Reply #13: Point by point rebuttal....

[rinsd]

"It's time to face facts. It's time to fire Joe Torre."

Short answer: no

"I know. I know. It's early in the season. I'm panicking...blah, blah, blah. "

Short answer: yes

"Facts are facts. Joe Torre has been given a virtual All Star team for the past five seasons,"

5 division titles, 3 pennants and a WS title...he sucks!

"and he just can't win the big games any more."

What like the first two series in April?

"He can't motivate his players."

Names...and let's not try squeezing blood from a stone.

"He can't fix bad habits."

Name ANY manager that has this miraculous ability.

"He can't change nor adjust to situations in a game."

I have no response to this because I always considered this skill one of his finer points.

"He's become too familiar to his opponents."

Welcome to the age of the unbalanced schedule conflicting with the long time manager.

"Now, I know what you're asking, "What about the four WS titles in five years? Show some loyalty. Show some respect.""

Loyalty nothing. This is the horse we will win with, past present and hopefully future.

"My answer: Bill Walsh. Bill Walsh won three SB titles in the 80s for the 49ers. Yet, he retired when his team won the whole thing in 1989. He could have stayed on for another year or so, and won a couple of more titles. Walsh knew that his act was growing tired on his players, and he knew that it was the right time to leave. His team won again the following year."

Or he was forced out in an ugly mess with Debartolo. Still a classy guy but I think he would have rather stayed.

"Additionally, Torre won his titles because his players were self-managers."

Okay?

"Paul O'Neill could work himself out of a slump."

With the help of Torre moving him around in the lineup and giving him days off.

"David Cone knew what pitches to make in key situations. He didn't need a pitching coach."

And Torre was the guy who stuck by him when his arm first had an aneurisym and later when he just plain ran out of gas.

"Currently, Torre doesn't have such players. The Yankees need a strong hand guiding them. This Yankee team needs a Lou Pinella."

Would that be Lou "I shit the bed" Pinella in 1999 LCS? Or the Lou "It would be cool to retire but still work" Pinella of Tamapa Bay fame?

Granted Lou would certainly make the tabloids happy and would give the fans the occasional freak out but I don't see what he has to offer otherwise.