Will Joe Torre make it through the season?

YES

Torre won't be fired, no matter how badly his team stumbles. Owner George Steinbrenner might lop off a coach or two, flush a bad contract or three. But Torre, working his 10th season under Steinbrenner, is practically untouchable. Derided as "Clueless Joe" by a New York tabloid when he was hired after the 1995 season, Torre has evolved into Saint Joe, a portrait of dignity amid the Yankees' daily chaos.

Torre, who will turn 65 in July, is owed $6.1 million this season, $6.1 million next season and $7 million in 2007, but it's not money that would stop Steinbrenner from dumping Torte. The bigger issue is the popularity Torre enjoys with both his players and fans--and the difficulty in replacing him.

Class AAA Columbus manager Bucky Dent, perhaps the leading candidate to replace Torre, is unproven in the majors. Yankees bench coach Joe Girardi, probably the only future manager on Torre's staff, is in his first season of coaching. The Devil Rays' Lou Piniella won't become available until the end of the season, if then.

Torre isn't perfect--see last year's ALCS---but others were responsible for assembling the Yankees' old and bloated roster. Firing him would just create another problem. Which is the last thing the Yankees need.

NO

The Yankees were tied with the Royals and Devil Rays last week for the worst record in the American League--and they did it on merit. If this team stinks a little longer, it won't be any overpriced players leaving the Bronx but the manager with four World Series rings.

Torre has to know--or at least suspect--that this year's squad doesn't measure up to the clubs that got him those rings. The "true" Yankees wouldn't have lost to the Rays at home, with their ace on the hill, after scoring 19 runs the previous night. I think more letdowns are on the horizon, and Torre, as respected as he is by his players, can do only so much about that. Plus, the Yanks no longer can use the Orioles, Blue Jays and D-Rays to get themselves out of a funk. Those teams are too competitive now.

Torre needs to light a fire under this group. The more effective spark, though, might come from a managerial change. More poor play by the Yanks would give George Steinbrenner a rare opportunity to cashier the immensely popular Torre.

In June, Torre is scheduled to manage in St. Louis for the first time since being fired as Cardinals skipper 10 years ago. At this point, I'm not sure that will happen.

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