Noah's Arc

Baseball is a small part of life. While I and many other people love the sport, it is really nothing more than a distraction from the rigors of life. Some may take it much more seriously, but in the end, it is simply a game. The terrible events that took place this weekend in Tuscon, Arizona are a sober reminder of just how insignificant some things can be, including baseball. At the same time, though, the historic game is important because it does distract us. We need distraction once in a while from the things in life that get us down. As I write this, there are still bad people and bad things happening in the world. But for about five or ten minutes, let us think on something a little happier, shall we?

Retiring is a tough thing for any professional athlete to do. It means that all of his/her hard work, from childhood on, is now completed. For some it might be a relief, while for others it might be painful. Many players continue to support their recreation by becoming analysts, front-office members, and even owners. A few go on to manage. But there comes a second retirement for these individuals, as age and other commitments force them to draw a close to sport ties. For four incredible men, this second retirement has come, and for all they have given to the great sport of baseball, we will take a look at their incredible careers. I speak, of course, of Cito Gaston, Joe Torre, Lou Piniella, and Bobby Cox.

Cito Gaston was a decent player over the course of his career. For 11 years, he played multiple outfield positions for the Braves, Padres, and Pirates. But besides one great year in 1970, Cito failed to make a career out of playing everyday. He retired as a player in 1978 before returning as a manager in 1989 for the Toronto Blue Jays. In his first year as a manager, Gaston turned the last-place Jays into a AL East division winner. That team eventually lost the ALCS to the Athletics, but it was not the last time Gaston would know success.

Cito Gaston's team finished second the next year, returned to the ALCS in 1991, and finally reached the ultimate goal in 1992, by beating Bobby Cox's Atlanta Braves to win the World Series. He was the first black manager to accomplish that feat. Gaston was not done, as he guided his team to a repeat performance in 1993, by beating the Philadelphia Phillies in one of the most dramatic World Series ever. The success was somewhat short-lived though, as the Baltimore Orioles stole some thunder from the Blue Jays, and the resurgence of both the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox completely clipped the Jays' wings. The Blue Jays would settle into a bottom-of-the-division routine, and Gaston would eventually be replaced in 1997.

Strangely, Gaston was never able to find work coaching another team. Perhaps it was partly his choice, but for a manager to have two World Series victories under his belt and not be offered another position is odd. Rumors swirled that Gaston didn't know how to manage his players, and sometimes those types of rumors, whatever the level of truth, can kill a career. Gaston's career was not killed, and he returned to the Blue Jays in 2008 for a three-year stint in which he finished 4th ever year, but with the team showing much improvement in 2010. His retirement is one that cuts short a managing career that lasted only 12 years, but was highlighted by two WS rings. Gaston was a quiet man who probably deserved more recognition during his time as a coach. He had a heck of a run though, and for all of his successes, we shall congratulate him.

Another manager got loads more credit and acclaim, perhaps a little undeserved. I know you won't like me saying this about such a legendary coach, but I'm speaking of Joe Torre. Unlike Gaston, Torre was a great player. He was a mainstay behind the plate for the Braves in both Milwaukee and Atlanta, and later converted to 1B/3B for the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets. He won his 1971 MVP award while playing third for the Cards, was an All-Star nine times, and was even a Rookie of the Year runner-up in 1960. His play never got him into the Hall of Fame, but his managing career most likely will.

No one would have thought that at the beginning of Joe's managing life, however. Torre first managed the Mets, and from 1977 (he was a player/manager in '77) until 1981, he never won more than 70 games. When he was hired by the Atlanta Braves in 1982, he instantly won a division title, but got worse each year, and was fired after the 1984 season. He became a broadcaster for the California Angels until he returned to managing the Cardinals from 1990 until 1995. Over that span, he improved his coaching style, but was never great.

Many fans and commentators were thus rightfully worried when George Steinbrenner picked Joe Torre to take over the New York Yankees in 1996. All he did was win 92 games and bring home the first World Series for the Yanks in 18 years. He constantly repeated his success in New York, winning 94 games or better all 12 years he was there, and winning more than 100 games four times. He brought the team back to World Series victory in 1998, 1999 and 2000. The Yankees went back to the WS in both 2001 and 2003, but were defeated in both contests. After a heated 2007 off-season in which Torre claims his offered salary was insulting, he went to L.A. to manage the Dodgers until this year. While somewhat successful in L.A., 2010 proved a down year as the Dodgers finished fourth and Torre retired.

