Could this be the end of Joe Torre’s reign in New York? George Steinbrenner’s comments this weekend hinted as much, and now the voracious Gotham press is floating the names of possible successors.
If Tony LaRussa doesn’t return to St. Louis and the Bronx doesn’t appeal to him, he’ll also be a free agent. Which leads to my next point: Bruce Bochy is only signed through 2008. With heavyweights like Torre and LaRussa possibly looking for work, should the Giants eat the last year of Bochy’s contract and jump at one of the stars? It would look unseemly, sure, like Lance Armstrong dumping the wife who nursed him through cancer to shack up with Sheryl Crow, but the Giants haven’t exactly pledged their eternal love to Bochy. He’s on a relatively short leash anyway.
The question is, are star managers the right fit for a rebuilding team? Does the manager really matter?
My quick take: The best part about LaRussa would be getting Dave Duncan, one of the best pitching coaches in the game who goes wherever LaRussa goes. And wherever Torre goes, a passel of talented veterans will be willing to go. Imagine Jorge Posada, who just had a top-10 MVP year, in french vanilla and orange for a couple years. (With Bengie Molina becoming instant trade bait.)
Is the notion of hiring a star manager as silly as going after high-priced free agents this winter? Discuss.
