October 29, 2007

Report: Dodgers hire Torre as manager; Little fired : It seems pretty certain now that it is true. Don Mattingly, Tony Pena, Rob Thomson and Kevin Long will be coaches. The 2008 Los Angeles Dodgers look a whole more interesting now than they did this morning.

read story | posted by SFValley_Dude to Baseball at 11:06 PM CDT (31 comments total)

Pardon me, the hitting coach's name is Kevin Long and it seems Thomson will be at first with third remaining unclear.

posted by SFValley_Dude at 11:18 PM CDT on October 29

The Dodgers still need a big bat. Makes you wonder what the McCourts promised Torre beyond just his contract. Hmmmm.......could it be that A-Rod winds up playing in L.A., just not with the Angels? Mattingly is going to be the bench coach. His son is in the Dodgers farm system.

posted by eccsport78 at 1:28 AM CDT on October 30

Joe Torre was on Letterman last night, and Dave asked him about the "California" rumor. Joe stopped for a few seconds, like he was thinking about what he could say, and then he said "They already have a manger" OOOOPS. Looks like Joe already knew the deal.

Then David asked him where he'd like to go to manage, and Joe again took a pregnant pause, and said "This isn't really the place to talk about it".

I didn't "like" Torre when he was with the Yankees, but he is a quality baseball manager, and brought a lot of class to the glitterdome known as Yankee stadium. Good for Joe, and good for the Dodgers. Yes, I think A-Rod will be playing again for Joe.

posted by when1950 at 5:33 AM CDT on October 30

This is twice now that Torre's had something to do with Grady Little losing a job. This keeps up, poor Grady's gonna develop some sort of complex.

posted by The_Black_Hand at 10:04 AM CDT on October 30

The worst part for Grady is he will likely be unemployed next season. As for A Rod, I read somewhere that both he and Mo Rivera will likely consder Torre's new digs at Chavez Ravine in their decision.

posted by Joe188 at 10:19 AM CDT on October 30

This keeps up, poor Grady's gonna develop some sort of complex.

Wouldn't he have to start noticing things first?

As for A Rod, I read somewhere that both he and Mo Rivera will likely consder Torre's new digs at Chavez Ravine in their decision.

Care to link to that?

posted by yerfatma at 10:26 AM CDT on October 30

The worst part for Grady is he will likely be unemployed next season.

The Pirates have an opening. Maybe Little has a clause in his life contract that says he must always succeed Jim Tracy.

posted by holden at 10:38 AM CDT on October 30

Did I miss something? This FPP links to a blank page. The strongest indication of Torre-to-LA I've seen so far are anonymous reports that there are discussions between Torre and the Dodgers...that's a long way from the done deal I see intimated above. Where are you getting your information, Dude?

posted by Venicemenace at 10:58 AM CDT on October 30

I get a blank page as well. Anyone got some media to back up the link?

posted by hawkguy at 11:15 AM CDT on October 30

Looks to be unsubstantiated in the "mainstream media" at present, but here's something. There was something briefly up on ESPN, but it looks to have been pulled. Here's the LA Times on the status. All signs to me point to this not being a done deal yet (or if, so, no one's talking or willing to go on the record).

posted by holden at 11:23 AM CDT on October 30

OK, just making sure I wasn't missing anything. I'd love to see this happen.

posted by Venicemenace at 12:08 PM CDT on October 30

If it's true, and I have my doubts, this would be a terrible move for Torre. It's one thing working for an abrasive jerk like Steinbrenner, but at least he's committed to winning.

It's a whole different thing to work for an incompetent jerk like McCourt (and Red Sox fans should thank God every day that McCourt was not able to purchase the Red Sox).

I'm not a Dodger fan, but I am an L.A. resident (Sherman Oaks, Dude) and McCourt's reign as owner has been one botched move after another. His passion is not winning, it's squeezing every last penny out of a once proud franchise. The idea that he would spend $30 million a year on A-Rod is laughable.

He can't even get the parking right:

Controversial Parking Plan
Prior to the 2007 season, McCourt announced the Dodgers would be raising the price of parking from $10 to $15. McCourt justified the 50% cost increase by promising to implement a new parking plan that would ease entering and exiting the stadium. [5] Instead, the new plan was quickly deemed a fiasco, with many local journalists calling it "nightmarish" and "a complete disaster." [6] [7] Following opening day, several fans described the situation as one of severe gridlock, complaining that it took nearly two hours both to enter and exit the stadium. [8] McCourt was further criticized for failing to address the situation. Rather than accepting responsibility or apologizing to fans, McCourt initially declined to comment and later insisted the new plan was a success. [9] Camille Johnston, the Dodgers' senior vice president of communications, subsequently blamed the parking mess on fans who "like to drive in one gate, out the other gate, park in their favorite spot, all those things." [10] Source: Wikipedia.

