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Sure the Dodgers did not make the playoff’s this year. But they did make it every other year you managed them. And they went passed the first round of the playoff’s, something they hadn’t done since they won the World Series in 1988. They came in first place in the N.L. West, 2 of the three years Joe Torre managed them. Those are the tangibles Joe brought to the team. But the intangibles will be really what he left behind.
Joe Torre brought a sense of class and a caring spirit that will, hopefully, stay with these young players for far much longer. And it was all on display today on the Dodgers last game of the season. Joe let Brad Ausmas catch the final game of his career before his retirement, he let Rafael Furcal get an at bat then pulled him from the game so he could stay above .300 for the season, he allowed first baseman John Lindsey (he had previously spent 16 years in the minors until earlier this year) to walk out for a pinch hit (allowing the crowd to cheer for him and letting him get his name in more box score) even though he has a broken hand and cast on (Joe wasn’t going to let him actually bat and Trent Oeltjen batted for John), and Joe brought in Kuo so he could get the lowest single season ERA (minimum 50 innings) and letting him get his 12th save of the season. Great stuff, right?
So thank you Joe, and good luck wherever you end up.
