East coast or west, Torre proves why he's best

"This is by no means a knock on Torre," he added. "Let me make that clear. But look at the division they're in. If LA were in the AL East, it wouldn't be in the playoff discussion."

Torre didn't rise to the bait, having learned from his dealings with Hank's old man that some things are better left unsaid. Instead, he did the same things he always done - put his players in a position to deliver and then gets out of their way. His teams never doubt how much Torre wants to win; trusting them to find a way to win is why he always gets their best.

That approach has served Torre well not just in the clubhouse, but at the track as well.

Last Saturday at Belmont Park in New York, a horse named Vineyard Haven that Bobby Frankel trains and Torre owns a piece of won the Champagne Stakes. The 2-year-old thoroughbred still has plenty to prove before he'll be pointed toward the Kentucky Derby. But if somebody said a year ago the same guy might have a shot at both the World Series and the Derby by now, most of us would have guessed it was the Boss instead of someone who used to work for him.

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Jim Litke is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jlitkeap.org