Chapter 80: This Would Be Nice

It's been a difficult post-season for me. I have no vested interest — even less now that Chicago is out of it. But the Boston Globe put a smile on my face this morning. They reminded me that Don Zimmer is associated with the Tampa Devil Rays. Of course, he's been associated with several different teams; that's what happens when a guy's been in major league baseball for over 60 years.

Zim managed the Red Sox when Bucky F. Dent hit his infamous home run. He got tossed to the ground by Pedro Martinez during the 2003 ALCS. He was an original Met (and went 1-23, if memory serves). He managed the 1989 Cubs to the playoffs. He was on the Dodgers when Don Larsen tossed the only perfect game in World Series history. Even when he worked for the Yankees, Zim was fun to have around.

His stint with the Yankees really solidified his association with Joe Torre — not that they didn't know each other already, but when you serve as someone's bench coach and take over managing the team when that guy deals with butt cancer, you've kinda got a level of relationship that is above mere teammate. And he stood up to George Steinbrenner. Good for Zim!

So I for one would love to see the Rays meet the Dodgers in the playoffs. It would mean the Dodgers eliminate the Phillies, which as a Met fan would make me happy. And while I like the Red Sox and have family who are huge Sox fans, I can't help but like the baby Rays from the other Bay area. B.J. Upton, Evan Longoria, a surprisingly consistent starting pitching staff (which basically was the reason for my first fantasy baseball championship ever) ... what's not to love?

So that's what I'm rooting for: Dodgers vs. Rays in the 2008 World Series. Let the interviews with Don Zimmer continue.

Chapter 76.5: Another Day, Another Month...

Soon we will enter June, but in the final beautiful days of May, I sense a calmness in the New York area. For the Mets have started to win.

The streak is modest, to be sure; three game winning streaks should be commonplace for good teams. But these are Willie's Mets. Willie Randolph, who many fans thought would be fired this week, has survived so far and has his team looking more stable (albeit at the .500 mark) than they've looked since banging the Yankees ... my goodness, was it only two weeks ago!

As coincidence would have it, Willie's former colleague, Joe Torre, was back in New York as well, his Dodgers competing against the Mets, which allowed for an interesting article to appear in the New York Times. Harvey Araton, in his column, noted that the Yankees weren't quite as whiny when Torre was being insulted last fall as was being remembered this spring.

Araton writes:

Last October, Mike Mussina said of Torre, “If we don’t perform, it shouldn’t be a reflection on his ability.” Johnny Damon said: “We’re not just playing for him. We’re playing for a bunch of players in there.” ... Alex Rodriguez was too busy opting out and begging back in to worry about a manager. Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera were supposedly factoring Torre into their free-agent strategy, but the Yankees substituted an alternate Joe (Girardi) along with keys to the Steinbrenner vault. The band played on.

And the Mets fan looks at the standings, recognizes that the team is 3.5 games out of first place after taking two of three from the first-place Marlins (who are on their own three game losing streak), and says "Ok, Willie's safe for now. But don't let it happen again!"

We're fickle, we Mets fans.

As I've said to fellow Mets fans, who else is there right now? Short of importing Bobby Valentine from Japan, I don't think the Mets have a clear option that's better than -- or more importantly different from -- Willie. Jerry Manuel was a decent manager in Chicago (Cammy, Frank, correct me if I'm wrong), but his casual approach eventually allowed the players to get lazy. Laziness and complacency are killing the Mets. As for other options that have been voiced: Ken Oberkfell (Mets AAA manager) might have the chops, I really don't know; Gary Carter shot himself in the foot, which he'd already shoved in his mouth; Jim Fregosi doesn't impress me; and Tom Kelly is too smart to leave retirement for the New York circus.

I'd love to hear other people suggest other managers for the Mets, because I'm not convinced Willie's going to remain regardless of this little winning streak.

What I'd really love to see are Carlos Delgado and Carlos Beltran start to hit like they used to, Luis Castillo demonstrate why Omar lavished millions on him this past winter, and the pitching staff to work consistently and well into the latter third of the game. Is that too much to ask of a "championship-calibre team"?

