Yankees baseball blog

The new era ready to Joe

When Joe Girardi interviewed for the Yankees' manager job last week, the best player in baseball was the cleanup hitter, third baseman and perched to win his second AL MVP in three years thanks to a monster year.When Girardi was officially announced as Joe Torre's successor yesterday, Alex Rodriguez was a fast-fading pinstriped memory and the Yankees' lineup had a colossal crater in the middle of it that could swell if Jorge Posada decides to follow Rodriguez out of The Bronx.

Rodriguez's departure didn't catch anybody by surprise in the Yankees organization - most expected him to opt out of the final three years of a contract - but interviewing for a job with him in the lineup and taking the gig with him gone is akin to believing the date is with Kate Moss and having Hillary Clinton open the door. Continue

Dodgers close to making Joe Torre next manager

It appears Joe Torre won't be out of work long. The former Yankee skipper is finalizing a deal to become the manager of the Dodgers, less than two weeks after he walked away from the Yankees. His path to the Dodger dugout was cleared yesterday after Grady Little resigned as the Los Angeles manager.

"Discussions are ongoing" for the former Yankee skipper to replace Little, according to a source with knowledge of the talks. In an interesting twist, Torre was not the Dodgers' first choice as L.A. offered the job last week to Joe Girardi, who yesterday replaced Torre in the Bronx. Continue

New Poll

eom

Joe Girardi agrees to 3-year deal to manage Yankees

Joe Girardi has agreed to a three-year contract to manage the Yankees. The agreement to take over as Joe Torre's replacement is worth an average salary of at least $2 million annually, a baseball official said Tuesday, speaking on condition of anonymity because the team had not yet announced the deal.

Only six managers earned at least that much this season, led by Torre's $7.5 million. A catcher by trade, Girardi played 15 seasons in the majors with the Cubs, Rockies, Yankees and Cardinals, though his greatest success came in New York, where he helped the Bombers to three World Series titles from 1996-99. Continue

Passed-over Don Mattingly 'extremely disappointed'

In the end, Don Mattingly wasn't the favorite after all. The Yankees yesterday chose Joe Girardi as their next manager, surprising many industry sources who believed that Mattingly would win out and take the reins of the team for which he once starred.

Instead of moving into Joe Torre's old office at Yankee Stadium, Mattingly turned in his pinstripes, informing the Yankees yesterday that he would not accept a coaching position under Girardi, thereby bringing his second tenure in the Bronx to an end. However, another career avenue could just be opening up. Continue

Mo, Jorge, A-Rod file for free agency

On the first day players were eligible to file for free agency, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Alex Rodriguez turned in their papers. Rivera and Posada had until 15 days following the end of the World Series to file, but opted to get it done immediately. Rodriguez opted out of his final three years on a contract Sunday and became a free agent.

First baseman Doug Mientkiewicz and reliever Luis Vizcaino also filed. "We wanted all three back,'' Hank Steinbrenner said of Rivera, Posada and Rodriguez, but made it clear the Yankees aren't going to chase Rodriguez into free agency. Continue

Yankees to name Joe Girardi manager

There's a new sheriff in town. The Yankees will reportedly offer Joe Girardi the manager's job vacated by Joe Torre. An official announcement is expected as early as Monday afternoon. Club sources have insisted throughout the process that it has been a close call among Girardi, Don Mattingly and Tony Pena, but the deciding factors seem to have been the former Yankee catcher's analytical approach, experience with handling a pitching staff and the job the 43-year-old Girardi did managing the Florida Marlins in 2006.

Mattingly, while one of the most popular Yankees of all-time inside and outside the locker room, is a favorite of George Steinbrenner, but lacked the experience Cashman preferred. "As much as Cash likes and respects Donnie, you have to wonder if he would trust his own future with a guy with no track record," a Yankees insider told the News Sunday. Continue

Until the end, It was always about A-Rod

In the end, this is the most appropriate way this latest twist in the Chronicles of A-Rod had to go. From the moment he first donned Yankee pinstripes on that all-smiles February day in 2004, he swore he would never make the most famous team in sports about Alex Rodriguez. He would be one of 25.“If you're looking for a squeaky wheel," he said, “you'd better look somewhere else."

And yet, as we came to know quickly, and as we learn right to the bitter end, it was always all about A-Rod, is always about A-Rod. It was about his astonishing talent and his astounding ego. It was about watching the greatest regular-season player of his generation and one of the most star-crossed October players of all time. Continue

Hank Steinbrenner says 'goodbye' to A-Rod

Hank Steinbrenner may be new to the baseball business, but the eldest son of George Steinbrenner knows one thing: If you don't want to be a Yankee, the Yankees don't want you. That was Steinbrenner's message to Alex Rodriguez last night after he learned that the third baseman had opted out of the final three years of his contract, electing to become a free agent before the Yankees even had a chance to offer him an extension.

