Great manager. Great man. You will be missed, Joe.

YANKEE FAN CHICAGO STIENBRENNER YOU SUCK HOW COULD YOU LET A MANAGER LIKE JOE TORRE SLIP THROUGH YOUR FINGERS. AFTER ALL THAT MAN HAS DONE THE LAST 12 YEARS.

Joe has alot of talent. Egos never have to be stroked. Torre has always been a great player manager. Everyone who comes to Yankees knows where they stand and have to do on the team. With handling 13 different starting pitchers. Its a wonder they are as close as they are to Boston. I'd give'm a 4.4.

JOE has managed the high pay role teams and had success. But with the odds slightly tilted with with a seemingly endless pay roll its hard to give him an EXCELLENT rating when the bar is set soo high. I like him. He has to manage alot of HUGE EGOs and he isnt the GM of the team. He plays the cards he dealt. They are pretty good cards to play with. I think Joe is above average, but not excellent. I personally would expect to win the division almost every year Joe has been there. The boston colapse is a big black eye. hes about a 3 1/2 star guy. But here give em 4.After all GEORGE is a horses ass.

I find it hard to rate Torre, because he has had the luxury that so few managers have, that is of running a team with so much talent. Certainly, he has delivered, unlike Bobby Cox, and deserves considerable credit for that. I see no particular signs of great tactical thinking in him, but that may be because he doesn't require as much with the Yankee talent. Give him a bunch like the Rangers or Astros, and lets see how he does then.

As a Yankee manager, though he's good and has had tremendous success, I'd put him behind Huggins, McCarthy, and Stengel. He's a good manager in the sense of handling his players and leading the team, but although all managers make blunders, he has never  exactly been the greatest strategist in the game's history- I mean, think of what  a Gardenhire or a Leyland could do with such a payroll.  In St. Louis in the 90's, he had some clubs that really didn't look that bad on paper but failed anyhow. With the Mets in the late 70's, you can't blame the guy, I mean, no one's gonna look good when their most effective pitcher is Craig Swan and the roster is cluttered with Bruce Boisclairs and such, that was a terrible era for the Mets... If you ask me, in some ways, his most impressive job was with Atlanta, he won a division there in '82 with relatively little talent beyond  Murphy, Phil Niekro, and Bob Horner.

I love the Yankees and I love Torre but with a batting lineup like they had last year you've got to make it past the first round of the playoffs, no excuses.

Terrific in clutch situations

A top notch manager even though I hate the Yankees.

i'll give him a 3 just because he has to put up w/that crackpot owner and gm..................i think he's an okay manager but let's face it, the yankees don't utilize their farm system, all their players are bought, which makes it hard for me to give this guy a higher rating.

Anyone can win if the owner buys the best players in the sport.

Joe Torrie is junk, this season proves it. I swear if someone were to pull the shades off of his eyes during a game, people would notice that he is dozing off n nappin during games.

Most people could manage the Yankees into the ALCS. Torre has not done anything deserving of the accolades he recieves.

Yo, give da man his props. Four championships and 6 pennants is hard to do in this modern era of free-agency.

Completely outmanaged against the Sox and the Sox were pitifully managed in the ALCS. I was convinced both sides were trying to throw the series. He had no buisness putting Mariano Rivera on the downside of his historic career who never was lights out in the second inning of a two-inning save for 2 innings with a relatively well rested bullpen, a rested setup man, and a 3-0 lead in the series, to hold a 1-run lead in Game 4. That was his biggest mistake. But he made others throughout that series. This was the first time he managed a series against a better team on paper since 1996 when he went against the Braves. This time, however, he was outmanaged. He is truly average, and I'm not even sure if he is that. I am giving him the benefit of the doubt that the Red Sox manager is actually good, which I don't think is the case. Torre is not a great manager and may never have actually been one. Time will tell. Need a nominee for rant of the day?

He should get some credit for putting up with Steinbrenner. I'm not sure what he has to manage really. Just throw all of those contracts out on the field and let it rip. Seems very classy and represents NY well.

torre is an average manager at best how hard is it to put 9 allstars on the field and win games and then send in mariano for the save? want to look at his career coaching numbers? go ahead, well below a .500 manager without his yankee stats to pad his record. wake up idiots

Just look what he's done with the Yankees! I know they have the most money in baseball, but still--not everyone could do what he's done.

he's only got the players and he's an A.L. manager so therefore he SUCKS, his job is easy

Bernie williams is terrible and old you should play lofton. he is alot better than that bum bernie who bats leadoff and can't a job done. and when lofton plays he bats last and go's 2for 3 and then is benched for the next week, and bernie goes 1 for 20 and still bats leadoff.

You a JERK!!!

Everyone will try and bash Torre because he's got the deep pockets of Steinbrenner, but nobody seems to remember him winning with a rookie SS named Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte, a before his prime Bernie Williams and your good but not super stars Tino Martinez and Paul O'Neill. Just because Torre has all that talent now doesn't mean he couldn't manage well if not BETTER without all the big egos and distractions.

Take Toree out of the yankee orginazation and he wouldnt even be a 500 manger.

