Hats off to Tony LaRussa

I've never been a Tony LaRussa fan... but man you have to respect him.
He is probably the greatest manager of our time. If he's not, he's in the conversation.

And he retired as a World Series champ.
No backstabbing, book writing, passive aggressive swiping at management here.

This isn't Torre or Francona's ending where you need to remind people of the good times.

He's out on top after winning the best World Series in a decade.

He has three World Series titles. No need to apologize for not winning more. He has as many World Series titles as Leo Durocher, Earl Weaver and Whitey Herzog combined.

I was never a fan.
But man I am an admirer.

Ozzie Guillen, Bruce Bochy, Charlie Manuel, Joe Girardi, Davey Johnson, Mike Scioscia and Jim Leyland are the only current managers who have won a World Series title now.

None more than one.

Who will take the title of "Best Current Manager?"

We'll see.

MANNY RAMIREZ RETIRES!

Well it looks like Manny Ramirez used some fertility pills again.
Evidently he was going to be asked to take part in some drug program for baseball and he said "Check please!"

So he quit.
Manny was Manny to the end.

He retired after 5 games with Tampa.

He hit his final home run last September 17th against Max Scherzer.
He was a member of the White Sox.

Now let the Hall of Fame debate begin.

Thanks for the memories Manny... good and bad. Baseball was a little more insane with you playing.

Pettitte to retire? Now Cashman's failure is complete

One of the most disastrous off season in recent Yankee history will reach its mindboggling conclusion.

The Yankees, in desperate need for pitching depth and starters who can eat innings, are going to enter spring training with a worse rotation than the one they had last year and a pitcher in Bartolo Colon who can evidently eat everything EXCEPT innings.

Andy Pettitte is going to retire.

And who can blame him? He doesn't have a lot to play for. He has his rings, his fortune, his adoration of New York fans and his integrity for actually saying "Yeah, I used the stuff."

And that admission will probably end whatever slim Hall of Fame hopes he had so why not stay home and retire the way Mike Mussina did? Still a good pitcher and not embarrassing himself.

But Cashman and company can not POSSIBLY spin this into a good winter.

With the Yankees you ASSUME your own stars will come back.

Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter returning doesn't make this a positive winter.

And now one of the key parts and links to the championship years are gone.

Pettitte was the middle square on the bingo card for the rotation. You ASSUMED he was going to be there. Add in Cliff Lee and you have CC Sabathia, Pettitte and Lee... BOOM! The A.L. Pennant is won.

Now, the Yankees will have A. J. Burnett as the #3 starter. Ivan Nova at #4. And the "Hey we were good in 2005" bunch for #5.

Plus a bullpen with Rivera, Rafael Soriano (with 2 elbow surgeries in the last few years) and the artist formerly known as Joba Chamberlain.

How the Yankees with their budget and prestige and near lock on a post season berth whiffed so badly in building up their rotation is nothing short of amazing.

And, as Subway Squawker Lisa Swan pointed out, Hal Steinbrenner has offered Brian Cashman a vote of confidence, which must be as reassuring as Michael's kiss of Fredo.

At this point I am not even sure a World Series victory will save Brian Cashman's job.
They don't have the prospects to trade for a big pitcher.
And there is nobody left on the market.

The music stopped and the Yankees are left without a seat.

Not that I am gloating.

Fare thee well, Trevor Hoffman

I admit that I've been rough on Trevor Hoffman on this blog.
I don't think he is a Hall of Famer.
I don't think he was one of the elite closers.
I think he was a fine pitcher who compiled saves when it was easy to do so and blew way too many big games to be in Cooperstown in my book.

Yes, he is the All Time Saves leader.

Lee Smith was as well. Is he a Hall of Famer?
Jeff Reardon was as well. Is he a Hall of Famer? (And Reardon had the "clinching the World Series moment" that neither Smith nor Hoffman had.)

By the time Hoffman's name reaches the ballot, Mariano Rivera, a legit Hall of Famer, will have the 42 saves needed to be the new All Time Saves leader.

All that being said, he had a terrific career and it seems like nobody had a bad thing to say about him.

And I feel an odd connection as a fan because his older brother, Glenn Hoffman, was on many of the Red Sox teams I grew up watching.

So good luck Trevor Hoffman. Your career was one worth saluting, especially when you consider how quickly relievers flame out.

And if you get elected to the Hall of Fame, I won't protest. I can't imagine how someone could get MAD if a player they don't agree with gets elected.

I promise in five years, if this blog is still up, I will have toned down my rhetoric.