"It's clear he didn't want to be a Yankee," Hank Steinbrenner told the Daily News last night. "He doesn't understand the privilege of being a Yankee on a team where the owners are willing to pay $200 million to put a winning product on the field. Continue

Girardi could get Yankees' job today

There were strong indications last night that the Yankees are prepared to select Joe Girardi as their manager, with an official announcement to come as early as today. According to SI.com's Jon Heyman, Girardi is expected to be offered a three-year contract worth about $6 million. Hank Steinbrenner, the spokesman for the ownership trio of George Steinbrenner and his two sons, said last week that he expected to follow general manager Brian Cashman's recommendation. Continue

Rodriguez opts out of $252 million, 10-year contract with Yanks

Alex Rodriguez opted out of his $252 million, 10-year contract with the Yankees on Sunday in what appears to be the end of his career with New York. Rodriguez's decision, announced by agent Scott Boras during Game 4 of the World Series, makes him eligible to become a free agent. Rodriguez loses the final $72 million in guaranteed salary in the contract, of which $21.3 million was to be covered by payments from the Texas Rangers to the Yankees, and becomes eligible for free agency. New York had said it would not attempt to re-sign A-Rod if he opted out.

Boras said during a telephone interview that Rodriguez made his choice because he was uncertain whether Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte would return to the Yankees. "Alex's decision was one based on not knowing what his closer, his catcher and one of his statured pitchers was going to do," Boras said. "He really didn't want to make any decisions until he knew what they were doing." Continue

Joe Girardi apparent leader in race for Yanks' manager

The Yankees apparently have reached a decision on a new manager, which they are prepared to announce Sunday or Monday, and there were increasing signs Saturday night pointing to Joe Girardi. As has been stated by Yankee ownership, GM Brian Cashman is the one who will make the recommendation to ownership based on his interviews with all three candidates - Girardi, Don Mattingly and Tony Peña - along with advice from all his baseball people. The recommendation then would need to be given final approval by the Steinbrenner family.

While nobody in the Yankee high command was prepared to speculate on Cashman's favorite, sources familiar with the GM's thinking pointed out that Girardi had all the characteristics - an analytical approach, organizational skills that come from having already managed (the Florida Marlins) and a proven ability to handle a pitching staff - Cashman is thought to be looking for. Continue

No big deal

When Alex Rodriguez agrees to meet with the Yankees, he can expect to receive a four- to five-year contract offer that, combined with the three years remaining on Rodriguez's deal, will increase his average annual salary of $25.2 million. The Yankees were receptive to agent Scott Boras' request for a meeting but they insist Rodriguez attend the sit down, something the Yankees believe Boras is advising Rodriguez not to do. "Nothing that I am aware of," Boras said yesterday when asked if a date has been set to talk to the Yankees.

The Yankees understand they will have to give Rodriguez a raise if they want him to return, but according to a person with knowledge of the Yankees' plans, they aren't prepared to go to the $30 million a year Boras believes is out there for his client, who next month will cop his second AL MVP in three years. Nor are the Yankees going anywhere close to the 12 years Boras has mentioned for his 32-year-old client. Continue

Yankees expected to make record-setting offer to A-Rod

The New York Yankees have asked to meet with third baseman Alex Rodriguez, and if and when they get that meeting, league sources indicate the team is prepared to make him an offer that will exceed, in average salary, the $27 million per year that he is scheduled to make over the next three seasons -- and A-Rod would be in line to set yet another salary benchmark.

The offer could be for something in the range of five years -- beyond the three years Rodriguez is already under contract for, from 2008-10 -- and perhaps $30 million a year. The highest per-workday salary earned to date is the $28 million Roger Clemens received, in prorated salary, for a little less than four months of work this season. Continue

Let's Joe, Yanks

Did Hank Steinbrenner endorse Joe Girardi early yesterday afternoon to replace Joe Torre as Yankees manager? It sure sounded that way when Steinbrenner spoke to reporters outside Legends Field.

"It's going to come down to who we think is the guy that can really be the best leader. Joe (Torre) was a great manager. Joe Torre was a like a father figure to some of these guys," Steinbrenner said. "We want a guy that can do that, but at the same time, because it's going to be a younger guy, we want a guy that can be a real leader, which Joe (Torre) was as well. This guy has got to be a take charge, real leader. Not looking so much for a father figure now as a real leader." Continue

Yankees seek Alex Rodriguez sit-down to discuss contract

As Alex Rodriguez moved one day closer to his opt-out date, the Yankees were working to set up a face-to-face meeting with the third baseman. Hank Steinbrenner said yesterday in Tampa that he believes the meeting will take place "soon," though he added that A-Rod's situation had nothing to do with the team's timetable on its manager search.

Rodriguez has three years and $ 81million remaining on his current deal, the record 10-year, $252 million contract he signed with Texas before the 2001 season. The Rangers are on the hook for almost $ 30million of that money, but if A-Rod opts out, the Yankees would lose that subsidy if they were to re-sign the third baseman as a free agent. Continue

Brian game

Brian Cashman is deciding a job, right now, and it is his as much as that of Yankees manager. His superiors, notably Hank and Hal Steinbrenner and team president Randy Levine, did not like how they took the brunt of public criticism over the divorce from Joe Torre while Cashman mostly avoided blame. So Cashman's superiors have empowered him to pick the next manager with the understanding it will be rubber-stamped by the hierarchy. That leaves Cashman in a position of authority, but also a quandary.

"My Dad, myself and Hal will make the decision," Hank said. “And we will rely heavily on our baseball guys."Cashman has long been viewed as favoring Joe Girardi and knowing George Steinbrenner has hoped to see Don Mattingly manage the team. So Cashman either has to go with his gut, which might mean defying The Boss' wishes, or make a decision he may not believe in wholeheartedly. Continue

Yankees won't make decision on manager until next week

Don Mattingly, Joe Girardi and Tony Peña will have to wait until next week to find out who will win the Yankees' managerial sweepstakes, as the club adjourned its meetings for the weekend without a decision.

