by Joe Torre
First published 2009
Joe Torre takes over the New York Yankees in 1996 when the franchise has not won a World Series in eighteen years. George Steinbrenner has fired seventeen managers during this drought. The New York media greets Torre's hiring with skepticism, pointing to his record as a player and manager who had never reached a World Series. Torre faces constant pressure from Yankee executives, many jealous of his growing popularity. He manages fractured clubhouses filled with multimillion-dollar free agents while navigating off-field scandals and revenue-sharing changes. Torre handles the joys of coaching Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera alongside the challenges of managing Alex Rodriguez and Jason Giambi. His final year brings constant ultimatums from the front office and devastating injuries. Through twelve seasons, Torre leads the Yankees to six American League pennants and four World Series titles, including dramatic victories over the Braves in 1996 and a record-setting 1998 campaign. The book chronicles the emotional 2001 World Series and the epic 2003 playoff battle against the Red Sox that ends with a stunning extra-inning home run.
Genres: 20th-century, business, american, leadership, sports, biography-memoir, baseball, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: New York
Period: 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003
502 pages · Hardcover · Doubleday