My mentor has left. Since I can remember, he’s been my teacher, role model and source of inspiration and strength. He’s led me through the good, the bad and the ugly, always standing tall, never acquiescing. I’ve celebrated with him and cried with him, but no longer.

Next season, for the first time since 1995, Joe Torre will not be managing the New York Yankees. I am sad and fearful about what lies ahead; I have lost my guide. This emotional, perhaps melodramatic response may seem strange to both casual sports fans and diehard supporters of other teams — it’s not as if I actually know this man. But in recent years, few fan bases have had the same connection to a manager as Yankee fans have had to Joe Torre.

Though I’m no business maven, it seems that in terms of managerial turnover rates, the sports industry is like few others. Coaches are routinely fired after two, maybe three seasons and as a result, fans rarely develop a bond with them. A select group of fans do — Pittsburgh Steelers fans did with coach Bill Cowher; Atlanta Braves supporters do with manager Bobby Cox. And even though college coaches generally have longer shelf lives than their professional counterparts, lifelong Stanford supporters surely felt this way with former basketball coach Mike Montgomery, who led the Cardinal for 19 years.

Torre coached for 12 seasons, cementing himself in the Yankee family. He is the only Yankee manager I remember — I was six when he was hired. So while other teams I supported replaced their coaches every few years, Torre stayed constant, almost a father figure to thousands of fans, myself included. His stoic figure on the bench became iconic and his leadership legendary.

He commanded respect from his players — Derek Jeter, the “Yankee Captain,” always referred to him as Mr. Torre — but never failed to reciprocate. He defended his men from the rabid New York media, always dealing with reporters calmly and squashing potential stories before they came to fruition. He was the gel in the clubhouse, an elegant and wise patriarch who mitigated every dispute to build a close-knit unit.

The fans were part of this group. Like families used to listen to Roosevelt’s Fireside Chats, we watched Yankee games, hoping to glean any knowledge we could from Torre and his team. We celebrated with him as we won World Championships; we cried with him while he and pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre fought their cancers. Through it all, true Yankee fans never left his side, never doubted him: when we would hit a slide, we were still confident. Because no matter what, Torre would handle it. And in almost every case, he did.

This year, Torre’s decision-making — especially in regards to the bullpen — came under fire. People wondered aloud if it was time to move on. But when the Yankees hit their low point (14.5 games back in the AL East), it was Torre who held the team together and guided them back into competition and eventually to a playoff berth.

No longer will we have that force. Next year, someone new, someone different, will manage the Yankees. Torre was known more for his interpersonal relations than his in-game managing — will our next manager fit this mold? Will he spar publicly with the Steinbrenners, as so many coaches before Torre did? Will he win over and lead his players? And the eternal question: will he bring us World Series championships?

The three frontrunners for the job — former Florida Marlins manager Joe Girardi, former Royals coach Tony Pena and Yankees legend Don Mattingly — all coached under Torre. They reflect the paramount ideal Torre stood for: class and professionalism, always. In fact, part of the reason why Girardi was fired from the Marlins despite winning Manager of the Year was because of a dispute with owner Jeffrey Loria over Loria’s rude behavior during a game.

They are gentlemen with a deep knowledge of and respect for the game. Any would be a suitable replacement. But I never thought that word — replacement — would have to be muttered so soon. Torre couldn’t come to terms on a new contract with Yankee management, and so in the blink of an eye — after a transaction that seems far too business-like for such a situation — he is gone.

I have not just lost my team’s manager. I have lost my teacher.

Every fan base should be privy to long tenures of good coaching, because no matter your team’s issues, you know one thing will always be secure. But this feeling of despair and sadness when the run is over is one I would not wish on any fan.