Chapter 69.4: Simmering Hot Stove

Ouch! That's hot! No, not a Paris Hilton reference, I'm talking about something much more important. The World Series wasn't even over and the off-season had already begun. Of course, Mr. Premature Exclamation and his sidekick Money Boy (aka, Scott Boras and Alex Rodriguez) decided to finally get a hit during the World Series -- since A-Rod can't get there by any other means.

In an effort to extract himself from The Curse of A-Rod, Money Boy has decided to forego roughly $75 million over the next three years with the expectation that he can earn all that and more. He's probably right, though I actually believe the Yankees won't sign him. They'll have enough problems of their own trying to salvage their franchise. With Joe Girardi annointed as the manager, I suspect the exodus of big names will continue. Rumors abound that catcher Jorge Posada doesn't like his former backup, so perhaps he'll find his money elsewhere. I've predicted that Mariano Rivera will take his Hall of Fame career down the NJ Turnpike to Philadelphia, where he'd turn the Phillies into instant favorites to win the National League East -- if they weren't already.

Then today we hear about Joe Torre's reported conversations with the Los Angeles Dodgers -- and subsequently, Grady Little quits as their manager. Of course, Torre and Don Mattingly, whose son is playing in the Dodgers' farm system, are saying the right things; no one seems to be commenting on the requirement that a minority candidate be considered for the job.

Will this stream of hot stove baseball news stop before Spring Training? Already, the free agent declarations are being filed. The Astros just signed Brad Ausmus for another year. (But who cares, it's just a one-year, $2 million contract.) And we've not even learned who will win all the accolades for their successes during 2007. Then there'll be the general managers' meetings... It goes on and on. My wife was just starting to enjoy the off-season.

Chapter 69.1: My Hat's Off, But Don't Cry for Joe Torre

As a young Mets fan, I had a special feeling for Joe Torre. He briefly worked as a player manager -- almost as uncommon in the 70s as it is unknown in the 21st century -- and to my eyes seemed like the perfect man to lead the misfit Mets. I felt bad when the Mets fired him -- just when they seemed to be making progress! -- and happy when he took the Atlanta Braves to the playoffs in 1982.

While Yankees fans were unimpressed when he became the manager of their team in 1996, I was happy to see him return to New York. And as impossible as it is for me to say this, I almost rooted for him when they beat the Braves in the '96 World Series. Almost. When Jim Leyritz hit that home run that turned the tide, my hatred of the franchise returned.

When a man takes his team to the playoffs for twelve consecutive years, you'd think his job would be secure. A team that appears in six World Series in twelve years -- you'd think the job would be secure. But, no, they ask him to take a 33 percent paycut and sign a one-year contract, ostensibly to train his likely replacement, Don Mattingly, and look like a money-grubbing weakling to his players. The Yankees have every right to not re-sign their manager, whose contract had ended. But to most fans -- Yankees fans or not -- their actions are an insult to a dignified man. Yes, he would still have had the highest salary for a manager, but he deserved better treatment.

Whether the Yankees hire Mattingly, Joe Girardi, Luis Sojo, Bobby Valentine, Tony La Russa, or Buck Showaler, I expect them to struggle next year. Mariano Rivera, who is on the downside of his career but still effective, has said he won't return if Torre doesn't. Roger Clemens is done. Jorge Posada is a free agent, but I expect they'll re-sign him. And their much lauded young arms are still inexperienced. They will not have the steadying hand of Torre around; let's see whether that matters.

But Torre will be fine; of that I have no doubt. He could easily become the highest paid analyst in television -- not manager money, of course, but it would keep him in the public eye and keep his endorsement options wide open. Or he could manage elsewhere. Is Tom Trembley's spot in Baltimore really secure? Probably. And Torre might not want to manage in the same division as the Yankees just yet. The Royals have some good young players. They could use a steadying influence, though he's really done better with established ball clubs. So, ditto the Pirates, whose managerial spot is open too.

I suspect Torre won't manage in 2008; he'll be in TV land for a year. But by 2009, if Willie Randolph falters with the Mets, I could see Torre having a triumphant return to help open Citi Field. Stranger things have happened.