Joe Torre Appeared in Yankees Spring Training Game, and MLB Fans Loved It
It wasn’t that long ago that Joe Torre was managing the New York Yankees. For instance, Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander pitched against his final Yankees teams, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw played for him from 2008-10, and so on.
However, in some respects, Torre’s reign as New York skipper from 1996-2007 might as well belong to another epoch. When he managed the Yankees, they were the most feared and glamorous franchise in North American professional sports. Austerity and losing were not in their vocabulary; four World Series titles and six pennants were.
On Monday, Torre unexpectedly took the field to make a pitching change for New York during its 4-3 exhibition win over the Philadelphia Phillies at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. Yankees fans were surprised and excited to see their old boss.
Longtime New York announcer Michael Kay called the moment “pretty darn cool.”
Another Yankees media mainstay, Ryan Ruocco, called it “awesome.”
Even New York fans suspicious of nostalgia approved of the moment.
Some Yankees backers suggested the franchise could stand to get more in touch with its storied history.
After his awkward exit in ’07, it seems safe to say Torre’s political rehabilitation is complete.
