GLENDALE, Ariz. — Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre said Saturday he has committed himself to a fourth year with the team, thus ending speculation about whether or not he will return in 2011.
Talks have begun to extend Torre's deal one more year. After 2011, the 69-year-old with four World Series titles as a manager may call it quits.
"Right now we're just talking about the one year and what the number's going to be," Torre said, referring to what he will be paid in 2011.
Torre has been successful in the first two years of his three-year, $13 million contract as the Dodgers advanced to the National League Championship Series both times.
"The young guys are getting better and they seem to enjoy the challenges," Torre said. "The thing that resonates with me is when we lost Game 5 (of the NLCS) in 2008 and 2009, it was very different. In '08 it was, 'Look how far we came.' In '09 it was, 'Look at what we missed out on.' That's the sense. It wasn't in conversation, it was the emotion of the players in that final meeting."
Heading into his 29th season as a major-league manager, Torre has a career record of 2,246-1,915. His teams have reached the postseason in 14 consecutive seasons, tying Atlanta's Bobby Cox for the major-league record.
When Torre exits his manager post with the Dodgers, hitting coach Don Mattingly is expected to take over the job. Mattingly will manage the Dodgers in Arizona while Torre takes a split-squad to Taiwan for exhibition games March 12-13.