Steinbrenner: Yanks must win or Torre likely gone
07.10.2007 18:00
Sport and Travel
- Source: USA Today
HACKENSACK, N.J. (AP) — George Steinbrenner says Joe Torre most likely won't return to the New York Yankees unless they overcome their deficit against the Cleveland Indians and reach the American League Championship Series.
"His job is on the line," the owner was quoted in Sunday's editions of 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 was hired before the 1996 season and led the Yankees to four World Series in his first five seasons but none since. New York last reached the World Series in 2003, wasted a 3-0 lead to Boston in the 2004 ALCS, then was eliminated by the Angels and Detroit in the first round the last two years. Cleveland led this year's best-of-five, first-round series 2-0 heading into Game 3 Sunday night. Torre is being paid $7 million this year, the final season of his contract. Steinbrenner also criticized umpire Bruce Froemming for not stopping play when insects invaded the field during Game 2 in Cleveland on Friday. Rookie reliever Joba Chamberlain threw two wild pitches that allowed Cleveland to tie the game in the eighth, and the Indians went on to win 2-1 in 11 innings. Froemming called it "just a little irritation." Steinbrenner profanely dismissed Froemming's explanation. "He won't umpire our games anymore," Steinbrenner said. Team owners do not direct umpiring assignments, and the 68-year-old Froemming — the longest-tenured umpire in history — is retiring after this season. The Yankees complained to baseball commissioner Bud Selig. "(Selig) just said, 'That's in the umpires' hands.' ... It was terrible. It messed up the whole team, (Derek) Jeter, all of them," Steinbrenner told the paper. Steinbrenner also predicted Alex Rodriguez will remain with the Yankees. A-Rod has the right to opt out of the final three years of his record $252 million, 10-year contract after the World Series and become a free agent. "I think we'll re-sign him," Steinbrenner told the paper. "I think he's going to have a good run the rest of the (postseason). I think he realizes New York is the place to be, the place to play. A lot of this (postseason) is laying on his shoulders, you know, but I think he's up to it." The 77-year-old Steinbrenner, who has appeared to be more frail in recent years, said he will make the decisions on Torre and Rodriguez. "I have full control," Steinbrenner said. Steinbrenner, who has limited his public comments of late, was expected at Yankee Stadium on Sunday night. "I haven't reached him this morning," spokesman Howard Rubenstein said. "I'm going to see him at the game."
| 
Add comment