A source told the Daily News last night that the team could name a manager on Tuesday, the next off-day during the World Series. Such an announcement would happen only if the commissioner's office grants the Yankees permission to do so, as teams are restricted from making announcements during the Fall Classic.

Mattingly still appears to be the "slight favorite" that Hank Steinbrenner has referred to throughout the week, though Girardi impressed the team during his interview and has become a serious contender, gaining steam with each passing day. Continue

It’a Tony Pena’s turn in Yanks’ search

After three extensive days of interviewing Joe Girardi, Don Mattingly and Tony Pena for the job of Yankees manager, GM Brian Cashman could present the Steinbrenner family with his recommendation as early as today. Then it will be up to ownership to approve the choice, but Hank Steinbrenner said he is relying heavily on Cashman's input into finding Joe Torre's successor.

Cashman and his bevy of advisers will meet this morning to discuss what they learned from talking to Girardi, Mattingly and Pena in marathon sessions that ended yesterday when Pena's interview was over. If Cashman's group completes the task, Cashman will talk with George Steinbrenner and his sons, Hank and Hal. However, the process could bleed into Friday. Continue

Hank Steinbrenner preaches patience for new manager

Patience is a virtue. Just ask Hank Steinbrenner. George Steinbrenner's oldest son preached patience with whoever lands the Yankees' managerial job, a departure from the world championship-or-bust attitude the club has had since The Boss took over almost 35 years ago. "The most important thing is whoever we hire, give him a chance, because he's not getting the '96 Yankees," Hank Steinbrenner said yesterday on his way into Legends Field in what could be perceived as a thinly veiled shot at Joe Torre. "He's getting an even younger team for the most part, a team in transition. So give him a little while.

"We want to win the World Series every year, but we're not stupid enough to think we can do it every year. Like everybody else who has that goal, basically you've got to be patient." Torre's seven-year World Series title drought was the primary reason the Yankees offered him a only one-year contract to return next season. Apparently, his successor won't be held to the same standard, at least not based on Steinbrenner's comments. Continue

Cashman is man on Yankees' hot seat

Given the turmoil of another failed October, next season will be a stressful one for the man on the Yankees' hot seat. He must handle the demands, both the reasonable and the ridiculous. He'll deal with a wave of new challenges. Furthermore, he'll have to work in the aftermath of Joe Torre's departure. And at some point, will he wish he had an easier job instead, like managing the Yankees?

Let's be realistic here. The guy on the spot for 2008 isn't Don Mattingly or whomever the Yankees hire to replace Torre. The manager's role in baseball has always been overstated, especially in New York, particularly with the Yankees. Honestly, who's more important to a baseball franchise: the man in charge of getting all the right pieces, or the man in charge of wondering when to pull the starting pitcher? Continue

The welcome matt for Don

Don Mattingly's day started at 10 o'clock in the morning and he walked out of the Yankees' minor league complex at 7 p.m. Throughout the marathon interview process that included an hour talking with the Steinbrenner III at Legends Field, Mattingly stayed with the same refrain: He very seriously wants to follow Joe Torre as the Yankees' manager and isn't awed by the daunting task.

He doesn't care that people harp on his inexperience. Nor does it matter to him that a reputation as one of the most popular Yankees ever could be soiled by criticism or failure. And he is up to the challenge of replacing a man he recently linked to John Wooden. Continue

Jeter praises Torre, but doesn't rip Yankees

Five days after Joe Torre and the Yankees parted, team captain Derek Jeter put out a carefully crafted statement yesterday that emphasized Torre's importance in his life without ripping the Yankees. Jeter's statement said that his "great respect for Mr. Torre" had caused him to wait to speak until after Torre could express his thoughts. It's long been clear how much Torre means to Jeter, and his statement reiterated that.

"In my eyes, Joe Torre is more than a Hall of Fame manager," the statement read. "He is a friend for life, and the relationship we have shared has helped shape me in ways that transcend the game of baseball. His class, dignity, and the way he respected those around him - from ballplayers to batboys - are all qualities that are easy to admire but difficult to duplicate. Continue

Party starts with Girardi

Hank Steinbrenner says Joe Girardi is smart and the Yankees aren't stupid. So, do they have a match to fill the colossal shoes left behind by Joe Torre in the manager's office? That remains to be seen since yesterday Girardi was the first of three scheduled interviews the Yankees held. Don Mattingly is in today and will be followed by Tony Pena tomorrow.

"From what I know about him he appears to be very smart, that's the reputation," said Hank Steinbrenner, who with his father George, brother Hal and club president Randy Levine met with Girardi for an hour at Legends Field in between Girardi being grilled by the baseball operations arm of the Yankees organization at the nearby minor-league complex before and after talking to The Boss. "He is tough when he has to be and he can be easy when he has to be." Continue

Yankees likely to offer Jorge Posada $40 million

The Yankees plan to do what they can to keep Jorge Posada from hitting the open market, but it doesn't look like anything will happen before the team has completed its interview process for the open manager's job. Yankees sources said the organization hasn't begun substantive talks with Sam and Seth Levinson, the agents who represent Posada, but the team is said to be planning an offer of three years and about $40 million. "I believe that we're going to be very competitive," one Yankees official said.

