Joe Torre signed his name on a three-year contract worth $13 million Thursday, officially making him the sixth Dodgers manager of the last decade.
But General Manager Ned Colletti said that while he did not expect the 67-year-old Torre to hold the position for "a very, very long time," the signing of the former New York Yankees manager was part of a design to establish continuity for the Dodgers.
"If we can groom somebody under Joe's direction, we look forward to doing that," Colletti said, adding that the concept was a "key component" of a vision he shares with owners Frank and Jamie McCourt.
The plan will start to unfold in the public eye Monday morning, when Torre will be formally introduced as Grady Little's successor at a Dodger Stadium news conference. Little, who managed the Dodgers for two seasons, resigned Tuesday.
On a conference call to discuss the hiring of Torre, Colletti left open the possibility that the club could pursue free-agent Alex Rodriguez. Colletti acknowledged he had questions about his team's present options at third base, popular but declining veteran Nomar Garciaparra and untested up-and-comer Andy LaRoche.
Colletti said Dodgers management would meet in the near future to discuss strategies regarding Rodriguez and other free agents, as well as trade targets. Rodriguez, who played for Torre the last four seasons, parted ways with the Yankees on Sunday by opting out of the final three years of a 10-year, $252-million deal. Colletti said that like Little, Torre would be consulted on player personnel decisions.
Also leaving the Yankees recently was Don Mattingly, who is expected to be on Torre's coaching staff and could be the manager-in-training of whom Colletti spoke. Colletti said a coaching staff was not in place yet.
Mattingly, a coach under Torre the last four seasons, was widely assumed to be Torre's successor at New York. He was a finalist for the job that Torre vacated last month, but the Yankees hired Joe Girardi instead.
Mattingly said Tuesday his goal remained to become a manager and said he would coach elsewhere to realize it. He said he had spoken to Torre after losing out on the Yankees job but was noncommittal when asked whether he would follow Torre to Los Angeles.
Mattingly's agent, Ray Schulte, said Thursday that Mattingly wasn't prepared to talk about anything related to Torre.
Former major league manager Larry Bowa, who coached under Torre in New York, also is expected to be part of Torre's staff.
