Yankees may fire manager Joe Torre, keep star players

Nevertheless, while Joe Torre appears to have managed his last game in a Yankees uniform, there remains a good chance that potential free agents Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera and Alex Rodriguez will return.

In this new era of baseball, in which player development is king and no teams need to shed payroll, the Yankees might not import any high-profile outsiders — unless they fail to retain their own star players.

The decision on Torre will come first, and likely fast. Principal owner George Steinbrenner told The Bergen Record, in a story published Sunday, that he would not retain his manager of 12 seasons if the Yankees failed to rebound and win this Division Series against the Cleveland Indians, who closed out New York on Monday night.

Steinbrenner’s words came as a surprise only in that the ailing owner would publicly voice those sentiments, especially with the team’s season on the line. But it has been widely believed throughout the organization that Torre would have to take his team far into the playoffs to have a chance to come back.

Yankees bench coach Don Mattingly and former Florida Marlins manager Joe Girardi, a former Yankees player and coach, are the favorites to replace Torre.

As for the players, it could be an off-season with little turnover. A-Rod, of course, will draw the most attention. The third baseman — coming off a great regular season that will win him his third American League Most Valuable Player award, and a third consecutive lackluster postseason — can opt out of the final three years and US$81 million of his contract Nov. 10.

“I think we’ll re-sign him,” Steinbrenner told The Record.

The Yankees intend to offer A-Rod an extension past 2010; they don’t want to lose the US$22 million over the next three years that the Texas Rangers must contribute to their former player. Rodriguez and agent Scott Boras will decide whether to accept that extension or become a free agent — at which point, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman swears, the Yankees will drop out of the A-Rod sweepstakes.

If A-Rod does depart, Boston Red Sox third baseman and former Yankees prospect Mike Lowell, a potential free agent, is the most likely replacement.

Cashman opted against negotiating with Posada and Rivera before the 2007 season, and both career-long Yankees responded with outstanding seasons. Both will generate interest throughout baseball, but the Yankees want the pair back. Both apparently prefer to return as long as they receive what they deem respectful offers.

Andy Pettitte has a US$16 million player option to return, and he’ll likely exercise that. Roger Clemens, 45, finally might retire, given the physical problems he experienced this season.

The Yankees have a US$16 million team option on right fielder Bobby Abreu for 2008 and likely will activate it, given Abreu’s productive 2007. Reliever Luis Vizcaino can be a free agent, and the Yankees probably won’t push hard to bring him back.

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