Torre Rules

The Bronx is full of broken rules, but the one most likely to get you a broken nose is running down Joe Torre.

“Who said something bad about the Skipper?” Jon shoots across the counter at the Crown Diner.

“Some guy on the radio,” Jose says. “He thinks Torre doesn’t know how to manage the bullpen.”

“Really?” Jon snaps. “I’d like to discuss the matter with him.”

Everyone laughs.

Torre starts this weekend with 1,150 wins as the Yankees’ manager – second only to Joe McCarthy – and he’s earned every one of them.

People have tried to cut him down from the beginning. It started with the famous “Clueless Joe” headline and has continued with the constant picking at everything from lineup decisions to bullpen moves to what kind of tea he drinks.

“You can second guess anything,” Jon says, “but Torre is the man for this job. There have been plenty of times when the whole thing could have fallen apart, but he’s always held it together. We were down by 14 games this year and now we’re back in it.

“I guess there are people that need to complain about something,” Jon continues. “I’d just advise them not to do it around here.”