Let me go on the record as saying I am not a Yankee fan. Yes, he has George's bottomless pockets, but what makes him The Skipper is that he is a NY guy who isn't fazed or intimidated by The Boss, the expectations or the pressure of winning in the Boogie Down. He has ice in his veins. He is calmer than someone doped up on Thorazine or morphine. You can't just know your baseball and manage or play for the Yanks. It is a totally different monster. If you aren't from NY or haven't lived there, you don't understand. Managing the Yankees is bigger than any other post in American sports, and maybe bigger than coaching Manchester United. You are essentially Jim Carrey in The Truman Show. The guy is thinking three innings ahead all the time, and had the balls to stand up to Steinbrenner a few years back when George wanted to ship Pettitte to Philly. He has earned his credentials with The Boss, MLB, and the fans of the Yankees. You don't have to be a Yankee fan to respect an amazing run.

a winner and a great person to boot. he should be canonized for having to put up with a dolt like steinbrenner.

it's over

he had a losing record before coming to NY. That says it all

The Yankees have spent more money over the last few years than any team in history aquiring new talent. Joe Torre has been gifted with unbelievable players over the last five years or so, and so cannot be held solely responsible for the NYY's titles. Seriously, Ronald McDonald could have won the same number of titles with this lineup. Joe Torre merely hit the major league jackpot. Man, I could even win a world series with these guys. Enough with the Joe Torre ass-kissery already.

Joe torre is only a good manager when he has players that are good but he is a dumb bastard when nobody is performing. How do you take clemens out of the game after 82 pitches and a 3 hitter. Joe Torre should be ashamed of himself he can only manage the best team in baseball he is like phil jackson but if you not the clear best they both suck.

He is one the best and has the rings to prove it.

the skipper is great!!!

Joe Torre is without a doubt the best manager ever in baseball. He impresses everyone with his classy behavior on and off the field. He makes a great job of managing all of the talent and egos on this team. He has of course won 3 rings in 4 years. It is simple: GREAT!

He must have done something to not get fired. He has to be the greatest manager, he just started his career too late. It's a shame he's not in the Hall yet.

I am a total NON-fan of the Yankees, but Joe Torre is a terrific man.

joe torre is the best coach ever in mlb,and for those that dont think so look at the statistics.

I think that you could have done a much better job

YOU SUCK!

George got the best.

How is Torre number 1? HOW IS TORRE NUMBER ONE? it's like saying Phil Jackson is the best coach in the NBA, Torre's teams are pre-made for him, and all he has to do is chose which overpayed all star to put out there, or which former or future cy young winner to pitch the game. here is Joe Torre's agenda for the game. inning 1-sit there and try to look interested, pick my ear on camera. innings 2-5 take a nice nap where i am not in view of camera's. inning 6, wake up and check the score, and maybe pick my ear a little more. inning 7 make my trip out to the mound to put in which ever relief pitcher i am told to put in. inning 8-talk to Zimmer about what's on TV tonight, get a drink of Gatorade. inning 9- put in Rivera, celebrate victory, try to make it sound like i watched the game in the press conference.

I don't like the Yankees and I don't like Steinbrenner but this guy is true class in every since of the word. Other managers in the league should follow his philosophies and the way he carries a team.

Let's start out by looking at why no Yankees manager should have a chance to get 5 stars - they've got George's money behind them, and so they should win. But, other Yankee managers have had that blessing also. And, this is the only one that Georgie has actually stuck with. You've heard the term player's manager. This is a player's manager. He stuck with Chuck Knoblauch when the guy played second base like the Bad News Bears. But, what he gets for that is absolute loyalty from his players. They take on his gutsy personality and go out on the field to win like professionals. Yes, it's probably easy to win with that much talent, but it's tough for a manager to keep that much talent happy. Keeping George happy, keeping the players happy, winning the World Series more often than not. 5 Stars.

Gotta say, even though I am definitely NOT a Yankee fan, Joe Torre has always impressed me with his classy behavior on and off the field. He obviously knows how to motivate a group of athletes to reach its fullest potential. And, he has overcome a great deal of personal adversity to make it to the top. I salute you, Mr. Torre. Any chance you could come manage the Orioles for awhile?

Joe Torre is the worst thing that ever happened to baseball!

The record speaks for itself

He makes all the right mental moves. He has the players and he knows what to do with them and how to play them in the correct situations. It is the sign of a truly great coach who can keep his team under control with the right attitude and win the world series in 4 out of his first 5 seasons with the team.

4 campionships and one on the way says a lot about this guy.

Mr.Torre, I have been a Yankee fan since 1960, after the Yankees lost the World Series to the Pirates. I am 51 years old, & have played baseball in high school! I even pitched a no-hitter once! My real love has been the yankees & like most yankees fan Mickey Mantle. You must have a million opinions on chucks 2B problems & of course I have mine! I felt that chucks problem would be taken care of with a couple of weeks at third base; the reasons are the ball gets to you quicker & Chuck would have the time to locate the first baseman & he would have to use more arm. Thank you for your time; I think your strength is your integrity; & knowing your players. Having spent 20 years in the military I know how important that is. ( one for the thumb in 2000 & one) Sinerely Glenn

Joe Torre loses points just cuz of his ugly mug. Plus, as another person above me said, look what he did before he came to coach the all-star team, er--I mean the Yankees. The fact that Torre is rated above Dusty Baker is a crime against humanity.

Sure, George's willingness to go out and get players is a huge help.But, it's a manager's job to keep the players motivated.There is no complacency on his team.I think teams take on their managers personality.

I'm not a Yankees fan, but I have to give Torre the credit he so richly desrves. I agree with another poster, Bobby Cox showed us that an abundance of talent is not enough. Joe Torre is the differnce between postseason appearences and rings. He was a pretty damn good player as well.