I drove to Dodger Stadium on opening day. It took me three hours to go one mile.

posted by cjets at 12:21 PM CDT on October 30

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/playerbreakingnews.asp?sport=MLB&id=1724&line=225765&spln=1

The link is more perspective, but better than nothing. Also, the parking plan was very controversial, and it blew up and did not work. I think it caused many to wish we would sell the team ASAP to Wasserman, and get the new stadium in South Park over with (next to Staples). That would free up Chavez Ravine (after the implosion) for an NFL team.

posted by SFValley_Dude at 12:50 PM CDT on October 30

and get the new stadium in South Park over with (next to Staples).

Don't I wish. Then I could take the Red Line to the stadium.

Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, there are subways in L.A. Too bad, they cover about 2% of the city.

posted by cjets at 1:02 PM CDT on October 30

Dude, I am in Northridge. I would be great because you could take the Orange Line to the Red Line, and the first stop of the Blue Line is South Park (I took this commute daily for two years). I wish myself. I believe it will eventually happen. I doubt McCourt will own this team 4 years from now. He will have to eventually buy the D Rays or some other bad luck franchise.

posted by SFValley_Dude at 1:17 PM CDT on October 30

I don't think Torre is going to fit in with tinsel town. Managing the team will be a piece of cake, but the peripheral distraction in la la land is going to drive this down to earth guy nuts. Most of the LA fan base is so casual (please don't get on my case about this statement, that what I see when I watch games and hear from announcers, if wrong I'm sorry). Torre really doesn't show it but there is a real fire in his belly. He demonstrated that as a player here in St. Louis and as manager in Yankee organization- he's the kind of guy that feeds off fan support. Hope it works out for him and Dodgers but I'm not sure it's going to fly.

posted by brickman at 1:34 PM CDT on October 30

Most of the LA fan base is so casual (please don't get on my case about this statement, that what I see when I watch games and hear from announcers, if wrong I'm sorry).

Sorry no free passes here. If you issue a statement that is anecdotal, and second-hand at that, you're going to get called on it. I wouldn't call Dodger fans casual. Dodger stadium just set a record for attendance at 3,856,753 thats over a million more fans than the N.L. average (check the figures here, or even here), and second in total attendance only to the Yanks. This is a team who's fan base have come out in great numbers to an average team over the last decade, I'd call that more than casual support. Especially considering this team hasn't won a playoff series since '88.

posted by lilnemo at 1:54 PM CDT on October 30

In the discussions of Dodger fans and ticket numbers, it's also worth noting that Dodger Stadium seats 56,000, the most in the NL (a shade ahead of Shea) and second-most (to Yankee Stadium) in MLB. If you sort the second table linked by lilnemo by percentage of seats filled, LAD comes in at 10th of the 30 teams, which is about what I would have guessed (better than average, but not top 5).

I think Dodger fans, for better or worse, get a "casual fan" rep based on the perception (and perhaps reality) that they come to games late and leave early. Assuming that is actually the case, I imagine it has more to do with L.A. traffic than a lackadaisical approach to fandom, but I could be wrong.

posted by holden at 2:07 PM CDT on October 30

Assuming that is actually the case, I imagine it has more to do with L.A. traffic than a lackadaisical approach to fandom, but I could be wrong.

No. You're spot on there. Anyone who's gone to Dodger stadium will tell you that traffic is a nightmare. There are pages of forum posts devoted to arcane "quick routes" to the stadium.

posted by lilnemo at 2:14 PM CDT on October 30

I wonder if Torre in LA will fare better than Stengel with the Mets?

posted by drumdance at 2:37 PM CDT on October 30

lilnemo- I tried to soft soap however you didn't take the bait. Sorry, I'm sure if the traffic was as bad as LA, some of our fans would react the same. Torre's a class guy and the Dodgers are lucky to get him. Hoping to see LA in playoff against the Cardinals. As for the Stengel/Torre question -time will tell however, I can't imagine anything worst than Stengel and Mets. Sir, that was a nightmare.

posted by brickman at 3:29 PM CDT on October 30

Torre really doesn't show it but there is a real fire in his belly.

You might remember a Dodger manager by the name of Tommy Lasorda. Some might say he had that as well.

