They made Torre the highest-paid manager in baseball, at $4.3 million a year. When Manny Ramirez dropped into the Dodgers' lap last season, his behavior so erratic that the Boston Red Sox paid the Dodgers to take him off their hands, Frank McCourt dismissed any concern that Ramirez would be disruptive here.
Torre could handle that, McCourt said.
And, on that score alone, Torre earned his keep last winter. As McCourt yanked offers to Ramirez and threatened to walk away entirely, disgusted with agent Scott Boras, it was Torre who kept in touch with Ramirez, calming him, reminding him negotiations were strictly business, letting him know the Dodgers really did want him back.
Ramirez could have gotten fed up and walked away as well, to San Francisco, and McCourt would have been vilified. But Torre pacified Ramirez so nicely that he showed up at Camelback Ranch with a smile, even after the Dodgers knocked more than half off his asking price.
Ramirez hit two home runs Saturday as the Dodgers extended their winning streak to seven games, conjuring up visions of another blue October, and perhaps a farewell to Torre.
Torre wanted one last year with the Yankees, and then retirement. He signed with the Dodgers for three years.
"I wanted to have one year when I didn't have to answer the question about the following year," Torre said.
He had that year, and here we are.
To Larry Bowa, Torre appears far more relaxed than he was in New York, having more fun.
"I would be shocked if he didn't manage next year," the Dodgers' third base coach said.
Torre and the Dodgers have a mutual interest in grooming hitting coach Don Mattingly as his successor. Mattingly played and coached for Torre in New York, then followed him to L.A.
"When it's time for Joe not to manage the club, we would like his replacement to be on our staff," General Manager Ned Colletti said.
If the Yankees do not return to the playoffs -- after spending $423 million on Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett -- we cannot imagine Manager Joe Girardi will be invited back. The Yankees selected Girardi over Mattingly as the replacement for Torre, and perhaps they'll ask their beloved first baseman for a do-over.
Mattingly, who has no managerial experience, said Torre has promised him nothing.
"I feel like he's helping me prepare," Mattingly said, "but I don't know if that's necessarily for here. I liked it in New York. I like it here. I like the game."
If Torre has decided whether this season will be his last, he won't say. Even his wife can't get a straight answer on that.
"She said, 'Is this it for you?' " Torre said. "I said, 'Yeah, maybe.' "
--
bill.shaikin@latimes.com
