In an interview with WFAN host Mike Francesa, former Yankees manager Joe Torre spoke up about his recent book The Yankee Years, which has stirred up a lot of controversy over the last week. LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW HERE!Torre told Francessa that he was suprised by the negative reaction the book has received since it is just an honest portrayal of his time with the Yankees. Torre revealed that he began working with Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci as early as 2007, long before Torre was fired, on the book deal.
Torre said that he was comfortable with everything the book says and would still have written and published the book even if he were Yankees manager today.
As for the "A-Fraud" reference to Alex Rodriguez, Torre told Francesa that A-Rod puts too much pressure on himself to "be THE guy" to come up with the big hits. A-Fraud was just clubhouse fodder designed to make Rodriguez relax. Torre said that he has tremendous respect for Rodriguez.
Torre also revealed in the interview that both David Wells and Kevin Brown drove him "nuts," but he felt badly for Brown and his awful pitching performances. "There was nothing I could do to help him," Torre told Francesa in reference to Brown.
Torre mentioned that he and Wells never got along, refering to a moment this past season when Wells told Torre that he hated him after Torre invited Wells to a dinner to honor the Yankees 1998 World Championship team this past November. According to Torre, Wells showed up to the dinner anyway.
Torre added that he had no ill will towards anyone in the Yankees front office, and that he never said that GM Brian Cashman betrayed him. "I wasn't sure," Torre told Francesa about Cashman's relationship to him at the end of 2007.
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