Damn Yankees!

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I'm a Yankees fan. Why? The short version is this: most people in Erie, PA were Cleveland Indians' fans, my grandfather didn't like those people and wanted to piss them off, and he decreed we would be New York Yankee fans.

I vaguely remember the championship season in 1978. Then I remember a lot of lean years in the 80's and early 90's, when it wasn't easy to root for the "most storied franchise in sports".

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Then George spent a bunch of money on Joe Torre and free agents. By 2000, I had to constantly prove I wasn't a wagon jumper. It's been a little harder to root for the Yankees since then, but I wouldn't describe 12 consecutive play-off appearances as more "lean years". But rooting for the Yankees got a lot harder recently -- because I'd rather root for Joe Torre.

Torre's departure from the Yankees was discussed from 2 very different viewpoints on cnnsi.com. If you read them, you'll quickly see where I come down.

Let's be clear -- Joe Torre did NOT turn down the Yankees. They tried to find a line to walk where they could pretend he decided to leave so they could move on with no "blood on their hands". I agree with Verducci -- it didn't work.

First of all, the Yankees made a monumentally stupid decision. The management claims that their goal is to win the World Series annually. If I were a Vegas odds-maker, I give the Yanks the best odds to win next year if Torre is still their manager. They have some high profile replacements in the mix, but it's folly to suggest any of them could step in and be more likely to win next year than Torre.

Don't get me wrong -- I don't see Torre through rose-colored glasses. He's probably not the best tactical manager in baseball. I don't think he could ever have done what Girardi did with the Marlins. He wasn't a winning manager before, and he may never be again. But he's the best fit for the Yankees. The job of Yankees' manager is not about calling the suicide squeeze to "manufacture" a run. It's about juggling $200 million worth of egos. It's about turning A-Rod into a 3rd baseman and having him win another MVP (or two) there. It's about making a team come together around a future hall of fame pitcher who's going to make more than everyone else for 2/3 of a season of average pitching. Torre did it well.

I'll give the Yankees a little credit for at least realizing they couldn't fire Torre. They had to offer him something -- but it should have been reasonable -- a short contract with a very modest raise. Instead, they insulted him. A one year contract with a pay cut and incentives (which they previously said was a bad idea) -- puh-leeasse. Who takes a 25% pay cut after 12 years? And let's face it -- he made the playoffs this year, making him arguably one of the top 8 managers by performance. Given that his team was the only one not to get swept in the division series, he's already #5. You don't take a pay cut when you've performed in the top 20%.

Obviously, they were hoping to find a way to ditch Torre while maintaining his supporters. I, like Verducci, thought they'd failed when I saw the offer Torre refused. His comments tonight ended any delusion that he was OK with it. The saddest/funniest thing is that the extra dollars they will probably have to pay to keep Posada and Rivera in Torre's absence will far outweigh the cost of keeping Torre with a raise. (More proof they were looking to ditch him.)

As to Torre's successor, I'm split. In my heart, I want Girardi.

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The guy has an engineering degree from Northwestern, and he's brilliant. Also, he has a great relationship with Greg Maddux from his Cubbie days. Can you imagine a better pitching coach? I'm not sure he would juggle egos as well as Torre, but if there's rebuilding to be done, I think Girardi's the guy. (And yeah, I think he's ruggedly HOT!) Donnie Baseball is a great emotional choice for a Yankee fan, but he hasn't proven anything. And then there's LaRussa.

Honestly, if I want my boyz to win next year, I take LaRussa. The job is still going to be an ego juggling act, best done by a conciliator used to high salaries. LaRussa is the closest thing to Torre -- old enough to demand respect and a proven, steady hand.

Things have changed since Grandpa's time and since I left Erie. The Red Sox, not the Indians, are clearly the hated nemesis, so I'm rooting for The Tribe for the next game or two. Then I'm all about the feel good Rockies. After which I'm taking a break from baseball, and focusing on a way for Penn State to make the Rose Bowl. And Go Steelers!

In April, I'll be rooting for at least two teams: my Cubbies, managed by X-Yankee player/manager Lou Pinella; and whoever hires Joe. Even if it's the ESPN broadcast team. And we'll see about the Yankees.

Joe, thanks for a great 12 years. You deserved better.