Posada just completed a five-year, $51 million contract that included a $12 million option for 2007 that kicked in based on playing time behind the plate the previous season. Posada, who turned 36 in August, hit .338 with 20 homers and 90 RBI this past season, the best all-around season of his career. Continue

Mariano Rivera: Joe Torre's exit doesn't mean I'll leave

No Joe doesn't necessarily mean no Mo. Mariano Rivera has been conspicuously silent since the Yankees announced last week that Joe Torre would not return to manage next season, but the closer finally spoke out yesterday in a radio interview, saying that Torre's departure won't automatically send him packing from the only baseball home he has ever known.

"I know the Yankees are going to do whatever they think is best for the team. I always respect them for that," Rivera told Sirrius Satellite Radio when asked if he needs to know who the new manager will be before he starts to negotiate a new contract. "The Yankees always have given the opportunity to give us the best everything: the best players, the best coaching staff. They always tried to do that. I don't think it (Torre leaving) has (anything to do) with me, in terms of signing with the Yankees." Continue

Steinbrenners opting to talk with A-Rod

The Yankees are making plans for a face-to-face meeting with Alex Rodriguez in the hope they can persuade their All World third baseman and cleanup hitter to stay in The Bronx and not opt out of his contract to become a free agent. "Apparently we will talk soon, I am told," Rodriguez's agent, Scott Boras, said last night when asked about the Yankees brass talking to his client. "I would expect it will include all parties."

Asked if there were an offer on the table from the Yankees, Boras didn't say yes or no but explained Rodriguez wasn't interested in talking financial terms until he hears from Hank and Hal Steinbrenner about the direction George Steinbrenner's sons intend to take with the Yankees. "We have been very clear with the Yankees that we are not in the economic phase of the process," Boras said. "We are considering our next step and that will be preceded by taking in information. We want to be thorough. Alex wants to know the intentions of Hank and Hal." Continue

Leading off for Yankees: Girardi

The Yankees will interview their first three managerial candidates in quick succession, beginning today in Tampa, Fla., with Joe Girardi and continuing with Don Mattingly tomorrow and Tony Peña on Wednesday. Those are the only three candidates whom general manager Brian Cashman has contacted, but he expects to add candidates in the days to come. Cashman, club president Randy Levine and some member(s) of the Steinbrenner family (owner George and/or sons Hank and Hal) are expected to be a part of the interview process.

It took little time after parting ways with Joe Torre for the Yankees to settle upon this trio. Former catchers Girardi and Peña have managed in the major leagues; former first baseman Mattingly has been viewed as someone likely to manage the team he once served as captain. Continue

Scott Boras: Yankee decisions will impact Alex Rodriguez

Joe Torre's messy exit from the Bronx and the uncertain status of free agents Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada could impact Alex Rodriguez's decision on whether to opt out of the final three years of his contract, Scott Boras told the Daily News yesterday. "Looking at the decisions the Yankees have to make is important to Alex," Boras, A-Rod's agent, said when reached by The News. "He wants to know who is on the team and who is managing the team."

The uncertain future of star players such as Posada, Rivera and Andy Pettitte - not to mention the empty chair in the manager's office - could make it more difficult for the Yankees to sign Rodriguez to an extension before his opt-out date arrives. "Hopefully we can keep him. If not, we can't," Yankee GM Brian Cashman said when informed of Boras' latest words. "Our position does not change." Continue

Bosses ready to go to 'Mat'

The Steinbrenner family's top choice to follow Joe Torre will be the first person interviewed for the vacant Yankees' manager's job. Don Mattingly will meet with Yankees brass this week in Tampa, Fla., to talk about replacing Torre. "Nothing [has been] discussed other than a mid-week timetable," said Mattingly's representative, Ray Schulte.

Though the team will interview other candidates - Joe Girardi and Tony Pena have been told they are on the list - George Steinbrenner and sons Hal and Hank want Mattingly to be the next Yankees manager, according to Tampa whispers. Yet there is a possibility voices with more baseball experience could sway Steinbrenner III with solid arguments. Continue

Empire gets a new face of evil

From the moment Joe Torre was hired to run the Yankees, he always talked about how temporary the life of a baseball manager is, how transient it can be. From the first moment he shook hands with George Steinbrenner, Torre accepted as a personal dare the challenge of whether he could be the one to learn how to live and to thrive under that singularly draconian iron hand.

Here's the thing: He did. Torre survived Steinbrenner. He survived all the nudging and the nagging, all the prying and the politicking, all the silly sloganeering and all the preposterous press releases. As it turns out, Torre really was uniquely qualified to work for a Boss so demanding, we've been capitalizing the "B" for damn near 30 years. Continue

Yankees list starts with Don Mattingly, but ends at The Boss

Joe Torre brought the Yankees to four world championships and 12 postseasons, yet the Yankees left him twisting for 10 days before presenting him with a low-ball offer he could refuse. Who would put up with that kind of treatment? Apparently quite a few, including the Yankees' former king of swing, the man who would be the Next Don.

Don Mattingly remains the front-runner to take over for Torre and lead the Yankees into their next era as well as a new Stadium in 2009, but the club has no plans to hand the reins over to the bench coach without doing an exhaustive search. Continue

Joe Torre loses his job, but keeps his dignity

Shortly before 2 p.m. yesterday, Joe Torre walked into George Steinbrenner's office on the fourth floor of Legends Field in Tampa, where The Boss and his Yankee high command were waiting with an offer Torre knew he was going to refuse. In the days leading up to this momentous summit, Torre had been advised by Yankee GM Brian Cashman that an offer to remain as manager would be forthcoming from Steinbrenner & Co., but that it would be for less money than the $7.5 million per year Torre had been earning as the highest-paid pilot in the game. Privately, Torre had expressed to friends and associates that he wanted a multiyear contract.

