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I wonder how much the offer was worth... Was he lowballed or does he want to just be done with it all?

New York Yankees managre Joe Torre rejected a contract offer to return in 2008, CBS 2 has learned, a decision that will likely send shockwaves to a large majority of the Yankees fan base who have voiced their desire to keep the beloved manager for another season.

 

Torre was offered a one year contract with an option for 2009.

 

Torre has guided the Yankees to the playoffs every season since he began managing the squad in 1996, including four World Series titles, a reason that undeniably led to the likeliness of his return. General Manager Brian Cashman personally flew from Tampa, where the team's organizational meetings were being held, to New York so he could bring Torre back with him to the meetings.

 

It was widely speculated his contract, which expires at the end of the month, would not be renewed after the team fell to the Cleveland Indians in the American League Division Series. Owner George Steinbrenner voiced that sentiment after the Yankees lost the first two games of the series.

 

Though he opted to avoid the question directly, the 67-year-old made it clear during the post-game news conference after the series ended that he was well aware he may have just managed his final game in pinstripes.

 

"This has been a great 12 years," Torre told reporters. "Whatever the hell happens from here, I'll look back on these 12 years with great, great pleasure based on the fact that I am the kid who had never been to the World Series other than to see my brother play in the 50s, to have been to six world series and going to the post season ? I can tell you one thing: it never gets old."

 

Torre's career managing the Yankees began after the 1995 season. At the time, many media outlets criticized Torre's hiring as he'd never managed in the American League before then, and achieved only mild success during tenures as manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, and New York Mets.

 

He answered those critics by winning the World Series in his first season in 1996, and went on to capture three more championships from 1998-2000. He guided the Yankees back to the World Series in 2001, before falling to the Arizona Diamondbacks, and again in 2003, where they lost to the Florida Marlins.

 

In 2004 the Yankees lost to the Boston Red Sox in a historic ALCS that saw Boston come back from a 3-0 series deficit and win four straight to advance to the World Series, which they would go on to win.

 

Since that monumental collapse, the Yankees are just 4-9 in the postseason, losing in the ALDS in 2005, 2006, and 2007.

 

Questions surrounding Torre's future would become a hot media topic again after the Yankees were eliminated from each series.

 

There was also growing frustration after the team struggled during the first half of the 2006 and 2007 seasons.

 

Despite those times of doubt, there is no question at all that Torre's tenure as manager will be worthy of a spot in the Hall of Fame, and his credentials are a large reason why the majority of fans wanted him back. A wcbstv.com asking who should manage the Yankees in 2008 resulted in an overwhelming response, with nearly 75 percent of voters choosing Torre.

 

"These fans are very special. You can feel their heartbeat," Torre said after this season's ALDS.

 

Even Mayor Michael Bloomberg spoke out about Torre, saying he would bring him back again if he had any say.

 

"Keep Joe. Keep all the players you can. It's a great team. It just didn't work this year," fan John Garretto said.

http://wcbstv.com/sports/yankees.new.york.2.392727.html

1 year 5 million, AP reporting

$5 mil base, $1 mil bonus for each round advanced in the playoffs.

 

Don't blame him.

$5 mil base, $1 mil bonus for each round advanced in the playoffs.

 

Don't blame him.

do you know how much he was making?

My two questions:

 

1) They were reportedly negotiating as late as last night. Why would he get on a plane to go to Tampa?

 

2) On the Yankee conference call, they refused to say that this was a take it or leave it offer, but that the two sides were not 'close.' If they weren't 'close' why would they go to this length? Did they think a face to face would change things? It's very un-Yankee like to have public defeat like this.

 

I'd still take the long-shot odds for Torre to return if I could.

$5 mil base, $1 mil bonus for each round advanced in the playoffs.

 

Don't blame him.

do you know how much he was making?

 

He came off a $19 million contract that paid $7 mil this season.

Im glad he rejected it. He deserves better.

Cashman: "Everyone in the room, even The Boss, wanted him back."

Randy Levine: "We respect the stature of the manager. Under this offer he would still be the highest paid manager in the major league...we just felt it was important to go to a performance based model."

I have a feeling it wasn't the money but just the one year that made him turn it down.

Good for Joe. He's the best manager in the game and he wasn't going to be lowballed. I'd take him to manage my team in a second.

Dont insult the man who won 4 titles for you with a bulls*** deal like this.

 

 

If they really wanted him back it would have been a full 2 year deal like he really wanted.

 

 

Even if it were for 5 mil a season he takes it, i'm almost positive.

 

 

It came down to them insulting him essentially. Good for him.

It wouldn't even be the money to me....it would've been when The Boss pretty much said that Torre wouldn't- If I were him, I would've walked away from any offer they made. He's too classy to have to deal with all these distractions every year.

Good for him! That orginization doesn't deserve him! Every year The Yankees make the playoffs and everytime they lose, it's because the hitters can't hit and they are far from having a playoff pitching staff! Rather then point this out, what does George do?! "Yankees are out again? Well I guess I have to question Joe's abilities"

 

Fact is that has to be one of the most stressful jobs in the world. You are managing one of the most popular teams in all of sports in the nation's media capital! Everything he does is magnified, good OR bad. Why should he continue to endure more blame from George and the media when it's the player's faults?! Based on this, I can't wait to see George's long list of managers that could do a heck of a better job then Torre!

From Torre's perspective: I've been managing this team for 12 years and we have made the playoffs 12 times, made it to the WS 6 times, won the whole thing 4 times. Now you want me to take a 25% paycut after bringing this team back from the brink this year? AND you treat me like it's my fault? AAANNNNNDDD you don't even have the class to extend my contract long enough to get me into the new ballpark? I'm too good for that.

 

From Steinbrenner's perspective: I pay way too much money to lose in the first round of the playoffs 3 years in a row. I dig into my wallet and make you EASILY the highest payed manager in baseball. I dig into my wallet and buy you an MVP player. I dig into my wallet and buy you 1/2 a year from a future HOFer. What more can I do for this team? I like you, Joe, but you aren't meeting the performance objectives we had laid out and that is grounds for a pay cut.

 

The bottom line is that it was more of a half hearted effort to resign Joe. Now, people can say George at least tried to resign him, right? I think the whole thing stinks, but what are you going to do...

Steinbrenner shouldn't of made those 'threats' in the playoffs plus only a one year contract with "incentives" for a guy that's been to the playoffs all 12 years is bull.

 

I wanted Torre back but i'm very glad he didn't let Steinbrenner show him up without retaliating in the classiest way possible: turning down their cheap contract offer.

 

Who looks stupid now Steinbrenner?

Horrible move by the Yankees, They just let go the Best manager in MLB...

This is gonna hurt the Yankees big time.... This move is gonna piss off the vets and they may sign somewhere else now.. And it's also probably the end of Arod in N.Y.