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Torre turns down offer to return as Yanks' skipper
Joe Torre apparently won't be back in pinstripes for a 13th season.
Joe Torre rejected a $5 million, one-year contract to return as manager of the New York Yankees on Thursday.
The Yankees offered Torre a one-year deal with a base salary of $5 million and incentives that would have increased his salary to $8 million based on postseason performance. Under that offer, if Torre reached the World Series in 2008, an option for 2009 would have vested.
"We felt we needed to go to a performance-based mode," team president Randy Levine said. "We thought it was very fair. It clearly was at the top of the market, but we respect Joe's decision."
Torre, who had held the job since 1995, made an unannounced trip from New York to the team's spring training complex in Tampa, Fla., accompanied by general manager Brian Cashman and chief operating officer Lonn Trost. Levine said Torre turned down the offer during the meeting, which lasted about one hour.
"It is now time for the New York Yankees to move forward," Levine said.
Torre made $7.5 million this year, the final season of a $19.2 million, three-year contract.
Bench coach Don Mattingly is the leading contender to replace Torre. Yankees broadcaster Joe Girardi, the NL manager of the year with Florida in 2006, is another top contender.
Cashman said there will be a full search for a replacement.
Just 10 days ago, the Yankees were bounced out of the first round of the playoffs for the third straight year.
Source: AP