Joe Torre
Joe Torre
Joseph Paul "Joe" Torreis an American professional baseball executive, serving in the capacity of Major League Baseball'schief baseball officer since 2011. A former player, manager and television color commentator, Torre ranks fifth all-time in MLB history with 2,326 wins as a manager. With 2,342 hits during his playing career, Torre is the only major leaguer to achieve both 2,000 hits and 2,000 wins as a manager. From 1996 to 2007, he was the manager of the New York Yankees, whom...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionAthlete
Date of Birth18 July 1940
CountryUnited States of America
Every time the Yankees go to spring training, you have to be thinking World Series. I don't think that's a disrespect to any other team. It's just understanding the pressure that goes with playing here.
At some point soon, I'll sit down with Bernie and we'll go over everything. I have a great relationship with him, and always have. I've probably talked to him more than any other player here in my tenure. If the first game of the season were today, I'd say he'd be the starting DH. But I also want to give him a lot of time in the corners (left and right field), with the emphasis more on him playing right than left, spelling Sheffield.
He's a third baseman playing first, but he's very upbeat about everything. I told him, 'The only thing you should concern yourself with is getting better.' The fact that he can play more spots makes him more valuable. He was very comfortable.
May 6, I wasn't really concerned, because there was a long way to go. The only concern we had was playing up to our capabilities, because we felt the wins would come.
It's nothing unusual that pitchers and catchers from time to time have issues. It's the emotion that goes along with playing this game.
I knew he would embrace it, but you don't know how he's going to be able to do it. He's been situated in one place for so long, and coming off the bench is different than playing every day. He's been doing a little bit of everything here.
These guys have been playing their tails off. It's not going to be perfect every day. You're going to give something away. But even today, we had a chance to tie the game in the ninth inning.
If you're used to playing every day, it's not something that's serious. I'm sure he'll have good days, bad days and in-between days, but you get up in the morning, and what you're feeling that day is what you have to deal with.
The Yankees want to get Brian done, ... I'd be disappointed if Brian left.
If it rains, that's one thing. Now if it doesn't stop -- then we've got an issue.
I didn't say we had to stop there,
My only concern was that he'd alienate himself from the rest of the club but I didn't see that happen.
They are a thunder. They can put winning streaks together before you blink your eye.
I don't really know the nature of it. The fact that he hit, that's a good sign for us. Hopefully it's just something that's connected with Spring Training.