Bashing combo of Ortiz-Ramriez among best all-time

David Ortiz was 2-for-2 with a double, two walks and a hit-by-pitch as he and Manny Ramirez reached base 10 times in Game 1. AP

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BOSTON -- Also in this column:
• Boss' son to decide Torre's fate?
• Ex-Braves GM's agent run-around
• Mazzone's luck runs out

Ten times David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez came to the plate in Game 1 of the ALCS, and 10 times they reached base in Boston's 10-3 victory over Cleveland. So together, they were a perfect 10.

By now it's only fair to ask where the combo ranks among the all-time great tandems in baseball history. So I did. It's right up there with the best ever, according to no less an expert than Reggie Jackson, who named the other few duos that should rank up there with Boston's 3-4 combo.

"[Willie] Mays and [Willie] McCovery,'' Jackson suggested the other day as a pair to rival Ortiz and Ramirez.

"[Hank] Aaron and [Eddie] Matthews ... Aaron and Joe Torre was pretty good, too,'' Jackson added.

"[Babe] Ruth and [Lou] Gehrig,'' Jackson said finally, ending his list there.

The point was that the Ortiz-Ramirez combo ranks with the very best. At worst, Boston's 3-4 combo is in the top three or four all-time. After the duo's double-perfect Game 1, the pair has combined to reach base 29 times in 36 times up this postseason. If this continues, Boston gets the trophy at the end.

Ortiz, who was originally signed as a free agent from the Twins for about $1 million, and Ramirez, who was signed as a free agent from the Indians for $160 million over eight years, surely form the most devastating current tandem. And they're the main reason the Red Sox beat up on Indians ace C.C. Sabathia (that and Sabathia's unexpected lack of control) Friday night. Ortiz had two hits, two walks, and a hit by pitch, while Ramirez had two hits and three walks.

The Indians had the right game plan for Yankees' star Alex Rodriguez, which was to throw balls off the plate inside. A-Rod didn't do much damage until it was too late, and he finished 4-for-15 before preparing for winter riches to come. As he did with A-Rod, Sabathia threw a lot of pitches out of the strike zone to Ortiz and Ramirez, too. The difference was that Boston's bash brothers took the balls, and hit the strikes.

Torre story: Sons of the Boss may have big say

If we were back in George Steinbrenner's heyday, Torre would have been long gone by now. But Steinbrenner isn't what he was, and some believe he isn't totally in charge -- and may not even make the ultimate call on Torre.

That call may actually fall to Steinbrenner's elder son Hank, who said some nice things about Torre in the wake of the Yankees' third straight quick playoff exit but also noted ominously that "nothing lasts forever,'' which was taken as a hint that Hank probably wouldn't stand in the way of Steinbrenner's well-known longtime wish to fire Torre.

Some Yankees watchers expect The Boss to lead the first few minutes of the major meeting early next week (when Torre's fate will be decided), but then expect him to leave the room, and possibly even leave the final decision to his sons, especially Hank.

As time has elapsed since the Yankees' first-round exit, and players have proclaimed their strong support for the legendary manager, some clubhouse personnel are beginning to wonder whether Yankees' higher-ups may decide to reverse course and keep Torre. One club official said he sensed little solid support for Torre among higher-ups but said he's detected a slight softening in the private stances to the point where some officials have wondered whether Steinbrenner's ultimatum to the Bergen Record that Torre would be fired if he lost to Cleveland really reflected his true feelings. Right or wrong, that official took those queries as a newfound hesitancy on the part of one or more top Yankee decision-makers to fire a legend.

However, Yankees president Randy Levine said it's too early to speculate what will happen. "There have been no discussions or decisions on this matter,''' Levine said. "All of the speculation is inaccurate.''

The higher-ups will meet Monday and Tuesday, and the big call is expected to be made right after the recommendations are given. "The purpose of the meeting will be for people to go in with a clear head and open mind to discuss these issues,'' Levine said, referring also to the monetary calls on Rodriguez, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera. "Any speculation prior to the meetings or inference of any result is not true or correct.''

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