Say it ain't so

Joe Torre has co-authored yet another tell all. The third book in his ever expanding series, we now gain further insight into the mind of the ex-Yankee manager. From the reviews given in the media, it appears that the fall of Joe Torre was not in his exit from our scene but in his gathered recollections.

My memories of him are of his humanity, of his dignity, of his compassion. I recall the tears he shed when discussing his brother's cancer, or contemplating the wonder of reaching and then winning the World Series. He looked and sounded like every man. He was like us, only a little better.

He did not belittle his players. He chose not to be petty when the Steinbrenner attacks came as they inevitably did. He had a love for those he coached and a passion for the game that transcended the numbers on the page, or the hits and errors on the field. It was his calm in the storm that soothed his players and made him more than just another manager.That image is now forever tarnished.

We learn of his tearing down A-Rod. We hear of the blame heaped on Cashman for not covering his back. We see a side of Joe Torre that we did not want to see and hoped did not exist. We wanted him to be more. We expected him to remain above the fray.

Like Simon and Garfunkel, I now ask where have you gone Joe? You didn't need the money and we didn't need another glimpse of yet another ordinary man. The pinstripes have now been stripped off your back. I hope you are warm in your new home in California.