Klapisch: Torre May Regret Dodger Blue. Bob Klapisch, the no-nonsense columnist for the Bergen Record, ponders Joe Torre's decision to bolt for the City of Angels after feeling slighted by the Yankees extension offer.

Klap first sympathizes with Torre's decision, calling the Yankees offer a "hollow, one-year offer [which] was made to be rejected." However, the tone soon turns as he contends Torre may implement the same type of Yankees boycott Yogi Berra instituted after an ugly departure from pinstripes.

Klapisch goes on to paint an ugly final year for Torre and his Yankees tenure, citing an unnamed source which called the Ron Guidry promotion as a favor and not a proper baseball move. From the piece:

Torre says all the right things -- it is, after all, still February -- but his friends in the business say it's only a matter of time before the non-Yankee reality greets him head-on. One person close to Torre said, "I just hope Joe doesn't end up regretting this."

That hollow, one-year offer was made to be rejected; after taking the Bombers to the postseason 12 straight seasons, Torre was so offended he hinted at a long, Yogi-type boycott of the organization.

The Dodgers ... want to win now: They've made Torre the richest manager in the team's history ($14.5 million through 2010), and will want an immediate return on that investment. For all the tension that grew between Torre and Steinbrenner, at least the Yankees stuck with their manager for over a decade. Meanwhile, the McCourts are on their third skipper in four years, which is to say, they won't wait long on Torre.

He doesn't get in people's faces. He doesn't do fiery team meetings. He operates on trust, believes in self-reliance. The Yankees unwittingly took advantage of the honor system last year; everyone seemed too comfortable, especially after failing to win the World Series for the seventh straight time. Even Torre's supporters in the organization admit Joe's stewardship had become too casual, evidenced by his naming Ron Guidry as pitching coach. "It was obvious all [Torre] was doing was taking care of a buddy," said one Yankee inside. "Finally, we have someone here [Dave Eiland] who knows what he's doing."

In his heart, Torre probably knew it was time to leave New York. He's said as much recently, that he no longer felt appreciated. But why did he take another job so fast? Torre is in a new league, trying to familiarize himself with a roster of strangers, surrounded by a baseball culture that could care less about the Yankees. Someday, Torre may look in the mirror, see that Dodger blue and ask: Was it really worth it?

Good question.

Torre: What Went Wrong With Yanks. The Philadelphia Daily News reports Joe Torre's entrance into Dodger-hood and considers the last three disappointing years for his previous team. Torre called his successor, Joe Girardi, "intelligent" and advised him to always "be yourself" whether criticized or acclaimed. Following the 2004 collapse, Torre felt the Yankees "wanted to make a change" and said he never felt as secure as manager after losing that series to Boston. Torre went as far as to say the last few years got "to the point of not being a helluva lot of fun." The Brooklyn native goes on to discuss how his new job originated and what aspects he looks forward to.

Joba: To Pen Or Not To PenThere Is No Question

The age-old question which is getting just plain old is what the Yankees plan to do with their new star pitcher, Joba Chamberlain. According to MSNBC columnist Mike Celizic, the Yankees plan to start the season with Chamberlain in the bullpen before moving him into the starting rotation.

The plan announced by Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is to start the 2008 season with Joba Chamberlain in the bullpen. That should be good news to the team’s fans. The long-range plan for the season is to move the sensational young pitcher into the starting rotation.

The LA Dodgers performed a similar approach with their own husky power-pitching prospect, Chad Billingsley. *Billingsley began the 2007 season in the bullpen and finished out the year in the rotation. The experiment worked out well for the Dodgers as the righthander earned a 12-5 record with a 3.31 ERA and 141 strikeouts in 148 innings. If Brian Cashman could sign on for that type of production from Chamberlain next season, you had better bet he'd be searching for a pen.

The hope is to keep Chamberlain around 150 innings for the 2008 season, something the Dodgers succeeded in achieving with their valuable righty. As long as Nardi Contreras signs off on a plan calling for Chamberlain to split his season between the pen and the rotation, there should be little to worry about in terms of a Joba injury. Celizic says:

It’s a tough call the Yankees have, one that I wouldn’t like to make. Chamberlain, Philip Hughes and Ian Kennedy are the kids whom the Yankees have groomed to form the core of the team’s rotation for the next decade or longer. And there’s no question New York needs the lift that strong, young arms can give a starting rotation.

The plan all along had been to use the 22-year-old Chamberlain as a starter, the role in which he excelled as a minor leaguer. But last year he proved to be an exceptional reliever, and in this era of ball, there’s no one more important to a team than a great closer.

There's no one more important to a team than a great closer.

Tell that to Colorado Rockies fans who had zero chance against a determined, dominant Josh Beckett. And a Beckett-like pitcher is just what the Yankees organization envisions when they look at Joba Chamberlain. Let the debate continue.

Mattingly Quits Dodgers Job

[photo courtesy of Dodgers.com]

From Dodgers.com comes the news that Don Mattingly decided to leave the Dodgers after being passed over as bench coach weeks ago. From the report:

Don Mattingly, named by the Dodgers as hitting coach two months ago and the presumed eventual replacement for new manager Joe Torre, stepped aside on Tuesday for family reasons and was replaced by Triple-A hitting coach Mike Easler.

Mattingly will remain in the organization as a special advisor and coach, but requested the change so he could spend more time at home in Evansville, Ind. Mattingly took the Dodgers job after losing out to Joe Girardi for the Yankees' manager job that Torre formerly held.

"I'm very grateful that the Dodgers have allowed me to take care of these family matters and I hope that everyone can respect our privacy during this time," Mattingly said in a statement issued by the team. "I truly appreciate the support of all Dodger fans since joining the organization and I look forward to helping the team win in 2008 and beyond."

This has been a tough offseason for Donnie Baseball. Mattingly traveled from shoe-in as Joe Torre's replacement, to Torre's right hand man in LA, and now has removed himself as Dodgers hitting coach. And now . . .


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Report: Torre to LA

Joe Torre will replace Grady Little and manage the LA Dodgers.

If Andy Pettitte brings Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada to Hollywood too, the Yankees may well enter the rebuilding era Hank Steinbrenner inaccurately described before Alex Rodriguez opted out. Fortunately LA already has a closer in Saito and a star young catcher in Russel Martin. Unfortunately for Scott Proctor, another deadarm season lies ahead.

Santana to Dodgers?

The wheels are turning. My last post pondered the likelihood of a trade involving Cy Young winner Johan Santana.

Baseball Think Factory reports a rumored potential deal between the LA Dodgers and Twins involving Santana, outfielder Matt Kemp and top pitching prospect, Clayton Kershaw.

Foxsports.com is reporting a trade rumor that would send former CY Young award winner Johan Santana to the Dodgers in a deal for OF Matt Kemp.

The Dodgers would also send pitching prospect Clayton Kershaw.

Kershaw is regarded as the top pitching prospect in baseball.

The Twins are looking for a young outfielder to possibly replace Torii Hunter.

The Foxsports story reports sources close to the Twins say the offer is being considered by the Dodgers.

That sounds like a pretty credible deal for both sides, though any trade involving the best pitcher in baseball seems like a fleecing. This rumor will probably remain just that, a rumor, until a prominent figure in the Dodgers organization legitimizes it.