With pitchers and catchers less than two weeks away from reporting for spring training, manager Joe Torre is still pulling in awards from the Yankees’ record-breaking 1998 campaign.
And yesterday, the New York Athletic Club fell in line with millions of other Bomber fans when they named the 58-year-old Brooklynite Man Of The Year attheir All-Sports Dinner in midtown Manhattan.
“This is recognition for what we did last year, and I feel uncomfortable because it’s a little too close to this year, but I appreciate it,” Torre said. “It’s special; the last three years have been special. Being from New York, then you go away in the offseason and come back, you realize that sports is so important in this town. You realize how special it is when you win in this city.
“It’s a tough city. How tough it is on one end makes it that much greater on the other end. You don’t deal in mediocrity here. You either win, or you lose. There’s no such thing as having [just] a good year.”
The Yanks went far beyond good, with their American League-record 114 regular-season wins and second World Series victory in three years. As his son Michael put it last night, “It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity twice.”
And while Torre said he was excited about the prospect of having his team back intact, he cautioned against players, fans or media expecting similar dominance again this season.
“The most important thing is you don’t try to top it; you try to do it again,” Torre said. “You don’t know what that number will be. You want to come out and win every game, but you know it’s not possible. But last year we came damn near close.”
This year pitchers and catchers report for spring training on Feb. 17. And while the offseason becomes a short one for the teams good enough and fortunate enough to make it to the World Series, Torre is champing at the bit to return to work. He sat in the NYAC’s banquet room resplendent in his dark blue suit, but he seemed ready to trade it in for pinstripes.
Torre says fat-cat syndrome hasn’t set in, and complacency won’t be a problem. And he hasn’t even given retirement a moment’s thought; he’s having far too much fun winning pennants.
“I’m ready to go back. When you’ve won, you have to do it,” Torre said. “I’ve been asked several times, ‘Now that you’ve won a second World Series, why don’t you walk away?’ Because I don’t want to. It’s still a thrill for me; it’s still as challenge for me. The need to win still stimulates me.”