Joe Torre is everything the Yankees stand for

If I were the rest of the American League, I would hope George Steinbrenner gets things so stirred up in New York that he ends up firing Joe Torre. That might assure that the Yankees don’t make a comeback and challenge for the East title here in 2007.. Joe Torre’s record speaks for itself. He is one of the top, if not the top, managers in the game today. His record is a reflection of his ability to get the most out of his players no matter how high priced they are.
 
Most casual observers think that anyone could have managed the Yankees the last few years and won. I am not one of them. In today’s baseball environment, with high priced free agents, high-powered player agents, rookies who haven’t learned the game yet, and players from all walks of life, it is extremely hard to keep cohesiveness amongst the players. When you add the pressure of the winning tradition of playing for the Yankees, along with the personality of George Steinbrenner being an unyielding taskmaster, it makes the job that much tougher.
 
Don’t get me wrong. There are advantages to managing the Yankees. The winning tradition makes every player who comes to NY realize that he is part of something bigger than himself. They want to be a part of that winning tradition, and most players are willing to sacrifice personal goals to that end. Every player knows that his owner will do everything he can to produce a winner, but every player also knows that if he doesn’t hustle and produce, George will find a replacement for him. While it is true that George brings in players with great resumes, it is also true that many of those players have delicate egos. Getting them to accept different roles than what they are used to and having them perform as a team is no easy chore. Joe has made it look easy.
 
Joe’s friend, Rudolph Giuliani in his book, Leadership, (pp 109-110), points out that Joe is a nurturing manager who can instill calm, and one who looks “for the positive in his players. The team members who are afraid of George or angry at him can go to Joe for support.” As Giuliani points out, George and Joe are the perfect compliment to one another.
 
I had the honor of playing for Walter Alston near the end of his career. All Walter Alston did was manage the Dodgers for 23 years winning four World Series. I see many similarities between him and Joe Torre. I will never forget, as a rookie, the first time Alston had me in the game in a tight situation. It was in Candlestick Park against the Giants, and I was called on, with two outs, to get a lefty out with the bases loaded while holding on to a two run lead. I walked the first batter I faced and happened to glance into the dugout. Alston was just sitting there with his legs crossed as if everything was totally under control. I struck the next hitter out to preserve the lead, and we went on to win the game. His composure and control was a calming influence on me at a critical time. Joe has that same demeanor.
 
Another thing that left a lasting impression on me was that when we (the Dodgers) won, Alston would send the press out to talk to the players and let the players get the credit. When we lost, he had all the reporters in his office where he would deflect criticism of the players. In like manner, I have not heard Joe criticize his players. Instead, I have heard him continually praise them for their professionalism in the way they play and perform as a team. He’s always been that way as long as I can remember, even back in the early eighties when he was the color commentator for the California Angel teams on which I played.
 
Read Joe’s book, Joe Torre’s Ground Rules for Winners, to see the things he holds dear. Three of those character qualities are fairness, respect and trust. He trusts his players to play like professionals on the field and to act like professionals off the field. He treats them with fairness and respect. Joe gets to know them for whom they are, and for the unique way they can contribute to a winning team. He has no big ego to feed. He and his staff focus on helping each player, each day, to maximize their talent and ability to win. No player should ask for more than that.
 
George Steinbrenner, Brian Cashman, and Joe Torre have done an outstanding job of building and keeping a core group of players that come to win as a team every night. Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Mike Mussina, and Mariano Rivera are great professional role models that carry out the trust, respect and team play for which the Yankees and Joe Torre are known.
 
It’s not that easy to have everyone at the top of their game all the time. Just because you are paying them a lot of money doesn’t mean they are not going to get hurt or go through slumps. I don’t understand how George can ever be displeased with Joe’s leadership at all. They have had their rough times over the years but have continued to work together.
 
Joe summed it up well on page ten of his book, Ground Rules For Winners. “You may not love the people you work with, but you have to cooperate with one another in order to build a sense of collective faith in your ability to win.” He wants that for his players and, equally, for his relationship with George. He wants George’s cooperation to allow him to manage the same way he has always done.
 
Joe Torre has proven he is a winner in the finest tradition of everything the Yankees want to stand for. He has graciously given back to the city through the tragedy of 9/11. His players continually act with class and show respect for each other and for the organization. Oh yes, they also have won four World Series Championships since Torre took over as manager in 1996.
 
Joe Torre has been, and continues to be, the best fit for George Steinbrenner and the Yankee tradition. He should be allowed to manage the Yankees as long as he wants.
 
Geoff Zahn was a Major League pitcher for 12 years, winning more than 100 games while pitching for the Dodgers, Cubs, Twins, and Angels. He served as the head baseball coach at the University of Michigan for six years. Geoff has been a clinician and speaker for more than 25 years and currently teaches and consults with pitchers from youth leagues to the big leagues through his Master Pitching Institute.
 
June 23, 2003, Revised June 25, 2007
By Geoff Zahn Former Head Baseball Coach University of Michigan and 12 Year Major League Veteran Pitcher