So when Hal Steinbrenner, The Boss' youngest son, read him the terms of the contract the Yankees were prepared to give him to continue what has been the fourth-most successful managerial term in the Yankees' championship-filled history - right up there with those of Hall of Famers Miller Huggins, Joe McCarthy and Casey Stengel - Torre listened without expression: $5 million base salary for one year, with incremental $1 million bonuses for reaching the division, League Championship and World Series, plus a vesting $8 million option for reaching the latter. "We all want you back," Hal Steinbrenner added, "and we hope you'll accept this offer." Continue

His biggest mistake comes off the field

Joe Torre's worst mistake of October was not starting Chien-Ming Wang on the road or failing to demand a delay when those Lake Erie midges showed up at Jacobs Field.No, Torre's biggest mistake occurred yesterday when he rejected an offer that while imperfect still allowed him to keep the job that has been so perfect for him. Torre erred in turning down the Yankees' proposal to stay in the position that has made him rich and famous beyond what he could have dreamed a dozen years ago.

He gets to keep the riches and fame now, but not the job. And it is the job, that gave Torre items you cannot buy, notably that brew of purpose and electricity and responsibility that he will be unable to replicate elsewhere. Continue

Torre turns down Yankee offer

In a stunning development, Joe Torre has turned down an offer to return as Yankee manager. Torre flew to Tampa today with Yankee GM Brian Cashman to personally tell George Steinbrenner and his sons, Hank and Hal, that he was rejecting an offer to come back for one year with incentives that would have been worth as much as $8 million. The Yankees announced the news at a 4:00 p.m. conference call from Legends Field.

"This new agreement, he turned it down," said Yankee president Randy Levine."We respect his decision. We appreciate everything he's done. "It's now time for the New York Yankees to move forward. We will be doing that very very quickly." "A difficult day," Cashman said. “He will always be a Yankee." Continue

Cashman confirms: If A-Rod opts out, he's done as Yankee

Although no decision was made regarding Joe Torre's future during the second day of the Yankees' organizational meetings, it appears that the group of front-office execs was able to agree on something. If Alex Rodriguez opts out, his time in pinstripes will be over. Echoing a position he has stated before, general manager Brian Cashman reiterated the club's stance that should the third baseman opt out of his contract, the Yankees would bid the two-time MVP farewell and let him sign elsewhere without a fight.

"I can reaffirm that if Alex Rodriguez opts out of his contract, that we will not participate in his free agency," Cashman said after the second day of meetings concluded. "That is accurate and that is definitive." Rodriguez has three years and $81million remaining on the record 10-year, $252 million deal he signed with the Texas Rangers before the 2001 season. But a clause in the contract allows him to scrap the final three years and become a free agent, a move clearly being endorsed by his agent, Scott Boras. Continue

A command indecision

When it comes to determining the fate of their manager, the Yankees are moving slowly, stealthy and quite differently from what was the brash, rash standard operating procedure during most of George Steinbrenner's ownership.

As the highly publicized meetings of the club's top brass concluded yesterday, there were, at best, subtle clues that Torre is still seriously in play to be at least offered a chance to stay as manager. There is the fact the Yankees have not acted quickly to follow up on Steinbrenner's 12-day-old statements that a first-round ouster would almost guarantee Torre's removal. Continue

Yankee silence doesn't bode well for Joe Torre

Eight days after the Yankees were ousted from the postseason, nine days after George Steinbrenner was quoted as saying that Joe Torre's job was on the line if the Bombers were eliminated, the Yankee high command has still not made a decision on who will manage the team next season. Or so it said yesterday in a statement from Steinbrenner's flack, Howard Rubenstein.

There are three ways to look at this non-announcement on a day in which Yankee legions had great expectations of a momentous decision coming out of Tampa — none of which would seem to bode particularly well for Torre. No. 1 is that either the powers-that-be — and in this case that would be Steinbrenner, his two sons, Hal and Hank, his son-in-law Felix Lopez, team president Randy Levine, chief operating officer Lonn Trost and GM Brian Cashman — really haven't been able to come to a decision on Torre; No. 2 is that they have reluctantly decided to bring him back but are letting him sweat a little more, and No. 3 is they have decided to begin the Don Mattingly era but still need to figure out a seamless, kindly way to execute this transition. Continue

Meeting ends without a decision on Torre

The Yankees meeting to decide Joe Torre's fate took place at George Steinbrenner's south Tampa mansion, but no decision is expected today. Yankees spokesman Howard Rubenstein released the following statement: "The meetings are adjourned for tonight. There have been no decisions made, nor will there be any comment today. The meetings will resume tomorrow."

Hal Steinbrenner left the home at 4:05 in a black Suburban. At 4:34, his brother, Hank, departed in a dark Cadillac and brother-in-law, Felix Lopez, sped off in a black Land Rover. Nobody stopped to speak to the media contingent of 24 waiting outside the gates that surround the cream-colored brick home. Continue

Mattingly may not want job

Don Mattingly may not be interested in becoming the Yankees' manager if Joe Torre is fired. The Yankees' bench coach and favorite to take over if Torre is axed told a member of the Steinbrenner family he is not ready to take over the top spot on the bench and would not feel right replacing the highly successful Torre, according to the Newark Star Ledger.

