Just days after resigning as Dodgers’ manager, Joe Torre let it be known that he would listen to offers from other teams, including the New York Mets. Of course, the Mets currently have a manager. Although he has essentially been a dead man walking for at least the last few months, Jerry Manuel has not yet been fired, so it was a little odd to hear Torre comment specifically about what still is someone else’s job.
Apparently, Manuel wasn’t very happy about Torre’s comments. As reported by the Daily News’ Andy Martino on Twitter, Manuel stated, “”I find it curious when someone comments about a job somebody already has…that’s not integrity.”
Manuel’s comments are a little bit ironic considering the circumstances under which he took over from Willie Randolph. At the time of Randolph’s dismissal, it was rumored that Manuel had quietly campaigned to be his replacement. Although no proof of that allegation has ever been put forth, it is notable that Randolph and Manuel have not spoken since that night back in June 2008.
It should also be noted that there were some less than wholesome dealings surrounding Torre’s hiring by the Dodgers. When Torre first met with owner Frank McCourt and GM Ned Colletti, the Dodgers still had Grady Little under contract. Coincidentally, after talking to Torre, Little took it upon himself to “resign”.
With so many high profile managerial positions expected to be open at the end of this season, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that some of the potential candidates are already jockeying for position. However, openly campaigning for jobs that are not yet vacant is still generally considered to be bad form, especially from someone of Torre’s stature. It’s one thing for someone like Wally Backman to angle for his first big break, but in this case, Torre would have been better off issuing a no comment when asked about the Mets job.
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