Joe Torre Dodgers - Joe Torre, a Major League Baseball manager for 28 years before becoming a league executive, has resigned his post to pursue a bid to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers, the league announced on Wednesday.
Torre surrendered his position as Major League Baseball's vice president of baseball operations, a job he was given last February by commissioner Bud Selig.
"I have made this decision because of a unique chance to join a group that plans to bid for the Dodgers," Torre said. "This job was an incredible experience, one that I enjoyed very much."
Torre guided the New York Yankees to World Series titles in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000 during a 12-year stint as manager before taking over as manager of the Dodgers in 2008 until retiring in 2010.
The 71-year-old former infielder with Atlanta, St. Louis and the New York Mets will join the Dodgers' bid of Los Angeles shopping center developer Rick Caruso.
"I have great confidence in Rick Caruso's unique qualifications and his ability to lead a successful bid for the Los Angeles Dodgers," Torre said. "I'm very excited about this new opportunity."
Among reported rival bidders for the historical ballclub, which has been in bankruptcy since last June, are retired NBA star Magic Johnson, former owners Fox Sports and Peter O'Malley and NBA champion Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban.
A January 23 deadline has been set for submitting initial offers, with current owner Frank McCourt having agreed to select a winning bid by April 1 in order for a sale of the team to be completed by April 30.
Torre's duties will, on an interim basis, fall upon senior vice presidents Peter Woodfork, Joe Garagiola Jnr and Kim Ng.
Source: canada