There isn’t a greater praise an individual can obtain than the one Joe Torre paid Tony Carullo on Friday.
“You may belief him together with your life,’’ Torre stated of Carullo, who retired Thursday because the Mets’ visiting clubhouse supervisor after 51 years working for the group. “That to me is vastly essential.’’
Unable to be collectively for a standard retirement ceremony, it was held through Zoom and greater than 60 mates and members of the entrance workplace stated goodbye. Amongst these becoming a member of Torre on the decision have been Jeff Wilpon, Luis Rojas, David Wright, Todd Frazier, longtime Braves clubhouse supervisor John Holland and Lou Cucuzza — who heads the visiting clubhouse at Yankee Stadium.
“He has been round perpetually. I see him yearly. He has the largest coronary heart I’ve ever been round. He cares very deeply about what he does and the way he does it,’’ stated Torre, who had served as MLB’s chief baseball officer since 2011 earlier than turning into a particular assistant to the commissioner in February. “He is a good character.’’
Carullo, a Queens native who grew up in Astoria, was a Mater Christi Excessive College scholar when he was employed as a bat boy in 1969. At 21, he took over the visiting clubhouse place in 1976.
![Tony Carullo with Derek Jeter and Joe Torre]()
“Tony is a Mets icon. He’s beloved by each member of our group. I by no means have heard anybody say a foul phrase about him,’’ Wilpon stated in an announcement. “Fifty-one years of devoted service is simply wonderful. Retirement apart, Tony Carullo shall be a Met for all times.”
A 1977 graduate of Baruch Faculty, Carullo is grateful for the assist Wilpon offered.
“Jeff all the time seemed out for me,’’ stated Carullo, who will fill retirement’s idle hours by fishing, {golfing}, touring and attending the Metropolitan Opera. “We will speak about wine for hours.’’
And he expects there shall be an enormous void.
“Over time I’ve met so many good folks. That would be the hardest half. I’m not speaking concerning the gamers. The gamers are there for 3 days and they’re gone,’’ Carullo stated. “The touring secretaries, the clubhouse guys, these are the blokes I’m going to overlook probably the most. I’m going to overlook Joe coming to my workplace and speaking about wines and speaking about cigars. That’s going to be the onerous half, not having mates round. In case you are good to folks they’re good again to you.’’
Carullo’s workplace was his, however to others it was theirs.
“You’ll sit in his workplace and it’s open to you, it’s your workplace,’’ stated Torre, who met Carullo in 1969 when he was enjoying for the Cardinals and naturally acquired to know him because the Mets supervisor and later as a visiting supervisor with the Braves, Cardinals, Yankees and Dodgers. “On these days you are available in and lose a tricky ballgame, he’s a way of friendship and that actually helped.’’
Carullo, who shall be changed by Dave Berni, the Mets’ residence clubhouse assistant, is aware of precisely how he lasted so lengthy.
“Preserve my mouth shut and do my job and you may stick round for 51 years,’’ Carullo stated.
And that was lengthy sufficient.
“It’s bittersweet however it was time at hand the reins over to a youthful man,’’ the 66-year-old Carullo stated, “I had a terrific run and I’m grateful for all the chums I met. It’s been actual enjoyable and I’m going to overlook it. I’m going to overlook it quite a bit however it was time.’’