Torre believed he wasn't wanted

RYE BROOK, N.Y. -- Joe Torre knew they didn't want him back.

Even in those final few moments, as he sat in George Steinbrenner's office and listened to the New York Yankees' offer, he hoped there was a way he could stay on as manager.

But when the team submitted a one-year contract with a hefty paycut, performance-based bonuses -- and no room to negotiate -- Torre was insulted and figured he had no choice but to walk away.

"The fact that somebody is reducing your salary is just telling me they're not satisfied with what you're doing," Torre said Friday at a packed news conference. "There really was no negotiation involved. I was hoping there would be, but there wasn't.

"If somebody wants you to do a job, if it takes them two weeks to figure out, yeah, we want to do this, should do this, yeah, you're a little suspicious. If somebody wanted me to manage here, I would be managing here."

Sitting at a desk before a backdrop of Yankees navy blue -- but no logo behind him -- Torre admitted he was nervous, though he took questions for about an hour.

His voice trembled at times, especially when he spoke of his players, as his wife and sister stood by his side. Torre said his 12 years with the Yankees were the best time of his professional life, but he hasn't ruled out managing elsewhere.

"I'm free to listen right now," he said. "I don't expect other ballclubs to pay me what the Yankees paid me."

Torre turned down a $5 million, one-year contract -- $2.5 million less than he made this season, when New York failed to make it past the first round of the playoffs for the third straight year.

First, he wanted a face-to-face meeting with team management, saying he thought that was important. So Torre took a morning flight Thursday to Tampa, Fla., with general manager Brian Cashman, who had told him of the club's offer Wednesday night.

Cashman asked Torre if he was taking the trip to make a deal or say goodbye. Torre said he wasn't sure.

Torre walked into Steinbrenner's office at Legends Field and listened to the offer in a meeting that lasted about 20 minutes. The deal on the table never changed. He said he couldn't accept it, shook hands and left.

"I basically asked if they wanted me to manage this club and why. There were a couple of comments, and then I just started talking about the 12 years, which I found a little difficult because I'm not comfortable talking about myself," Torre said.

"I expressed my dissatisfaction with the length of contract," he added, explaining that a one-year deal would bring questions about his job security every time the Yankees had a losing streak. "I explained that and the fact that the incentives, which to me I took as, you know, an insult. That we basically get to postseason and then all of a sudden we're satisfied with where we've gotten to."

Still, Torre was glad he met with club officials, including Steinbrenner and the owners' sons, Hal and Hank, who have taken an increased role in recent months.

"Just at least to put my mind at ease that I got my side out and just said everything I need to say. And I did that," Torre said.

"I offered a concept we may talk about," he added. "I don't want to go into X's and O's here. More a concept that would work for both of us. It was term and how to go about it. But that was it. Money wasn't involved in the suggestion."

After all he had accomplished -- four World Series titles, 12 straight years in the playoffs, almost certain entry into the Hall of Fame -- and after all the indignities, this was one he wasn't going to stand for.

"I was very much at peace with my decision," Torre said.