Joe Torre saw a lot of Manny Ramirez from the opposite dugout as manager of the Yankees. Now that he’s seen him up close, and how he goes about the business of being one of the best hitters in baseball, he’s got even more respect for him.

“He’s kind of a throwback,” Torre said. “It’s very refreshing to me, and it’s really fun to watch. …There’s a good reason people don’t understand Manny, because they really aren’t around him. You really have to see him on a day to day basis to appreciate how serious he is.

“But there’s that ESPN b-roll stuff where he’s rolling over, cutting off a ball he’s not supposed to. …But he’s so serious about what he does, even in his preparation.”

Torre said the most impressive thing about Ramirez’ approach at the plate is how globally he thinks about it. Setting pitchers up early in the game for a more critical at-bat later, figuring out which pitch he can hit squarely and how best to beat each pitcher he faces.

“Hitters now-a-days, as opposed to what he does, they’re more concerned about swing,” Torre said. “He’s concerned about he’s going to get this guy. …You know it surprises the hell out of me if he strikes out. He’s got such good coverage and anticipation.”