With apologies to Yankees fans...

[alphamommy]

I understand the historical significance of the New York Yankees. I must admit, I have never been a fan (although I did like Graig Nettles and Thurman Munson). In the 70s, when my Detroit Tigers were SO bad, I adopted some other teams to cheer for: the main ones were the Red Sox, the Royals, and the Dodgers.

Since the Yankees were defeated by the Indians, a lot of sports talk has focused on the Joe Torre drama. Last night, as the Sox are on the verge of sweeping the Rockies, the A-Rod announcement was made. In fact, Fox broke into the ninth inning of the game with "Breaking News" regarding A-Rod.

I didn't like the timing of this. I'm not saying it isn't an important baseball story. There's such a rivalry between the Sox and the Yankees, it must be very irritating to have a Yankees story competing with their World Series victory.

I may be wrong about this, but I just thought it was handled poorly.

Just my $0.02. Needed to vent about it a little.

Tammy

[robhink]

I agree but don't blame it on the Yankees. I put the blame on super agent Scott Boras who knew what he was doing. He wanted to make A-Rod the big story and did so by releasing the information yesterday.

[PirateLover]

I agree with robhink. This one isn't the Yankees fault, it is a combo of Boris AKA the devil, and the media's willingness to report on these things. I was getting tired of all the Yankees talk too during the playoffs. Every game of course since Joe Girardi was on their panel, they had to directly ask him or hint about him being considered for manager. Yesterday they even said "We talked to MLB to see if any team had scheduled a press conference." Who cares? I also disliked when espn was constantly running Bonds coverage

[crazypoohbear]

to be honest, who cares about Joe Torre, he's rich and will be just fine. The same goes for ARod.
THe big news is the RED SOX DID WIN

[kakn7294]

To be honest with you, DH and, by default, I are Yankees fans and we didn't even know about any sort of A-Rod announcement until he probably saw it in this morning's paper and I only found out when I saw this thread then checked out ESPN. I'm betting a lot of Yankees fans wouldn't even have been watching the game so the timing certainly wasn't for Yankees fans or from their organization. It was merely a publicity stunt by A-Rod's agent because he knew he would have a large audience at that time. Poor etiquette IMO, but that seems to be going around these days...

[DizneyFreak2002]

You cannot blame this one on the Yankees, so let's start there... Second, how is this even newsworthy?? Like we all didn't know A-Rod, and his agent, weren't egomaniacs who hate not being the focus of attention... I feel bad for the team that gets A-Rod... He may be a great player, but he is never going to be a winner... Not with his huge ego... I say GOOD RIDDENCE!!! The Yankees won championships WITHOUT A-Rod.. They will be better off in the end... Trust me...

[Maleficent's Dad]

First off - my sincere congratulations to the best team in baseball this year - the Boston Red Sox. They won it, they deserve it. (And I hold season tickets at Yankee Stadium...)

As far as A-Rod is concerned, "Here's your hat, what's your hurry?" And better yet, "Don't let the door hit you on the way out." I guess 25 million (+++) annually just doesn't cut it any more...

to be honest, who cares about Joe Torre, he's rich and will be just fine.

You got me on this one... Please do not criticize Torre. The man's an upstanding citizen and a charitable person. He's brought class to an organization in desperate need of it. He lives in my town and does a lot for the community; his charity and real passion does incredible work for abused women and children.

Today, ESPN was praising Terry Francona and actually comparing him to Torre. They were commending Francona and the way he's handled himself. His clubhouse can be, shall we say, a bit on the wild side? But he's handled his players and the organization with a level head. The fans in Boston are even more rabid than those in NY, and Francona has been the calming influence in their clubhouse.

Let's not bash Torre. He didn't deserve the way he was treated and he certainly shouldn't steal the spotlight from the Red Sox, but please, don't criticize the man.

[DizneyFreak2002]

Frank, Joe Torre, despite what he did for charities, was still a clueless manager... You think they won BECAUSE of him?? They won, despite him... He never could handle a bullpen... And face it, he made some poor decisions... And the poorest of them all was calling the offer he got an insult... He played to the sympathy of the NY Yankee fans... When, in fact, he AGREED to a deal like that in January of this year.. So, NOW it was an insult, but, when he wanted a contract before the season, it wasn't?? Torre is a fine, classy man, but, he is losing his marbles... Or, does he have selective memory???

[JPL]

I don't even know if I can put the blame on A-Rod here I think this was all Scott Boras who could care less about his clients and where they would succeed and more about lining his pockets. I sincerely believe A-Rod wanted to stay in NY and Boras used the Torre situation to talk him out of it. He wanted to get his name out there and say more money please.

[alphamommy]

Let me clarify - I'm not "blaming" the Yankees for this. I agree that Boras is a media hound who timed this for himself and his client. Besides, the media has a love affair with all things Yankee.

I can't stand the fact that, if someone connected with the Yankees sneezes, the sports media is on it like it's a plague epidemic. At the beginning of game 4, we watched the little montage of WS memories. DH looked at me after a couple of them and said, "I didn't think the Yankees were playing." I reminded him that many memorable WS moments involve the Yankees.

Tammy

[Maleficent's Dad]

Frank, Joe Torre, despite what he did for charities, was still a clueless manager... You think they won BECAUSE of him?? They won, despite him... He never could handle a bullpen... And face it, he made some poor decisions... And the poorest of them all was calling the offer he got an insult... He played to the sympathy of the NY Yankee fans... When, in fact, he AGREED to a deal like that in January of this year.. So, NOW it was an insult, but, when he wanted a contract before the season, it wasn't?? Torre is a fine, classy man, but, he is losing his marbles... Or, does he have selective memory???

