New Yankees kingpin Hank Steinbrenner vehemently responded to former manager Joe Torre's comment about the team's recent contract offer being an "insult."
"Where was Joe's career in '95 when my dad hired him?" Steinbrenner told The New York Post Sunday. "My dad was crucified for hiring him. Let's not forget what my dad did in giving him that opportunity -- and the great team he was handed."
The comments come on the heels of Torre's Friday afternoon press conference where the former Yankees mentor detailed his reasoning for turning down a one-year contract that included $3 million in incentives if the Yankees were to reach the 2008 World Series. The deal also included a guaranteed second year valued at $8 million if Torre reached the Fall Classic in 2008.
"The terms of the contract were probably the thing I had the toughest time with," Torre said during his press briefing. "One year, for one thing,the incentives, for another thing. The fact that I'd been there for 12years and I didn't think motivation was needed."
"The incentives, to me, I took as an insult," Torre added. "To basically get to postseason and then all of a sudden we're satisfied? I don't know how to say one is never enough, two is never enough. You're constantly driving because you know that's the standard you set for yourself."
Steinbrenner fired back and told the newspaper that he believed the Yankees' offer was more than fair.
"You can't take credit for success when you're going good, and then not take at least some of the blame when things change," Steinbrenner told the paper."I'm sorry he feels insulted, but that was not the intent."
No comments:
Post a Comment