I'm a big fan of current Dodger manager Joe Torre from his Yankee days. He was always the classiest man in the room, even when the Yankees kicked him to the curb like he was that week's trash. He spoke ill of no one after the Yankee/Torre divorce... until now.The rumors of Torre's Yankee-bashing book with SI's Tom Verducci shatters the heart of any Joe Torre fan. In the book, he talks about rifs with Yankee GM Brian Cashman and about the star player from his last few years with the Yanks, a character Torre claims many in the Yankee clubhouse refer to as A-Fraud. I'll let you guess who Torre is referring to.
Like the game of baseball itself, life is a business. Every so often, though, you come across one person who seems to be above pettiness - a person who is a role model to all. Joe Torre was once that one person. However, Torre, knowing he could make a few dollars with a "tell-all" book about his time in the Bronx, sold out. Part of me understands why Torre did what he did, but the other 95% wishes "Joe Cool" kept his class.
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I couldn't agree more. There is something overly impressive about professional athletes who manage to rise above the rampant pettiness we see in sports. It takes a great player and makes him immortal. But nothing hurts worse than when those same men find a way to tarnish the great reputations they have built.
The first person that comes to mind is Brett Favre. Once upon a time, Favre could do no wrong. He played football the way it was meant to be played, and always seemed to be a true class act. Until last summer that is. I find myself trying to burn from my memory the last year so I can remember Favre as the class act he was for so many seasons.
Here's hoping Torre hasn't ventured down the street as Brett.
As an outsider and a Red Sox fan, while I don't condone not being classy, my understanding is that the controversial stuff from the book has been overblown. After all, it was the NY Post that came out with the story.
Moreover, the Yankees did treat him poorly by offering him a pay cut...and at other times, like when team doctors told Steinbrenner that Torre had prostate cancer, possibly before Torre even found out. Some of this stuff is not petty.
I expect that once the book is released Hank will start running his mouth, which is generally funny since he's already taken to the bitter old man character despite being what...50?
More important than either side's hurt feelings is that Torre still manages. If you're a Dodgers player are you now thinking twice about everything you do around Torre?
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