"It's pretty much a no-win situation for someone coming in here, to be able to live up to expectations and live up to what (Torre did)," Mattingly said in a recent interview. "So as far as someone coming in and taking over this job, it's not necessarily a great situation." The source, who claimed to speak to Mattingly directly, asked not to be named, as he is not authorized to speak on behalf of the Steinbrenner family. Continue

George Steinbrenner, sons make Joe Torre's fate 1st issue

It's been a week since the Yankees were eliminated by the Indians, the third consecutive season that George Steinbrenner's $200 million investment failed to return dividends beyond the first round of the postseason.

Joe Torre's future has been a hot topic since the Yankees' exit, but the man who led the Bombers to four World Series titles since 1996 should learn his fate in the next 24-48 hours, as the long-awaited organizational meetings finally get underway tomorrow. Many of the key participants are scheduled to arrive in Tampa later today, with the meetings set to begin tomorrow around noon. Continue

How will Yanks vs A-Rod end?

On the cul-de-sac at the end of a Southern California canyon road, Scott Boras has a home the size of a small resort, complete with Pacific view. There is a guest house there, where Alex and Cynthia Rodriguez annually come to decompress after the season. When they arrive within the next week or so, Alex will go to school. "We're going to spend a week together. He has to go through a mountain of stuff; we'll go through it together," Boras says.

The mountain of stuff includes the information Boras' 40-person negotiation staff has compiled, data that goes way beyond what you'll find on the back of his baseball card. Before Rodriguez decides whether to remain under contract with the New York Yankees or forgo the final three years of his deal for free agency - the deadline to decide is 10 days after the World Series ends - Boras will sell Rodriguez on himself. Boras will show the best player in baseball how, if you had looked at the careers of Willie Mays, Barry Bonds, Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, etc., etc., when they were 32, none of them could have looked forward to the numbers that await A-Rod. Consequently, none of them was ever paid anything close to the numbers that await A-Rod. "Then," Boras says. "He'll let me know." Continue

Chamberlain can be Yanks' ace in hole

The temptation is great, and it'll be there most of the winter, and for the early portion of Joba Chamberlain's career. The bullpen has become the overwhelming baseball obsession of the new millennium, the thing that keeps fans awake at night, keeps GM's ears permanently glued to their telephones and keeps manager's stomachs awash in Maalox.

Somehow, somewhere, we have forgotten about the Ace. Keep the capital letter precisely where it is. That's how important the Ace is going back to the beginning of baseball time, the man around whom an entire team - hell, an entire city - can rally every five days. The guy you know - you just know - will deliver you when you need delivering. Continue

Time to give George Steinbrenner his due

This is the official beginning of it now for the Yankees, the way they are going to be run from now on, the end of the way they used to be run when it was George Steinbrenner's way or the Deegan Expressway, when he could make headlines faster than desk men could write them.

So maybe this is the last time somebody can go to Steinbrenner, from this paper or any paper, looking for the absolute final last word, that's it and that's all, on the Yankees from the man who has been the principal owner of the team for nearly 35 years. Continue

No word on Torre

The most aggressive organization in baseball is moving at the speed of sludge going uphill. And don't expect the action in the Yankees' universe to pick up until early next week, when George Steinbrenner gathers his inner circle in Tampa, Fla., to decide if Joe Torre stays or goes.

However, when the meeting, scheduled for Tuesday at Legends Field, is over, the Yankees could move at the speed of Joba Chamberlain's fastball. "I think it could be that just about everything on the table now could be decided by the end of next week," Hank Steinbrenner said outside Legends Field early last night. Continue

Boras, Alex looking at 12 years

Is Alex Rodriguez set to sign the final contract of his career? A pact that would dwarf the record-setting 10-year, $252 million he inked following the 2000 season? According to agent Scott Boras, Rodriguez getting a 12-year deal isn't out of the question and painted a picture where the team committing a dozen seasons to his client would make money with Rodriguez.

"In 2000 the YES network didn't exist," said Boras, who insists regional sports networks have changed the financial landscape of baseball, providing deep revenue streams. "Now it's worth $3 billion to $3.5 billion easily. What is it going to be worth in 12 years when Alex will be at the end of his career, chasing records and people wanting to say, 'I saw him play.' " Asked if Rodriguez was going to seek a 12-year deal, Boras didn't deny it. And since it's generally been assumed that Rodriguez, 32, will be looking for $30 million a year, that's a whopping $360 million. "The key thing for Alex and his family is that he wants to be in the place where he is going to end his career," Boras said. "He wants to be in one spot with a positive chance to win a World Championship." Continue

Shortchanging Joe a no-no

More and more, you sense the Yankees are going to make an offer Joe Torre must refuse. Yankee executives have hinted that in order to return Torre might have to take a paycut from his $7 million annual salary. It would not be surprising if the Yanks offered Torre a one-year, $4 million extension, which would keep him the highest paid manager, but just barely.

