Torre had an excellent playing career and has gone on to have a Hall of Fame managing career. While his stay in Los Angeles didn't produce a World Series title, he has compiled a 259-227 record for a .533 winning percentage, which is just slightly below his career percentage of .538.
Torre and the Dodgers were off to a great start in 2009. Then Torre made the mistake of shunning Johngy's Beat. The results are as follows:
Before the shun, the Dodgers were 55-31 for a .639 winning percentage. They were in 1st place, 7 games up.
After the shun, the Dodgers went 40-36 for a .526 winning percentage. They ended in 1st, 3 games up.
Looking deeper into these stats, post-shun the Dodgers would have been in 3rd place. The Colorado Rockies would be in 1st (six games up on the Dodgers and 5 up on the 2nd place San Francisco Giants. The San Diego Padres would be in 4th, only 1/2 game behind the Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks would be in last (12 out of 1st and 6 behind the Dodgers).
Continuing the research, Torre and the Dodgers finished 2010 in 4th place, 12 games out of 1st. Late in the season, Torre announce it would be his last (at least in Los Angeles). Was he retiring for good or was he just trying to lift the Johngy's Beat Curse? Only time will tell.
Sooner or later, even Bill James will have to jump on this statistical trend. For now, all I can say is Johngy's Beat 3 and the players (Torre, Byrd and Jenks) 0.
Joe Torre as he decline my interview request in Milwaukee, WI-July 2009.
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