Joe Torre, who guided the New York Yankees to four World Series titles as a Major League Baseball manager, will guide the US team in the 2013 World Baseball Classic, USA Baseball said Thursday.
The 71-year-old American played for 18 seasons and served as a manager for 29 years, including stints with the New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers and 12 seasons with the Yankees.
"I am honored," Torre said. "I have been fortunate to have many different experiences throughout my career, but being a part of Team USA will be a first, and I am very excited about it. I look forward to the challenge."
Japan has won both prior titles, in 2006 and 2009, of the only tournament in which top-level players from the major leagues suit up for their homelands.
Torre, now Major League Baseball's executive vice president for baseball operations, will try to improve upon two Classic disappointments for the birthplace of baseball next March.
The Americans finished sixth in the inaugural Classic in 2006 with Buck Showalter as manager and fourth in 2009 under Davey Johnson, now manager of the Washington Nationals.
Torre batted .297 for his career with 252 hoem runs and 1,185 runs batted in and as a manager he put the Yankees into the playoffs 12 times, six of those seasons ending in trips to the World Series. He retired as a manager in 2010 after three seasons with the Dodgers.
"Joe's track record as a manager speaks for itself," USA Baseball executive director Pual Seiler said. "We're excited to have his leadership in place as we attempt to secure our first World Baseball Classic title."
Dates and locations for games in the 2013 World Baseball Classic have not been announced but qualifying events are scheduled for September or November in four cities -- Taipei, Taiwan, Panama City, Panama, Regensburg, Germany and Jupiter, Florida.
Source: AFP American Edition
