Joe Torre spent the afternoon in front of a line of fans and reporters stretching around the block of a Mid-Town Manhattan bookstore, on Tuesday, defending his new book entitled “The Yankee Years.” A lot has been said since excerpts starting leaking out last week about the book, and the feelings of those involved. Alex Rodriguez seems to take a couple punches. Mike Mussina, thrown under the bus, saying he thinks that Mariano Rivera is no good without him? Didn’t agree with GM, Brian Cashman? What the heck is going on here? Let’s take a closer look.
This does not sound like the Joe Torre we all know, some love, and most respect. He made it very clear that he did not violate any of the trust the Yankee organization put in him, and that he wasn’t concerned about any fall-out the book may generate.
He said that the book is not a “tell-all-exposé,” and would have been written regardless of contracts or positions in or out of the club because he started writing it while he was still the Yankee manager over two years ago. Even most of the ballplayers knew about it, whether they agreed or not wasn’t discussed.
The reaction was mixed from those die-hard Yankee fans who were upset that Torre aired some of the Yankee’s dirty laundry so publicly, however, maintained that he was not saying anything that they didn’t already know.
Then there was those who thought maybe it was about time that some of those things were made public, and chip away at some of the insulation that makes the Yankee organization so “untouchable.”
From what I can gather nothing in the book was done to harm anyone’s career as a Yankee, or Major Leaguer for that matter. Joe Torre maintained his usual level of class when describing certain events, and just made sure that he was telling it from his side of the story, that’s all. I think the thick skinned ballplayers and management don’t have too much to worry about. It is those easily offended, or maybe “Alex Rodriguez” types with little pain tolerances that might feel a push.
All in all, you can’t be a Yankee fan and not respect Joe Torre and everything that he did for this organization, including bringing 4 World Series Championships to the Bronx. I am on the fence when it comes to airing dirty laundry for a paycheck, but then that is why I am not a fan of Jose Canseco. But it sure does make for good reading.
It is currently on sale at all your local bookstores, or can be purchased through your favorite online book broker as well. And Joe, you spell my last name K-O-I-T-Z, just in case you needed it for my check. Or I’ll take a signed copy instead, I’m not complaining either way. Thanks in advance.