Oh I don't disagree with your assessment of him as a manager (well, maybe a little I do, but he did make plenty of mistakes).
Perhaps I was misunderstood. I don't know why Torre was brought into the discussion in the first place. I just didn't want to group him into the same context with A-Rod. I liked Torre during his tenure here, but never warmed to A-Rod - even during his "MVP Season." To me, he's always been about himself where Torre wasn't so selfish.

Maybe Torre is egocentric (let's face it, you have to be somewhat self-centered to be at that level), but he's not like the selfish being known as A-Rod.

[Maleficent's Dad]

Let me clarify - I'm not "blaming" the Yankees for this. I agree that Boras is a media hound who timed this for himself and his client.

Tammy,
You're right on. That Boras announcement was completely inappropriate. Why did it have to come during a WS game? And at the end of the final game to boot! He's a real winner, that guy.

Besides, the media has a love affair with all things Yankee.

This is true to an extent, although the Red Sox (deservedly so) have really stepped over the Yankees in terms of popularity in America. Go to WDW and you'll see hundreds (if not thousands) or Red Sox caps. I was amazed at how many 'fans' appeared out of the closet after they won in '04.

For the first time in recent memory, the Sox seem to have the "steady ship," while the Yankees are a team in total disarray.

[alphamommy]

<snip>
Perhaps I was misunderstood. I don't know why Torre was brought into the discussion in the first place. I just didn't want to group him into the same context with A-Rod. I liked Torre during his tenure here, but never warmed to A-Rod - even during his "MVP Season." To me, he's always been about himself where Torre wasn't so selfish.
<snip>

I mentioned Torre initially because the drama over "is he or isn't he coming back" and the "offer" the Yanks made him all started during the Sox-Indians series. I personally liked Torre, although, as I said, I'm not a Yankees fan. I thought he brought a lot of class to an organization that hasn't had any in a long time (IMHO).

[JPL]

I understand it's your opinion about Yankees not having class but I beg to differ here.

Derek Jeter - Pure Class
Jorge Posada - Nothing but Class
Mariano Rivera - Pure Class
Mike Mussina - More Class
Just to name a few current players and I can dozens more over Yankees storied history who are still involved with the organization.

The Yankees are one of the most loved franchises as well as the most hated so it is a matter opinion.

[alphamommy]

I understand it's your opinion about Yankees not having class but I beg to differ here.

Derek Jeter - Pure Class
Jorge Posada - Nothing but Class
Mariano Rivera - Pure Class
Mike Mussina - More Class
Just to name a few current players and I can dozens more over Yankees storied history who are still involved with the organization.

The Yankees are one of the most love franchises as well as the most hated so it is a matter opinion.

Point taken. I wasn't really thinking of players, especially not current ones. I'm just not a big fan of Mr. Steinbrenner.

[JPL]

I'm just not a big fan of Mr. Steinbrenner.

Not many people are but from what I understand he's no longer the problem since his sons have really been running the show the past couple of seasons

[crazypoohbear]

First off - my sincere congratulations to the best team in baseball this year - the Boston Red Sox. They won it, they deserve it. (And I hold season tickets at Yankee Stadium...)

As far as A-Rod is concerned, "Here's your hat, what's your hurry?" And better yet, "Don't let the door hit you on the way out." I guess 25 million (+++) annually just doesn't cut it any more...

You got me on this one... Please do not criticize Torre. The man's an upstanding citizen and a charitable person. He's brought class to an organization in desperate need of it. He lives in my town and does a lot for the community; his charity and real passion does incredible work for abused women and children.

Today, ESPN was praising Terry Francona and actually comparing him to Torre. They were commending Francona and the way he's handled himself. His clubhouse can be, shall we say, a bit on the wild side? But he's handled his players and the organization with a level head. The fans in Boston are even more rabid than those in NY, and Francona has been the calming influence in their clubhouse.

Let's not bash Torre. He didn't deserve the way he was treated and he certainly shouldn't steal the spotlight from the Red Sox, but please, don't criticize the man.

I only meant that Joe Torre is NOT going to suffer from being out of a job. He'll be just fine. If I lost my job then we would have problems.
IMHO ALL the players/managers/agents etc are WAY overpaid and don't have a clue about living in the "real" world.
I think it was the agents way of trying to get the Yankees in the news while the RED SOX went about the business of winning the world series.
The Agents did not want to let go of the rivalry and were hoping to steal some of the thunder during the Red sox game... IT didn't work

[JPL]

II think it was the agents way of trying to get the Yankees in the news while the RED SOX went about the business of winning the world series.

Had nothing to do with the Yankees and the news it had to do with himself and A-Rod in the news. I don't think either care about the team they are leaving being in the news.

[DisneyGiant]

The A Rod announcement was INEXCUSABLE during the World Series! He (him & his agent) couldn't wait one more day? Unforgivable.

I thought for sure A Rod would stay a Yankee after this season. He could have broken the home run record, been immortalized in monument park - maybe eventually win a world series?

The way he opted out - I say good riddance. That was a selfish, selfish move.

I was more devastated when Torre announced his decision to leave the Yankees. Why was this news? Because usually you don't "quit" the Yankees - you get fired. Torre felt insulted and opted to leave.

The Dodgers will be my second favorite team if Torre & Mattingly end up there. Those two = pure class - and will be sorely missed by this Yankee fan.