Torre would know such a pact - less dollars, no extra years - would leave him so much more vulnerable to be fired during the season should the Yanks get off to something resembling a 21-29 start again. He almost certainly would not accept such an offer. The Yanks would know that, too, and could then plan to spin this as Torre spurning the Yankees rather than the other way around. Continue

Roger Clemens leaves door open for return, but wife doesn't

When Roger Clemens limped off the Yankee Stadium mound in the third inning of Game 3 last Sunday, most people assumed they had seen the last of the 45-year-old Rocket. But Clemens, speaking to two Houston TV stations at a golf tournament yesterday, was noncommittal when asked if he would play next season.

"You know I haven't been very good at this," Clemens told KHOU-TV. "I thought last year was good, I thought three or four years ago was it for me." Clemens battled an elbow injury in early September, then missed the final two weeks of the season with a hamstring problem. He started Game 3 of the division series, but the hamstring flared up on him early, causing his exit after just 2-1/3 innings. Continue

Bluff's enough

IT is possible that no one involved in sports does their job better than Scott Boras. His characteristics are ideally suited to his work. He is egomaniacal, ambitious, ruthless, self-confident, tireless, brilliant and patient. The person across a negotiating table is never going to be more prepared, more determined to win, less willing to blink. He is what the Terminator would look like if he returned with a law degree and certification from the Players Association.

I believe if Boras represented Michael Vick rather than the featherweights at the NFLPA, Vick would be playing quarterback for the Falcons this weekend. I wanted you to see my admiration for Boras' abilities so you know I do not make the next statement lightly: I think when it comes to Alex Rodriguez, Scott Boras is bluffing. Continue

Yankee players making pitch for Joe Torre

While Joe Torre's future remains in limbo, sources say some players are questioning why the manager is taking all of the heat while others in the front office are being given a free pass.

"How can all the fingers be pointed at Joe?" said Ron Villone, the only player willing to comment when asked about the situation. "Joe got us out of so many situations and he made us believe in ourselves, not the people above Joe or the people who work with Joe. "There was no excuse or reason for us to lose, but we lost," Villone added. "We got outplayed; we weren't outmanaged. We were beaten. That's the way it goes. If we're looking for a fall guy, you can't go to Joe." Continue

Joba role?

Joba Chamberlain's work coming out of the bullpen since being called up on Aug. 7 was one of the main reasons the Yankees reached the postseason, but he isn't sure what his role will be next year. "They haven't said anything," Chamberlain said of the Yankees' brass.

The Yankees have quite a list of things to figure out before wrestling with Chamberlain's situation. Because he's been in the majors for two months, Chamberlain didn't offer an opinion on what Joe Torre's fate should be, but who the manager is next season will ask a lot of him. Continue

Yankees won't re-sign Alex Rodriguez if he opts out

Alex Rodriguez was nowhere to be seen yesterday at the Stadium, leaving the annual task of cleaning out his locker to his favorite clubhouse lackey. The question is, will that locker be occupied by A-Rod in 2008? The answer to that question won't be known for some time, and until Rodriguez and his agent, Scott Boras, decide whether to opt out of the final three years of his record 10-year, $252million contract to test the free-agent market.

Boras, speaking with the Daily News last night via telephone, wouldn't say whether Rodriguez planned to exercise his opt-out clause, but the agent hinted that A-Rod's value would be at an all-time high if he did."The right of free agency is something that, since its inception, has never been more valued to players as it is today," Boras told The News. "When the Yankees acquired Alex, they knew that the clause in the contract would give them the player for four years - and that's about all they could expect." Continue

Torre twists in the wind

George Steinbrenner hasn't asked Joe Torre what he wants for his last meal as the Yankee manager, but Torre is hanging on by a very slender pinstripe that is frayed at both ends even if Tony La Russa told Torre Monday that he is likely to return to the Cardinals.

One day after the Yankees were ushered out of the ALDS by the Indians there were no indications yesterday that The Boss is going to back off of his weekend edict that Torre get the Yankees past the Indians or lose his job. In fact, a person with knowledge of Steinbrenner's thinking, said Steinbrenner's resolve to end his 12-year marriage to Torre is stronger than ever. "He hasn't changed his mind," the person said. Continue

Agent: A-Rod worth mega deal, doesn't rule out leaving

Alex Rodriguez might be headed toward the second landmark contract of his career. Rodriguez can opt out of the final three years of his 10-year, $252-million contract 10 days after the conclusion of the World Series. And Rodriguez's agent, Scott Boras, who negotiated that contract, indicated that he believes the Yankees third baseman could command a mammoth deal, given the rise of regional sports networks such as the YES Network and the record crowds in Major League Baseball.

"Academically, I would say that because the Yankees have the right to exclusively negotiate with him in this time," Boras said in a phone interview Tuesday night, "Alex has the ability to listen to them." Continue

Steinbrenner has eyes on La Russa

Barring an act of God such as a swarm of bugs flying into and clogging up the mechanism of George Steinbrenner's guillotine, Joe Torre managed his last game for the Yankees last night. That's the easy part for Steinbrenner, who clearly has been poised to end the Torre era, which has produced 12 straight postseason appearances, four world championships and six American League pennants in 12 seasons. The hard part for Steinbrenner has been finding a suitable replacement to fill the huge shoes of a manager who has become a Yankee icon. But it may not be so hard after all.

