going to be better in leading this team, in the immediate future, to a World Championship? Don Mattingly or Joe Torre? Not even an issue. Bring Joe back! How sweet would it be to see Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, and/or Alex Rodriguez hold out on coming back to the Yankees by saying they walk if ownership doesn't bring Torre back. Guess that won't happen with the amount of money they can pay those three to keep quiet.

Pat Morgan
-The Sports Gerbil