Red Sox Should Grab Joe Torre
September 21, 2010 by Andrew Tuttle · 9 Comments
A series of events have happened in the last week, which should have Boston Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein making a lot of behind the scenes phone calls.
First, Joe Torre announced his retirement from the Los Angeles Dodgers as their manager. Then, Torre did not rule out managing another team and has since indicated a willingness to talk to the New York Mets.
Revenge is an important role in baseball. Just as Brett Favre figured out a way to exact revenge on the Green Bay Packers, Torre no doubt would like to stick it to his former team. Reportedly, Torre and New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman have not spoken since the release of Torre’s 2009 book “The Yankee Years” which was not kind to the organization.
The Red Sox are a bruised and battered team and have made a valiant effort to stay in the thick of things this year especially with a squad comprised of many minor leaguers. (See http://www.seamheads.com/2010/08/14/time-for-red-sox-to-clean-house/ ) Boston has been plagued with injuries requiring long stints on the disabled list for many starters.
Replacing Red Sox Manager Terry Francona should not be considered a blatant indictment on Francona’s job. Most of the injuries were simply bad luck. However, after seven years and two World Series rings, perhaps it’s time for both parties to move on.
Torre is a Hall of Fame Manager who is beloved by players and would no doubt be enthusiastically welcomed in Boston by the team and fans. Torre would not only provide a fresh start but also comes with a score to settle. He knows the Yankees probably better than anyone in baseball and would clearly like to get his revenge on the organization. What better way than by managing the Boston Red Sox?
It is clear Torre is not hanging up his uniform and would like to continue to manage. If he does have an axe to grind, returning to the Bronx and managing the cross-town rivals to the Yankees is definitely one way to do just that. Perhaps Torre is thinking he can turn the Mets franchise around and win a World Series or two, once again in New York.
But the Mets are a sub-500 team and have not been in the playoffs since 2006 sinking slowly ever since. Torre may not want to spend a few years trying to bring the competitive edge back to the Mets. With the Red Sox he has everything in place to put a playoff caliber team together for several years to come.
Joe Torre has already made his mark in baseball history. Guiding the Boston Red Sox to a championship would leave a permanent indention.
Since Francona has their only two World Series Championships in about 100 years and there is nothing wrong with this team that can be laid at his feet (injuries – Pedroia, Youkilis, Beckett, Ellsbury, Lowell, Cameron, VMart and so on), yet the team is still playing .553 ball and 8 games out of the best division in baseball. I think he should basically own the job until such time he decides to retire.
I am sure that having the 2011 healthy Res Sox would look good on Joe Torre’s resume and God knows it is important for us to polish Joe’s resume. But Terry Francona *ought* to be part of the phrase “Farncona’s Red Sox….” for a long time.
If anything, blame Theo for gutting the offense (Cameron? really?) for a dubious defensive benefit, and perhaps not providing for the evenetually and looming retirements and/or departures that face the Sox.
I could not agree with you less. Terry Francona should be a Manager of the Year candidate for what he’s pulled off in that monster division while missing two-thirds of his lineup to injuries.
Torre is a completely overrated field manager and did virtually nothing to improve the Dodgers. The only place that should be grabbing him is the nearest broadcasting booth.
you cannot be serious? this is a joke, right?
I hate to pile on but I have to agree with the others here. Francona has done a fantastic job considering the injuries the Sox have suffered. There’s no way any of us would have expected the Red Sox to win at an 88-win pace knowing that guys like Daniel Nava, Darnell McDonald, Josh Reddick and Ryan Kalish would be getting significant playing time down the stretch. Granted some of them are prospects, but they’re not Pedroia, Youkilis or Ellsbury. Red Sox Nation will be left wondering how good this team would have been with a healthy lineup. What a hell of an AL East race that would have been.
Thanks for the comments and I am glad I got some discussion out of this.Actually, I have had similar conversations with another Red Sox fan and I agreed with everyone here. I actually don’t disagree with any of you.
But here was my thinking in writing this:
2007 – World Series win
2008 – Lost in ALCS
2009 – Lost in Wild Card
2010 – Fail to make playoffs (unless a miracle happens)
Then I looked at this year’s injuries. As stated, much a result from bad luck however, six starters were all sidelined at one point because of hamstring injuries. Three of those players were pitchers. Is there an issue here with warming up properly and being conditioned to play? If so, that falls on Francona.
Perhaps the players manager, as Francona is described, is spending to much time shooting the breeze and not enough time leading the team.
This is pretty much the dumbest thing I’ve read in awhile. And I read some dumb stuff.
I think the world of Joe Torre, however how do you figure after the Dodgers fiasco it would be any different with the Redsox and if Francona would go what would the future hold for a manager in waiting- JOHN FERRELL. Thanks again for a wonderful article.
Francona is a lock for many many years as the Red Sox manager, whether you want it or not. I think he was the most impressive manager in baseball this year considering the vast amount of injuries and minor league utility guys he had to constantly plug into his major league lineup against some powerhouse teams. He made a few questionable in game calls this season but that is the nature of the job, and every good manager does.
I would love Torre to join as a bench coach though. Highly unlikely, but I could see him doing it for a season or two as he awaits for a potential Mets opening or simple decides to retire.
Speaking of Ferrell however, I think his time may be up as pitching coach. Francona kept us in the race into mid september with a very weak lineup, however, pitchers like Lackey, Beckett, and even a few starts from Bucch and Lester let us down in big games in late august / september. Lackey lost 4 straight games recently during the clutchest part of the end stretch.. shouldn’t $18.7 Million this season bring you more from a pitcher? I think there might have been some conditioning and game prep issues on the pitching end that hurt us more in big games than our offense did
The revenge angle is interesting. At 70 and a survivor or cancer, does Torre really need to be concerned with exacting revenge?
Three of the best teams in baseball, Rays, BoSox & Yanks are in the same division. Cito did a decent Job with the Jays with less talent. In the past three years, each of the top three missed the playoffs once. No need to worry or clean house.