Torre Quits as Yankee Manager

Who knew after all the hype, it'd be Torre who told "The Boss" to take a hike?

NEW YORK -- Joe Torre is out as manager of the New York Yankees, rejecting a substantial pay cut after the team failed to make it past the first round of the playoffs for the third straight year.

Torre turned down a $5 million, one-year contract Thursday - $2.5 million less than he made last season.

Rather than put up with the indignity of a salary slap coupled with a performance-based contract, the man who led the Yankees to playoff appearances in all 12 years he managed walked.

"A difficult day," general manager Brian Cashman said.

Bench coach Don Mattingly is the leading contender to replace Torre, who won four World Series championships with the Yanks but none since 2000. Yankees broadcaster Joe Girardi, the NL Manager of the Year with Florida in 2006, is another top contender. Tony La Russa and Bobby Valentine also could be considered.

What will be interesting to see is what happens with the rest of the dominoes in the Yankee roster. Will Mariano Rivera test the waters? Is Jorge Posada gone as well? What about Andy Pettite and Roger Clemens?

A-Rod...well he was leaving anyway.

But let's forget about that, and ask the question we all want to know: Has the Giuliani Campaign issued a statement on this news yet?