Tony La Russa, the third-winningest manager in baseball history, is a free agent waiting by the phone in California and I believe Steinbrenner soon will be reaching out to him. Why do I believe this? Because Steinbrenner knows he can't replace a manager with Torre's Hall of Fame pedigree with Don Mattingly, a Yankee icon in his own right but one who has never managed a game. It wouldn't be fair to Mattingly and it would be tough sell to hardcore Yankees fans. Continue

The best man

Joe Torre receives one last second-guess for the road, for starting a pitcher on three days' rest who didn't last the second inning. Even if the alternative, Mike Mussina, who pitched a scary tuneup to end a largely terrible season, gave up the two insurance runs in relief of Chien-Ming Wang that cost the Yankees the game.

This hanging offense, losing in the first round for a third straight October, will keep none of several teams from gauging Torre's interest in managing again by next week, assuming George Steinbrenner can't be talked down off the ledge today, assuming Brian Cashman even has an inclination, or the stomach, to try for the second straight year. Continue

Game 4 loss ends Yankees' season

The Yankees machine was assembled eight months ago with this stage and opportunity in mind, from the very minute Legends Field welcomed its first guest of the spring. More than ever, with a title drought running up against seven seasons, the Yankees gathered intent on playing deep into October, stumbling out of the gate but developing into baseball's best team leading into the playoffs.

Yet, against a hungry Indians club, the Yankees finally ran out of steam, outplayed in a four-game American League Division Series that will surely bring edits to the mission plan. The Yankees' season concluded on Monday with a 6-4 loss in ALDS Game 4. Continue

Yanks lose 6-4, division series 3-1

Will Joe Torre be back? Will A-Rod be back? tune in to find out. Articles to come. Check out new poll.

Clemens off Yanks' postseason roster

The Yankees will have to make the World Series if Roger Clemens wants to throw another pitch. On Monday, New York removed the ailing veteran from its roster, making him ineligible for the American League Championship series, should the Yankees advance.

Then again, the chances of Clemens making a comeback this postseason are slim as it is. On Sunday night, the 45-year-old right-hander was forced to exit his start in Game 3 after aggravating a left hamstring injury -- one of a variety of health issues that forced Clemens to sit out for the final two weeks of the regular season. Continue

Alex Rodriguez snaps streak, earns Steinbrenner's praise

Alex Rodriguez will take on all the pressure. He will take the heat for his poor playoff performances, and be the focus of all the attention - good and bad. He will take it all, he said, because it makes games like last night's season-saving 8-4 come-from-behind win over the Indians all the sweeter.

"I enjoy it, I don't mind, I am always gonna be the focus and that's fine," Rodriguez said after the game. "The important score is whether we win. Anything else, it doesn't matter. When we have a night like today, when we swung the bats well it's really rewarding." Continue

The Torre story should continue, win or lose

Lou Piniella, the man George Steinbrenner wanted last year at this time rather than Joe Torre, just guided his team out of the playoffs, losing three straight games to a Diamondback team that scored fewer runs than it allowed this year. Piniella blundered in Division Series Game 1 by removing his ace Carlos Zambrano after 85 pitches to save him for a Game 4 that never came, a mistake that if committed by Torre would have led to his firing on the spot by Steinbrenner. Continue

Damon helps Yankees force Game 4

Backs against the wall and a manager under the gun, Johnny Damon and the Yankees came out swinging in Game 3 of the American League Division Series on Sunday night, not ready to call it a season just yet.

Damon connected for a game-changing three-run homer and rookies Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain bailed out an injured Roger Clemens on Sunday, forcing Monday's ALDS Game 4 with an 8-4 victory over the Indians. "We know we have to come out and play well," Damon said. "There's a lot on the line. We're playing for our manager that we love. We're playing for fans that we love. So we'd like to prolong the season as long as we can." Continue

Report: Steinbrenner tells Torre win or else

Unless the Yankees rally from down two games to zero to beat the Indians in the best-of-five American League Division Series, Joe Torre will likely be out as manager, Yankees owner George Steinbrenner told the Bergen Record. "His job is on the line," Steinbrenner told the Record. "I think we're paying him a lot of money. He's the highest-paid manager in baseball, so I don't think we'd take him back if we don't win this series."

Torre's contract, worth $7 million this year, expires after the season. Steinbrenner came close to not bringing Torre back after the Yankees lost in the first round last season, but the team owner is in declining health and his public comments arre extremely rare these days. Continue

Alex Rodriguez's October struggles continue

There is no great mystery to Alex Rodriguez's latest postseason slump. His sad descent into familiar, nether territory can be mapped out in three simple, downward bounds:

1. He's faced a couple of extraordinary starters.

2. Guys batting behind him have been just as awful as he has, so he's seeing lousy pitches.

3. He's been a nervous wreck, and is swinging at those bad pitches.

This is nothing new, really. We've witnessed it all before with him during the three most recent playoff series. These things also happen to some, though not to all, of the other great stars in past years. Reggie Jackson didn't always get great pitches to hit, either, and faced some guys who knew what they were throwing. Continue

Time for Roger Clemens to show he's money

He first pitched an October game of great consequence in New York 21 years ago, for the Red Sox, and even though Roger Clemens wasn't around for the finish of that one, it only turned out to be one of the most famous postseason games ever played here.

It was Game 6 of the 1986 World Series between Clemens' Red Sox and the Mets. Clemens started that one and left with the lead and all this time later, there is still dispute in Boston about whether he asked John McNamara, the Boston manager, to take him out or if McNamara did it on his own. Clemens was 24. And no one could have dreamed that night in October of '86 that he would still be around to pitch another game like it in New York, or do it at Yankee Stadium, or do it in pinstripes. Continue