Torre Just Keeps On Winning; Orioles Sign Timlin as Closer

L.A. Times Archives

Nov. 13, 1998 12 AM PT

From Associated Press

Once again, Joe Torre breezed to a big win.

Torre was the overwhelming choice as the American League manager of the year Thursday, earning the award after his New York Yankees set a league record for victories and swept the World Series.

“You don’t expect anything,” Torre said. “A lot of managers, because they have a good team, don’t necessarily get this award.”

Torre got 23 of 28 first-place votes, four seconds and one third for 128 points in voting by the Baseball Writers’ Assn. of America.

Boston’s Jimy Williams was a distant second with three firsts, 12 seconds and eight thirds for 59 points. The Angels’ Terry Collins was third with two firsts, seven seconds and seven thirds for 38 points.

“After winning the World Series, this is obviously a tremendous honor because the people who vote for this follow baseball on a day-to-day basis,” Torre said.

Torre split the award with Johnny Oates of Texas in 1996 after leading the Yankees to the World Series title.

New York finished the regular season with a 114-48 record. The Yankees went 11-2 in the postseason, capping the year by sweeping the San Diego Padres in the World Series.

At 125-50, they had the most combined regular and postseason wins ever.

“What makes me a good manager is pretty good players,” Torre said. “You can’t win the Derby on a quarter horse. We have quality here and quality with a lot of heart.”

One of those key players is AL batting champion Bernie Williams, and his future was clearly on Torre’s mind Thursday. Unsubstantiated rumors have had Arizona offering the free agent center fielder $100 million, reports the Diamondbacks have denied.

“I guess that could mean Bernie is gone,” Torre said, “but I’m not going to necessarily believe everything I hear until I hear it from [General Manager] Brian Cashman or Bernie Williams makes a phone call to me.”

Free agent Mike Timlin, who excelled after taking over the closer’s job in Seattle for the second half of the season, signed with the Baltimore Orioles for four years and $16 million.

Timlin, 32, pitched in a career-high 70 games for the Mariners. He was 3-3 with a team-high 19 saves and 2.95 earned-run average.

“I knew Baltimore had an opening for that spot,” Timlin said on a conference call. “I just kind of figured I would fit in.”

New Oriole General Manager Frank Wren said the team decided to pursue Timlin during its postseason meetings.

“This is the first of what we hope are many moves to improve our ballclub,” Wren said. “It was very apparent that one of our primary needs was to get a closer.”

After Heathcliff Slocumb and Bobby Ayala struggled in the Seattle bullpen, Timlin was made the closer for the second half. After the All-Star break, he converted 18 of 19 save chances, going 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in 31 games.

The Mariners, meanwhile, replaced Timlin with Jose Mesa.

Mesa, 32, signed a two-year contract with a club option for the 2001 season. Details of the reliever’s contract were not disclosed.

“Mesa will be our closer next season,” Manager Lou Piniella said. “He has a proven record of success, and I’m confident he’ll do a good job for us. We’re pleased to have him in Seattle.”

Mesa started last season with Cleveland and finished it in San Francisco. After being traded to the Giants, he was 5-3 with a 3.52 ERA in 32 appearances. With the Indians, with whom he pitched since 1992, he was 3-4 with a 5.17 ERA in 44 games with one save.

Outfielder Ellis Burks returned to the Giants, agreeing to a $10-million, two-year contract.

Burks, 34, was acquired by San Francisco from Colorado on July 31 for Darryl Hamilton. Burks gets $4.5 million next season and $5.5 million in 2000.

The 1990 Gold Glove winner and two-time all-star hit .292 with 21 homers and 76 RBIs this season. With the Giants, he batted .306 with five homers and 22 RBIs.

Burks played on injured knees this year and had surgery on each after the season ended. But his physicians found him fit and so did the Giants.

The New York Mets re-signed another of their starting pitchers, agreeing to a $5-million, two-year contract with Masato Yoshii.

The 33-year-old right-hander joined the Mets last January after a successful career in Japan. He went 6-8 with a 3.93 ERA.

General managers meeting in Florida took a first step toward allowing wild-card teams to play their division winner in the first round of the playoffs.

While the general managers took a tentative vote recommending approval of the change in the playoff format, the matter was put off until they gather again next month in Nashville.

The GMs could not decide whether wild-card teams should automatically be seeded No. 4 behind the three division winners, or whether wild cards should be slotted according to their record.

Sammy Sosa celebrated his 30th birthday by going two for four with a double and Seattle’s Jamie Moyer gave up two hits in five innings as the Major League All-Stars beat their Japanese counterparts, 2-0, in Osaka.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

1998 Manager of the Year

Joe Torre

New York Yankees

Al Manager Voting

Voting awarded on a 5-3-1 basis.

The top four:

Joe Torre, New York

1st: 23

2nd: 4

3rd: 1

Total: 128