Page 117

2014 Los Angeles-Anaheim Gameday HQ

to the playoffs for the first time in 1985. The 99- win season in ’85 is as close as the team has come to a 100-win season. In his first full season back with the Braves, Cox led a team that had lost 97 games the year before to 94 wins and the World Series berth as part of the magical “Worst-To- First World Series.” In, Where He Belongs Joe Torre was destined for the Hall of Fame. He could have gotten there as a player. He was an National League MVP (1971), a Gold Glove catcher and a nine-time All-Star who hit .297 in his 18-year career with the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets. But it’s as a manager that he made it into Cooperstown. It didn’t look like that would happen for a long time, either. While much like Cox, Torre was the kind of manager players would run through a wall for, things didn’t start well for him. He had a sub- .500 record after managing the New York Mets for five years (1977-81). Things got better in Atlanta in ’82, when, coincidentally, taking over for Bobby Cox, he led the team to a franchisebest 13-0 start and the postseason for the first time since 1969. After leaving Atlanta in 1984, he managed St. Louis from 1990 through 1995, but would be fired there. With a journeyman career record of 853-1,003 he became the fourth man to manage both the Mets and Yankees, taking over the Bronx Bombers in 1996. It didn’t take long for Torre to establish his winning ways in the Big Apple. His teams won the World Series four of his first five seasons in the Bronx. Torre never missed the playoffs and he took the Yankees to the World Series in six of his first eight years. He won 10 division titles in those 12 years, winning 100 games four times and 90 games in 11 of 12 seasons. Torre left New York with a 1214-767 record, a .612 winning percentage as their skipper. He’d conclude his career taking the Los Angeles Dodgers, to two Division championships in his three years. Overall He’d finish with a career record of 2,326-1997, a career .538 winning percentage. His 2,326 wins rank seventh all-time. He’s still involved in Major League Baseball as the executive vice president of baseball operations. Yes, indeed, July 27th is going to be a special day around Cooperstown, N.Y. Baseball fans should listen in. as with Cox, La Russa and Torre, Glavine, Maddux and Thomas speaking Induction Day will be a treat and a clinic from a unique collection of some of baseball’s greatest living managers and players. The Hall of Fame welcomes a trio of managers, Tony La Russa, Joe Torre and Bobby Cox, that have combined to win 7,558 games and eight World Series. PRESTON MACK/MLB


2014 Los Angeles-Anaheim Gameday HQ
To see the actual publication please follow the link above