[新聞] Who's next for Yankees?

[gerkk (小懶熊的寶貝老公)]

NEW YORK -- The next lineup card delivered to home plate by a Yankees manager
will not carry Joe Torre's looping signature at the bottom. The next decision
will determine who gets those honors.
With the Yankees and Torre parting ways, each side recognizing that the
67-year-old manager's contract will be allowed to expire on Oct. 31, a choice
must be made on who will provide the new face and voice of an organization
that has quickly shifted into transition.

"We have a challenge ahead of us to begin the process of looking for the best
person for that position, starting for the 2008 Yankees and beyond," general
manager Brian Cashman said. "Obviously, it's going to take some time and
effort."

In the days following the Yankees' first-round elimination at the hands of
the Cleveland Indians, it was thought that the organization might not invite
Torre back at all, based upon owner George Steinbrenner's comments to the
Bergen (N.J.) Record criticizing Torre's inability to get past the American
League Division Series and his substantial $7.5 million salary for 2007.

While a scratch list of potential candidates circulated and was dissected for
speculation, few could have predicted that Torre would make the flight to
Tampa on Thursday, only to reject a performance-based contract worth a
minimum of $5 million and leave Legends Field, perhaps for the final time.

Cashman said the Yankees never entertained hiring a manager other than Torre
because "it would have been wrong to go beyond that issue," citing Torre's
continuing employment until the end of the month. But now the landscape will
need to change.

"I'll sit down with all parties involved and make recommendations to
ownership about compiling a list of file candidates," Cashman said. "There
may be some surprising names that show up of people expressing interest that
you wouldn't even think about. To be quite candid, we have not started a
process of looking for a new manager."

With the field wide open to contenders, bench coach Don Mattingly is believed
to be a likely candidate. Through his spokesman, Ray Schulte, Mattingly said
that he wished to decline comment Thursday "out of respect to Joe Torre," but
that he would address his situation on Friday.

The 45-year-old Mattingly completed his first season as the Yankees' bench
coach in 2007, following three years as Torre's hitting coach.


ALL-TIME WINNINGEST MANAGERS
1. Connie Mack 3,731
2. John McGraw 2,763
3. Tony La Russa 2,375
4. Bobby Cox 2,255
5. Sparky Anderson 2,194
6. Bucky Harris 2,157
7. Joe McCarthy 2,125
8. Joe Torre 2,067
9. Walter Alston 2,040
10. Leo Durocher 2,008
A local favorite who was the premier first baseman of his era, Mattingly
enjoys a wealth of fan support at Yankee Stadium and a strong working
relationship with nearly all of the members of the clubhouse, including the
remaining veteran core who experienced the Yankees' last World Series title
in 2000 -- Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte, plus free agents-to-be Jorge
Posada, Mariano Rivera and, to a lesser extent, Roger Clemens.

"We'll cross that bridge if it comes," Mattingly said Oct. 9, before Torre's
fate was final. "I think I've made it pretty clear, in some timetable, I
would like an opportunity to manage. But I'm not worried about the timetable.
I'm not worried about what happens to me at this time."

Another likely candidate, former Yankees catcher Joe Girardi, trumps
Mattingly on the managerial experience card, having won the 2006 National
League Manager of the Year honors for piloting the Florida Marlins. A
broadcaster for the YES Network, Girardi has at least kept close proximity to
the Yankees, though he has repeatedly declined comment about the possibility
of replacing Torre.

Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella is among those who will not be considered,
stating Thursday that he has no interest in the vacancy. But others -- like
dark horses Tony La Russa, Bobby Valentine and Trey Hillman -- may. The
Yankees' 2007 coaching staff also had two experienced former Major League
managers, Larry Bowa and Tony Pena, who could draw consideration.

"There will be a process and I can promise you that process is going to take
some time," Cashman said. "I ask for everybody's patience as we review and
interview the individuals and make the appropriate recommendations to
ownership.

"... The decision will be made, but it's premature to discuss the criteria
right now. The only criteria I can touch on is what Hank and Hal
[Steinbrenner] have always spoken, which comes directly from The Boss. Our
intent is to continue on our quest for championships. We're very proud of
everything we've accomplished over the years."

No matter who takes control of the Yankees in 2008, it will not be Torre.
That may send ripples through the Yankees' in-house free-agent pool; Cashman
said the Yankees hope to re-sign all the "obvious" players, but those --
especially Posada and Rivera -- were the ones clamoring loudest for Torre's
return.

"I don't feel good about it," Rivera said Oct. 10. "The kind of person that
Joe is, the kind of manager he is, how he has been working with the
organization, how he has helped us here, I don't see why they are even
thinking [about not retaining him]. I wish he's back, definitely. If you ask
me what I will want, I want him back."

"Joe Torre is the best manager in baseball," Posada said Oct. 8. "It's not
his fault. He used the same lineup from April until now, the same guys. He
doesn't throw or hit or do anything on the field. He does everything possible
to keep us positive and get us to win."

Cashman said that, at this early stage, there is little he can do to gauge
how Torre's departure will impact the Yankees' winter dealings.

"I can't represent to you what level of importance any of this plays into
their decision making process, but at the end of the day, we consider them
Yankees," Cashman said. "They will have an opportunity to remain part of the
Yankees. We hope that they do that."
※ 編輯: gerkk           來自: 61.64.47.64          (10/19 10:03)
推 lask:Anyway....not me
推 ccpz:幸好麵包師傅已經被簽走了 XD
推 bdsl:嗚！一推英文，有沒有人好心來個簡譯？剛溫蛤~~
推 hcrcool:吳復連
推 RollingWave:but Jim Tracy's still out there..抖抖抖
推 FreeFly:還有一個帶過世界大賽的阿呆也還在啊 Phil Garner  XDD