Yankees manager Joe Torre likely will be fired
and replaced by Lou Piniella following another early exit from the
playoffs, the New York Daily News reported Sunday.
According to sources the Daily News did not identify, Torre is
expected to be fired unless he resigns first _ or team officials can
talk owner George Steinbrenner out of making the move.
On Saturday, the Yankees were eliminated from the first round of
the AL playoffs, losing to Detroit 8-3 in Game 4. It was the second
straight year New York lost in the opening round.
The Yankees have won the World Series four times under Torre,
most recently in 2000. They had a record US$200 million payroll this
year and matched the New York Mets for the best record in the
regular season.
The Yankees have made the playoffs in all 11 years that Torre has
been their manager. They have won nine straight AL East titles.
The 66-year-old Torre has one year and $7 million left on his
contract.
Piniella is a former Yankees star and managed them in 1986-87 and
for most of 1988. He guided Cincinnati to the 1990 World Series
title and later managed Seattle and Tampa Bay.
The 63-year-old Piniella took a year off from managing last
season.
© The Canadian Press, 2007
