Former New York Yankees manager Joe Torre is headed back to the dug out.
Torre, currently baseball’s executive vice president of baseball operations, announced that he will manage Team USA in the next World Baseball Classic.
The 71-year-old former manager is best known for leading the Yankees to four World Series titles in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000.
Torre left the Yankees in 2007 and managed the Los Angeles Dodgers before taking on his new position.
“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,” Torre said in a statement.
The US team led by Buck Martinez finished sixth at the first World Baseball Classic in 2006 and moved up to fourth in 2009 under Davey Johnson. The ’09 team included players such as David Wright, Evan Longoria and Derek Jeter. With the 2013 World Baseball Classic less than a year away, though, not much has been said about who will be on Torre’s roster.
Like his predecessors, Torre has an expansive background in baseball. He was a player for 18 years, starting in 1960.
He began his major league career with the Milwaukee Braves (who became the Atlanta Braves in 1966). After a salary dispute, Torre was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Another trade brought Torre to the New York Mets, with whom he played two seasons (1975-1977) before being offered the manager position. Torre spent 18 days as a player-manager before retiring at age 37 to manage full-time.
He also managed the Braves and Cardinals before his historic run in the Bronx.
