Case closed: Torre the one they can't lose

TAMPA -- In a clubhouse full of All-Stars, choosing the most indispensable Yankee is not as tough as it might seem, especially now that the team has the world's most expensive insurance policy (Alex Rodriguez) in case it loses its captain and shortstop, Derek Jeter, for any meaningful length of time.

Mariano Rivera, the closer who Tuesday agreed to a two-year, $21.5 million contract extension, always has been the player who separates the Bombers from everybody else in October. At the press conference announcing the agreement, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman called Rivera "without question the best reliever in the history of baseball," and with a nod of respect to Hall of Famer-to-be Dennis Eckersley, Rivera's postseason numbers -- 7-1, 30 saves, 0.75 ERA -- not to mention the dozens of bats he's broken with his incomparable cut fastball, virtually make it an open-and-shut case.

Losing A-Rod would be no fun, either, which is why there was a moment of high anxiety here last night when a sliding Brian Daubach deflected left fielder Hideki Matsui's throw into the face of the novice third baseman, bringing him to his knees in the fourth inning. Rodriguez left the game, but the preliminary word was that he'd sustained a bruised left cheekbone, with X-rays scheduled to make sure it wasn't more than that. Painful, but not debilitating.

But as worthy as Rivera and Rodriguez are, even George Steinbrenner recognizes the one Yankee in uniform the team can least afford to do without. That is why Steinbrenner, in mid-embrace with Rivera, told him he had some unfinished business to transact. "Now we have to get Joe," he said, "and we'll have everybody."

When the Yankees were beaten in the World Series by the Florida Marlins last October, Joe Torre was in no danger of suffering Grady Little's fate and losing his job, but he faced the very real possibility of entering the last year of his contract in the same lame-duck limbo that ate at Little last season. Torre was worn out by last season, one that began with Steinbrenner questioning the commitment of Torre's coaches and spiraled from there. In midsummer, Torre, in a rare admission, said the fun had gone out of the job, and after the season, his close friend, bench coach Don Zimmer, left in a bitter falling out with the Boss.

Torre, who at 63 has a young child, a devoted wife, and a house in Hawaii, didn't need this. Five years removed from prostate cancer, with four World Series rings and a place in Cooperstown already reserved for his plaque, Torre could have been expected to make this, the final year of a three-year, $16.5 million contract, his farewell tour. His wife, Ali, told the New York Times that many times last summer, Torre no longer felt wanted. Who could have blamed him for letting the Boss bluster at someone else next year.

"Until the spring started, yeah, I thought this likely was his last year," Cashman said yesterday. "I thought after going through last season, his contract was on its last legs, he was probably going to hang it up was my guess."

But a funny thing happened on the way to retirement. When Torre flew down to Tampa last month, on the day the A-Rod trade became official, Steinbrenner met him at the airport and asked him how he felt about sticking around.

"I think when George became so cordial right away, that really set the tone for us," Torre said yesterday. "I hope so."

Torre acknowledged that last season was a trial.

"Every year the enthusiasm is still there, it's got to be a surprise, because you know sooner or later it's going to become too much work," he said. "I don't anticipate it being bad, but I'm just happy it's still good."

Torre has been having off-and-on talks with Yankee executive Steve Swindal, Steinbrenner's son-in-law, about a contract extension that will keep him in pinstripes for two more seasons beyond this one. The deal could be done as soon as the club leaves later today for Tokyo, and its season-opening games with Tampa Bay. Speculation is that Torre may receive as much as $8 million a year to continue, making him far and away the game's highest-paid manager.

"He's got a new jump in his step, he's relaxed and enjoying things again," Cashman said. "He's got a twinkle in his eye."

No other manager in baseball -- not even the one in Boston -- has to put up with what Torre does, and no one has ever handled Steinbrenner, or the pressure, more beautifully. He is both a calming and inspiring presence in the Yankee clubhouse, one who has the unquestioned loyalty of all of his players.

"He's irreplaceable," Cashman said. "He's a pretty big cliff to fall off. Whoever has to replace him has got a tough act to follow. It's almost an impossible act. The longer we can continue the relationship, the better for all of us.

"Ultimately, Joe will have to go and at some point we'll be faced with having to replace him, which will be very difficult."