Anyone who's gone to Dodger stadium will tell you that traffic is a nightmare. There are pages of forum posts devoted to arcane "quick routes" to the stadium.

Exactly. I studied for opening day '07 like it was the goddamn bar exam, and it still took me over three hours to get there. So you better believe I left early. It took me 30 minutes to get home. People that waited till the game ended? I think they're still on the freeway.

I wonder if Torre in LA will fare better than Stengel with the Mets?

Not really a fair comparison. The 62 Mets were an expansion team and it was their first year in the league. They were also the worst team in baseball history (with an expansion draft rigged by MLB and the Yankees, who wanted no part of a second team in NY) but Stengel gave that team a heart and soul and an identity, even if it was not reflected in their record (You want a flavor of that team, do yourself a favor and read "Can't anybody here play this game" by Jimmy Breslin).

Without Stengel, there's no Amazin' Mets winning the world series in 1969.

posted by cjets at 3:30 PM CDT on October 30

We in LA got a lot fire within us and so does Joe. It would be nice tin it all and see Girardi hallucinating and drunk, and help poor Donny Baseball reverse his curse and turn around his fortunes by winning a ring, mercifully. We will then have to dump him in the Lake where Babe threw the piano, or in LA culture, in the fountain of MacArthur Park.

posted by SFValley_Dude at 3:55 PM CDT on October 30

"Stengel and Mets. Sir, that was a nightmare"

Wanna try Stengel and D-Rays on for size?

Well, the D-Rays always develop great young talent, the problem is that the team does not seem to make an effort to sign them once they blossom. The team has a wonderful stadium (was it paid for by the government? I can't imagine past or present team owners springing for such quality digs), but seem to lack serious involvement from ownership. With the good young players that team has, it would be wonderful to watch what they can do if management retain them and maybe bring a couple quality elder players.

posted by Cave_Man at 5:30 PM CDT on October 30

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the lifting of the Mattingly Curse in New York.

Expect a Yankee World Series championship in the very near future.

posted by grum@work at 7:31 PM CDT on October 30

Little resigns, but no absolute, 100%, definitive word on Torre. Oh, man would I love this, especially if it influences Rodriguez. Frankly, though, most of the L.A. sports franchises haven't given their fans much reason to celebrate lately.

posted by cybermac at 8:39 PM CDT on October 30

Kurkjian says A Rod undoubtedly will land in the Ravine. There is a lot of talk that Pettitte or Rivera, more likely the former, will land here as well. 2008 will begin an amazing run for LA for at least three seasons I think.

posted by SFValley_Dude at 8:45 PM CDT on October 30

I highly doubt Rivera will leave the Yankees. I'm not so sure about Pettitte.

posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 6:33 AM CDT on October 31

A-Rod could give a crap about Torre, Rivera, Pettite, Posada, Clemens, whoever. All he cares about is getting the most money he possibly can, and if that happens to be the Dodgers, then that's why. As for Torre, he won't be in a position to just fill out a lineup card and sit back and watch anymore (like he did in NY). Now he has to work pitchers around the batting order, pinch hitters, when to pull a starter when they're coming to bat in the fourth or fifth inning, etc. He's not that great a strategist during the game, and unless the Dodgers do make some moves, they don't have many long-ball threats for him to rely on. He also may have to have guys actually move guys by giving themselves up bunting, something he did about twice in his tenure with the Yanks. If Dodger fans think they're going to have 13 years or so of Torre to be able to reflect on "What a great, classy guy he is," then you'd better think again. He was given everything he could possibly want in NY, and that's why he stayed around so long. I see him struggling in LA.

posted by dyams at 6:56 PM CDT on October 31

If Dodger fans think they're going to have 13 years or so of Torre to be able to reflect on "What a great, classy guy he is," then you'd better think again. He was given everything he could possibly want in NY, and that's why he stayed around so long. I see him struggling in LA.

There is no way Torre would go anywhere without the assurances that he can go after players he wants and ownership that supports it with deep pockets. He is not going to go after or sign for a job where he doesn't "get everything he could possibly want." He will go to a big market team with lots of money and that is why the Dodgers make perfect sense.

posted by urall cloolis at 10:49 PM CDT on October 31

Torre will have to adjust quickly to this team.
They are a young, talented ballclub but different from the yankees.

He will have to use the hit and run more and general 'small ball' tactics more often

Plus he'll have to try NOT to overuse proctor's arm this time.

posted by Jzsteinm at 6:35 AM CDT on November 2

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