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Before the 2007 season ended, I predicted Joe Torre would return to manage the Yankees for a 13th campaign, if he so desired. I wrote it in all my blogs and in another article for Helium.com.

Mr. Torre wasn't let go by the Yankees. Mr. Torre fired the Yankees. He had had enough of the Steinbrenners, Brian Cashman and Randy Levine. Torre was Mr. Class throughout his 12 years with the Yankees. He never wore his emotions on his sleeves, showed up a player or superior or another manager.

Four world series championships, six world series appearances, 11 division titles and one wild card berth in 12 years and Mr. Torre needs to be motivated?

Are you kidding me, Randy Levine? Torre knew what he was doing. He's offered a one-year contract for $5 million with $1 million incentives each for winning the ALDS, ALCS and world series in '08. Insulting? Damn straight! Good for you Joe Torre.

The Yankees don't deserve you. He handled every pressure-packed year with class since 1996 and made it fashionable again to be a Yankee fan. His Yanks beat my Mets in '00. He didn't insult or denigrate Bobby Valentine, or Mike Piazza. When Bernie Williams caught Piazza's fly ball for the final out, the Yankees celebrated on the Shea field and Mr. Torre walked out by himself and cried tears of joy. That was three rings in a row.

Now the Yankees' front office is in a state of disarray. Other than Melkey Cabrera, Robinson Canoe, Phillip Hughes, Joba Chamberlain and Chin Ming Wang, the Yanks are aging. They need to bring in more young blood. My personal choice to succeed Mr. Torre is Joe Girardi, not Don "Donnie Baseball" Mattingly. Girardi is a fiery leader and ought to work well with younger players, much as he did in Florida.

As for Mr. Torre, the Yankee chapter has ended. All that is left to be written is the epitaph. Well done, Joe, we're proud of you!

Learn more about this author, David Skolnik.
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