NEW YORK — After all he had accomplished – four World Series titles, 12 consecutive years in the playoffs, almost certain entry into the Hall of Fame – and after all the indignities, this was one Joe Torre wasn’t going to stand for.
He wasn’t going to take a pay cut from the New York Yankees, no matter that he still would have been the highest-paid manager in baseball, and he certainly wasn’t going to prove himself all over again.
Torre walked away Thursday, turning down a $5 million, one- year contract – $2.5 million less than he made this season, when the Yankees failed to make it past the first round of the playoffs for the third year in a row.
“A difficult day,” general manager Brian Cashman said. “He will always be a Yankee.”
Bench coach Don Mattingly is the leading contender to replace Torre. Yankees broadcaster Joe Girardi, the NL manager of the year with Florida in 2006 and an original member of the Rockies, is another top contender. Tony La Russa and Bobby Valentine also could be considered.
Torre took a morning flight to Tampa, Fla., to meet for an hour with owner George Steinbrenner, his sons and team management. Torre listened to the offer and said it wasn’t acceptable. They shook hands and Torre headed home.
Torre declined to speak to a group of reporters gathered outside his house in suburban Harrison. His wife, Ali, arrived a few minutes later and said their time in New York had been fun.
“It’s always difficult to say goodbye,” she said, “but there’s always hello.”
The 67-year-old Torre, who made the playoffs in every year with the Yankees, scheduled a news conference for today. He indicated last week he might be interested in managing elsewhere.
New York’s offer included $3 million in bonuses if the Yankees reached next year’s World Series and an $8 million option for 2009 that would have become guaranteed if New York won the AL pennant.
Torre just completed a $19.2 million, three-year contract. Lou Piniella of the Cubs was the second-highest paid manager this season, at $3.5 million.
“Under this offer, he would continue to be the highest-paid manager in major-league baseball,” team president Randy Levine said. “We thought that we needed to go to a performance- based model, having nothing to do with Joe Torre’s character, integrity or ability. We just think it’s important to motivate people.”
Torre led the Yankees to 10 AL East titles, but they haven’t reached the World Series since 2003. With 2,067 regular-season wins, Torre is eighth on the career list and was third among active managers behind the Cardinals’ La Russa (2,375) and the Braves’ Bobby Cox (2,255).
Torre’s four World Series titles are likely to earn him a place in the Hall of Fame – every manager with three or more has been inducted.
Torre’s was the longest uninterrupted term for a Yankees manager since Casey Stengel held the job from 12 years from 1949-60. Stengel was pushed out, too, let go after his team lost a seven-game World Series to Pittsburgh.
Under Torre, the Yankees went 1,173-767. He trails only Joe McCarthy (1,460) for wins among Yankees managers.
Nationals retain coaching staff. The Nationals will retain their entire coaching staff in 2008. The team announced pitching coach Randy St. Claire, hitting coach Lenny Harris, bench coach Pat Corrales, third-base coach and spring- training coordinator Tim Tolman, first-base coach Jerry Morales and bullpen coach Ricardo Aponte will again be on manager Manny Acta’s staff.