So you are probably asking why I said earlier that Torre may not deserve all of his praise. The answer lies in New York. His greatest years were marked by Hall of Fame caliber players at the prime of their careers. It's not too hard to win with such talent around. Not to mention that the Yankees had a seemingly endless bank account to purchase star free-agents to bolster the roster. It's true that it takes a patient leader to corral such talents into a cohesive team, but look no further than the 1977 Yankees to see that sometimes team chemistry doesn't matter, and talent alone can win a championship. It's rare, and I don't like that mentality, but sometimes it proves true. I rank Joe Torre right up there with Phil Jackson in basketball. Both are talented men, who knew how to sit back and let their unbelievably gifted players do what they do. They are not great masterminds of the game, but good coaches, and ver lucky men.

Sweet Lou Piniella was no genius either. He was a good player for the Orioles, Indians, Royals and eventually the Yankees. Over his 18 year career, he was very serviceable and helped the '77 and '78 Yankees win two World Series Championships. He was the Rookie of the Year in 1969 for the Royals and was an All-Star in 1972. He helped clubs win, but was never a star. As a manger though, Lou was a fireball and a great motivator. Sometimes he motivated a player to tackle him into a locker, but at least he motivated, right?

Over 24 years as a coach, Piniella led the Yankees, Reds, Mariners, Devil Rays and Cubbies. His passion often led his teams on an up-and-down rollercoaster. He won the 1990 World Series with the Reds, but the next year the team finished under .500. With the Seattle Mariners, he won 79 games in 1999, 91 games in 2000, and a ridiculous 116 games in 2001, the best record ever for a 162-game season. The team faltered in the playoffs though, eventually losing in the ALCS, and two years later Lou was on his way. His time in Tampa and Chicago were met with mostly tough times and high drama as he clashed with players even as he tried to calm his temper.

Sweet Lou is probably best known for his tirades that often were caught on camera. He would thrown bases, yell and sometimes fight with players, and get in umpires' faces on a regular basis. For his passion about the game, Lou sometimes had a bad reputation, but he was never dull, and even was a draw factor for fans. He retired in 2010 early because he had to take care of his sick mother, which proves that while Lou knew how to piss people off, he was really a sweet guy underneath it all.

Our last, and possibly most successful manager, was by far the least successful player. Robert Cox played just two years, 1968-1969 for the Yankees. (There is a theme of Braves and Yankees here that I didn't know about.) What Bobby lacked in playing talent though, he more than made up for as a manager. He finally became a head coach in 1978 for the Braves, but in his first stint in Atlanta he finished over .500 once in four years. Bobby moved over to the American League in 1982 to manage the Blue Jays (another connection, weird!) until '85. He had much more success in Canada, improving the team each year, and finished first in his final year there.

But Bobby returned to Atlanta in 1986 as general manager, and took over team management in 1990. In his first full year with the team, he led the 1991 Braves to a division title which they would relinquish once over the next 15 years. The Bravos would win 5 NL pennants and 1 World Series Championship over the next nine seasons and Bobby would continue to nurture new and veteran talent in his typical "players' manager" style. Umpires knew not to get on Bobby's bad side though, as over the course of his career he was ejected a unheard-of 158 times, (plus three post-season ejections) which is 27 times more than the legendary John McGraw. Sometimes, though, it seemed like Cox's reputation proceeded him as he was barely out of the dugout before an ump threw him out. Bobby wasn't the most rambunctious man either, so either he really had a foul mouth around home plate, or the men in black just really hated him arguing balls and strikes constantly. In either case, it was fun to watch.

So who is the best manager out of the four? Well, that might be impossible to answer. Cox won 4 Manager of the Year awards ('85, '91, '04, '05), Torre won 2 ('96, '98), and Piniella won 3 ('95, '01, '08). Gaston and Torre both won back-to-back World Series, with Torre making it a three-peat. Each man has wonderful credentials, but can you judge these men by on-field success alone? Gaston and Torre seemed like laid-back delegates, while Piniella and Cox were a little more volatile. Piniella was up-and-down, but Torre was consistent. Torre had many advantages, Gaston didn't. All of these men were good at what they did, in their own way. If I had to choose who I would want to manage my club, I'd probably have to go with Cox because he knew how to win for more than a decade. But that's just my opinion and what I want out of a manager. Maybe you'd pick somebody else, and that's ok.

These men are a part of something bigger. They are just one piece of the giant arc of baseball history. They will be remembered for years for their service, and rightfully so. And I hope, that at least for a few minutes, you were able to come with me on a journey of appreciation and distraction.