When his career is over, Joe Torre knows how he’ll best be remembered -- as a Yankee

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It was one of those questions you ask already knowing the answer, but need to hear the response from the source anyway.

Joe Torre has managed five different major league teams over 29 years. He played in the majors for three different teams over 18 years.

And now sitting in the dugout wearing his Dodgers uniform, he was asked when it’s all over, what team’s association for which he will be remembered most.

‘It’s going to be Yankees, no question,’’ Torre said. ‘They put me on the map.

‘I was a pretty good player, too, but the Yankees put me on the map. Which is fine with me, because it was a very proud time in my life.’

Torre was better than pretty good. He finished his career with .297 batting average. He hit 252 home runs and had 1,185 RBI. In 1971, he was the National League MVP.

He’s managed the Mets, the Braves, the Cardinals and has led the Dodgers to the N.L. championship series the last two years.

And there really is no question, though, Torre will best be remembered as a Yankee.

Torre managed 14 seasons for the Mets, Braves and Cardinals, and had only one division title in Atlanta to show for it.

But when he came to the Yankees in 1996, everything changed.

He led the Yankees to the World Series title in four of his first five seasons, helping return the glory to baseball’s most storied franchise.

And in an unprecedented accomplishment, managed George Steinbrenner’s Yankees for 12 consecutive seasons. When hired, he was Steinbrenner’s 22nd manager in 23 years.

--Steve Dilbeck