The Yankee Years
by Joe Torre, Tom Verducci
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Book Reviews of The Yankee Years
Book Review: Lacks a unifying voice
Summary: 3 Stars
Sometimes hyped as the "Joe Torre" book about his time with the Yankees as their manager, one curious thing becomes evident quickly...Torre is often absent in the narration. "The Yankee Years" certainly covers the period of Torre's reign but this is a book more about the Yankees as a team during this era than Torre's own reflections. On that score, there are many good aspects of the book but quite often it's not evident who is speaking.
The Yankees began their improbable comeback with Joe Torre's hiring in 1995...a move that gave few people hope. Yet in his first year, Torre did the impossible and built on that success year after year. The overall arch of "The Yankee Years" is well-constructed here, beginning with their ascendency in the late 1990s and ending with their downward slide after 2000. As one would expect, certain chapters shine. A disappointment in my view is the chapter on A-Rod...not much there. But what is most fascinating is not just the success of the Red Sox and how they learned to outmaneuver the Yankees but the Cleveland Indians, of all teams, whose "southern strategy" paid off in big ways.
Joe Torre lends his name and a fair amount of recollections to keep the book moving, but be cautioned that if you're thinking that this book is just about his remembrances, it is not. "The Yankee Years" is solid but a little too long. I recommend it, keeping the caveat in mind of a book that lacks a narrative cohesiveness.
Book Review: Not at all controversial as was expected!
Summary: 5 Stars
This book presents a lot of insight as well as what has already been documented during the years that Torre was there. Interestingly there is a lot of detail about the test of the 104 players during 2003 and how it came about. There is really little if no controversy in the book except how Torre and the team felt about Carl Pavano who the fan disliked anyway. Torre provides a much more positive picture of Kevin Brown who Torre considered an aged pitcher who really was disappointed that his broken down body wasn't letting him help the team instead of the quitter that he was portrayed by the media.
The biggest details are during the championship years and the memories alone are better than any highlight DVD out there so any Yankee fan would enjoy this book no matter what. Interesting that Torre and Terry Francona were a lot closer than people realize. We see the gradual decline of Steinbrenner as his infirmity took hold of his mind.
A lot of the analysis though, appears to have been provided by Verducci's research including the details of the known steroid users, the way that "Money Ball" was implemented to bring a level playing field throughout baseball, how the Yankees failed to use the more modern models to evaluate players and team needs, what caused the Yankee decline and the secrets to their success of the late 90's.
I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Book Review: Setting the Highest Standard in Yankee Tradition
Summary: 5 Stars
This wonderful book, chronicling Joe Torre's run as manager of the most storied sports franchise in history---the New York Yankees---is a slice of baseball history that any fan of the game will enjoy. Tom Verducci's touch adds depth and clarity to an already fascinating story of success, by a guy who wasn't supposed to do all that well; but he fooled everybody, maybe even himself.
Torre, like Casey Stengel a half century before him, had a rather undistinguished career as a Major League manager, particularly in his last stop; leading a moribund St Louis Cardinals team that lacked talent and direction. Of course, when a mediocre team fails to win, the manager is blamed and sent packing. That was obviously one of the most fortuitous firings in baseball history; from there it was on to New York, after a brief stint in the broadcast booth, covering the Halos.
The rest is, as they say, "history". Torre's accomplishments in his twelve year run as manager of the Bronx Bombers is nothing short of phenomenal. His record speaks for itself; his character and dedication to excellence is well documented in the pages of this book.
What a class act. Joe Torre took the Yankee tradition of excellence to a whole new level; the highest.
The Yankees will most certainly miss his leadership; on and off the field.
Book Review: "Where have you gone Joe Torre?"
Summary: 5 Stars
Where have you gone Joe Dimaggio? Those who miss the class, style, and grace of the Yankee Clipper found it in Joe Torre during his years as New York Yankee Manager during their World Series championship years in the nineties. Now we are asking and humming to the song, "Where have you gone Joe Torre?" He classed the Yankees up, and turned Yankee haters like myself into Yankee supporters (different than a fan). His poise and confidence as a manager made the Yankees America's team again. I loved this book. Period! Joe Torre seemed to open our eyes to the Yankees front offices when he managed and he seemed to invite us into the clubhouse and sit down with him and his players in the dugout. Now, in his book, we actually experience the inside look it seemed we were almost getting when he was in the driver's seat. It's amazing such integrity can thrive and be honored during such a tumultuous stretch for MLB. Definitely one of the best baseball biographies to come out of the last decade. You won't be disappointed. If you like this title, be sure to check out the documentary NINE INNINGS FROM GROUND ZERO.Nine Innings from Ground Zero 27 x 40 (approx.) PosterNine Innings From Ground Zero: 2001 World Series DVDBook Review: Excellent book on baseball, trust & character, not just the Yankees
Summary: 5 Stars
Trust and character are the themes that run through the course of this excellent book by Verducci & Torre.
When this book first came out and the media amplified the juicy parts(the parts that sell) I was angry. I thought to myself that stuff like this belongs in the locker room and should stay there, but after reading it, I learned some much as to what has happened to MLB in the past 10 years. I also have far more respect for Torre and those that helped him achieve success in the 12 years with the Yanks.
It was an eye opener to see how much garbage a major league manager has to put up with. The betrayal from guys like Brian Cashman (the ultimate snake in the grass) and so-called professionals like Pavano or Shefield, people who are not respectful of the game or who don't know what it takes to be a winner.
I also might add that the fascination general managers have with statistics and pursuing the cheapest players doesn't always work. Take Fausto Carmona for instance, in the book he is revered as a winning lottery ticket for the Indians, whose commitment to maximizing profits on the cheapest players is the latest trend in MLB. Today, Carmona is struggling to stay in the majors with a 2-6 record and a terrible ERA for the LAST PLACE cleveland indians.