Jon Weisman has a good piece on Joe Torre’s future (and legacy) in Los Angeles:
Nearly three seasons into his post-Yankees tenure on the West Coast, Torre remains more a baseball manager than a Dodgers manager, more an ambassador and icon than an integral part of the City of Angels.
This is reflective of two things, neither of them particularly damning toward Torre. In certain respects, Torre has been a welcome relief in Los Angeles, steering the Dodgers to the most success since the Tommy Lasorda days, leading with a combination of class, calm and clarity not witnessed since Walter Alston. More than two decades since the team’s last World Series title, more than one decade since the organization was last thought of as noble, these are not qualities to be taken for granted.
But presuming the Dodgers don’t rally from third place in the National League West today into the World Series two months from now, the aftershocks of a Torre departure will be felt in Los Angeles far more modestly than in the baseball community at large.
Man, the Joe Torre Era in the Bronx seems like a long time ago, doesn’t it?
[Photo Credit: UK Guardian]
po catching javy. grandy *not* facing lee, even though he has strong #'s vs. him.
Derek Jeter SS
Nick Swisher RF
Marcus Thames DH
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Jorge Posada C
Austin Kearns LF
Lance Berkman 1B
Brett Gardner CF
some cool #'s from espn's stats & info:
Javier Vazquez is allowing an average of just .086 (3-35) since June 1 against his curveball. Prior to June 1, batters were hitting .333 (12-36) against the pitch.
The Texas Rangers are batting .257 vs sliders, and slugging .368. Opponents are hitting .321 vs. Javier Vazquez's slider, with a slugging percentage of .604.
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if javy's struggling w/ velocity tonite, hopefully he can fool 'em w/ some offspeed stuff...
[0] it's been less than 3 years since Torre headed west, and somehow it feels like 6.
Also worth noting, if Torre misses the playoffs this year it will be the first time he managed a team to a regular-season elimination since he was the skipper of the Cardinals in 1993.
1994 - strike
1995 - fired mid-season
1996-2009 - playoffs
Nellie King, former Pirates pitcher and broadcaster, is dead.
[4] putting aside the rings, isn't he a Hall of Fame manager just based on the consecutive postseason appearances with 2 teams?
[6] I'd think so even if it was with one team. Bobby Cox is going in with just one ring.