Yankees: Who Will Replace Torre?

So far, the Steinbrenner off spring have interviewed Joe Girardi and Don Mattingly as they search to find a replacement for, and repair the torn apart looker room left behind by Joe Torre.

We've all seen the rumor that part of the reason Torre was tendered an unacceptable return offer was because of the information that Gary Sheffield courageously brought to the media earlier this year. Information that would seem to be accurate. The post season is won by teams with strong and unified clubhouses. The Yankees lost. Again.

Clearly, the first order of business for the Yankees is to repair the damage and disunity left in the wake of the Torre Regime.

It would seem that the Yankees would need to make a break from the Torre 'family tree' if they hope to achieve the greatness they did in the earlier Torre years. The years before his systematic institution of clubhouse apartheid turned the Yankees into post season patsies.

We believe that the interviews of Girardi and Mattingly are simply window dressing.

Next up on the interview carousel is Tony Pena. Now, certainly, the melanin rich Pena might bring the ability to unite the clubhouse. Unfortunately, his connection to the Torre system of rule greatly hinders his credibility with the players hoping for a manager that will treat them with equality.

Certainly, most of the Yankees in the clubhouse are rooting for the Steinbrenners to interview Met's manager Willie Randolph. Randolph is a remnant of the early, successful and unified Torre years. A reminder of how the clubhouse used to be unified. Before Torre erected those walls of division. Walls that only Gary Sheffield has had the courage to try to knock down.

The only troubling aspect of a Randolph hire would be that the Mets' collapse at the end of this season will be brought up by detractors who are against a Negro manager of MLB's flagship organization. Certainly, they won't mention that the on field leader of the team was David Wright, or that most of the blame should be sent his way.

While all these candidates certainly have the technical knowledge and skills to be the Yankee skipper; we believe that Yankee's ownership has no choice but to look outside the Yankee family for a new manager.

The only logical choice is Dusty Baker.

Baker managed organization with nowhere near the payrolls and resources the Yankees have. And he made them contenders.

Certainly, Baker's ability to make Barry Bonds feel special in San Francisco will resonate with the Negro players on the Yankees. We expect his first move will be to provide them with leather recliners and larger lockers and to let them institute their own schedules.

This would be a significant first step in healing the broken and dysfunctional locker room family that Torre has left behind.

Dusty Baker.

The reasonable solution to the problem. And the key to bringing a ticker tape parade back to NYC.


edit- [yes, we know that Dusty is 'in' Cincy right now. But, Frank Robinson is just too old for the Yankees job. So Dusty is the only reasonable choice left.]

Joe Torre: Retribution

A while back, we informed you of Gary Sheffield's belief that Joe Torre treated certain players differently than others.

Sheffield believed that race entered into the equation as to how Torre showed respect for, and treated players.

Well, it seems that the Yankees brass listened hard to what Sheffield had to say.

Yesterday, it was reported that Joe Torre was done as the Yankees manager.

Torre had led the Yankees to the post season every year he managed. And 6 World Series appearances. Clearly, a record like that would warrant unparalleled job security.

But, the Yankees obviously had had enough of the type of behavior and disrespect in the clubhouse that Sheffield brought to light.

And, in a show of deference to Torre's tenure and record, the Yankees allowed Torre the face saving move of rejecting an 'offer'.

We applaud the Yankees on their stand and their show of support for Sheffield's accusations.

It's rare that we see a corporate sports conglomerate like the New York Yankees put justice and righteousness ahead of winning.

Maybe it is time to bring Willie Randolph back into the Yankee fold?