The End Of An Era, Yankee Style

By Deb McIver
Posted Friday, October 19, 2007

Unless you live on the former planet Pluto, I guess by now, you know that Joe Torre turned down the Yankees’ “offer” of a $5 million one-year deal, with $1 million per round playoff bonuses, and a team option for 2009.

I don’t know who should be more insulted; Joe, the Yankee fans, or the general public for even thinking, for one minute, that this “offer” was legitimate, made in good faith, and an honest effort to bring Joe back, to make him feel wanted and appreciated

You buying it? No? Good, saves me a lot of useless writing!!!

I will just say one thing here. Of course, we’re going to hear Joe’s side of it this afternoon, but I can’t imagine anything outside of a shocking revelation by Joe changing the perception of the circumstances of this de facto “firing” at all, at least, not for this writer.

So now we move on. The end of an era for the past and modern-day dynasty that WAS the Yankees. We have just seen the first half of the class that was said modern-day dynasty (Jeter being the other half, despite the recent accountings in the media about his Miami escapades) gone, dismissed, ousted, kindly shown the door, whatever you want to call it. Fine, told to take a hike, it is!

We’ve seen it coming, folks, for at least the past seven years or so. Right after the Yankees beat our beloved Mets in the 2000 World Series. The team and the franchise never seemed the same after that. George was not getting any younger, and by all accounts, his health was questionable, if you listened to some, and downright failing, if you listened to others. Sure, the Yankees still made the playoffs every year, but as often made it out of the first round as not, and won no further world championships. There was the famous battling between the “Tampa faction” and the “New York faction” of the organization, which almost cost Brian Cashman his job. George’s Yankee heir apparent, Steve Swindal, once married to his daughter, is now divorced from the family – that is, both the Steinbrenner family AND the Yankee family, leaving the two Steinbrenner sons in charge. Neither of which has really shown tons of interest in the organization, and if they have, at least not too publicly.

And it’s no secret that Yankee president Randy Levine and Joe Torre never really got along, not really, and that Randy’s wanted Joe out for years now, maybe even longer!

Then there was the steadfast and somewhat perplexing refusal of the Yankees, earlier this year, to renegotiate with the redoubtable Mariano Rivera, a lifetime Yankee who unquestionably was significantly responsible for the four world championships won by the Yankees since he's been there. Strange; confusing; interesting....

George himself has rarely appeared in public for the past year or two, and when he has, well, let’s just say it’s apparent that the ailing health rumors are more than just rumors.

Despite huge free agent signings that have become the modern-day Yankee trademark, it’s been clear for a long time now that the Yankee franchise was just not the same.

And now, Joe’s gone. The final nail in the coffin of the erstwhile-great Yankee dynasty. That’s it, folks, kiss it goodbye; you’ve seen the last of it for awhile. I know as a Mets fan, and long-avowed Yankee hater, I should be happy, but you know what? I’m sad today, very sad; sad for a classy and wonderful human being that by all accounts is Joe Torre; sad for the New York fans; sad for the Yankee organization, such as it is; and just plain sad, for an era is over, and in some strange way, I’m really going to miss the friendly and not-so-friendly rivalry between our respective franchises. Somehow, having Joe at the helm made it harder to hate the Yankees, and in some twisted way, made the hating even sweeter, probably because it was harder, much harder, to hate with Joe there.

And now, who takes over? Lots of smart money is on Mr. Yankee Himself, Don “Donnie Baseball” Mattingly. It would seem a likely choice, but is it a good one? A smattering of bucks, smart or otherwise, is on Joe Girardi, former Yankee catcher, Marlin manager (of the year, lol) and current Yankee broadcaster. Still a few more bucks are on Tony La Russa, but I don’t consider those “smart” bucks, so let’s move on. A couple more dollars ride on the hide of one Bobby Valentine. Which I think is a possibility; whatever influence George might have left could quite possibly be thrown to Bobby.

Tony Pena, Buck Showalter, anyone? No Buck, if they want even a chance at re-signing Alex Rodriguez; let us not forget how "well" he and Buck got along in Texas!

Larry Bowa? Nah, doesn't feel right.

Some unknown, high-thought-of managerial prospect? Maybe, I could see that. After all, how do you follow someone like Joe Torre, with the success he's had? Well, I can think of one possible way....

If the Yankees are smart, they won’t overlook one guy who’s currently ensconced in our very own SNY studio – that’s right, once-Met, once-Yankee Lee Mazzilli. Call me crazy (as many of you I’m sure do, and probably on a semi-regular, if not regular basis), but this guy feels right to me. He certainly has the pedigree, the confidence, the familiarity with New York, he’d take right to it, in the humble opinion of this staunchly orange and blue fan. In fact, the Mets would have done well to look in his direction, and maybe even will next year if the Willie Experiment doesn’t quite turn out the way they hoped.

That is, if Lee is still there.

However you look at it, it’s the end of an era, and that’s something to be mourned, and not celebrated.

Except if you’re a Red Sox fan, of course!

So, goodbye, Joe, and a heartfelt one it is. I love you for your class, your grace under pressure, your service to the community, your loyalty, your kindness, and most of all, for being Joe Torre, period.