Martinez, Torre Wait for the Boss to Decide

New York Yankee insiders are choosing sides as owner George Steinbrenner dangles his popular manager, Joe Torre, who has managed the team to four World Series titles in five years, but is unsigned beyond this season.

Steinbrenner’s Tampa-based kitchen cabinet reportedly advised the owner to shake things up by trading for Tampa Bay Devil Ray first baseman Fred McGriff, who eventually was traded to the Chicago Cubs.

Tino Martinez, the incumbent first baseman, is also unsigned for next season as Steinbrenner’s aides talk up prospect Nick Johnson or potential free agent Jason Giambi of the Oakland Athletics.

Martinez has averaged 29 home runs and 115 runs batted in over the last five seasons with the Yankees.

“I’m not giving my job to Nick Johnson or Jason Giambi,” Martinez told the New York Daily News’ Bill Madden.

“If the front office moves me out, fine, but I won’t sit here and give my job away to anyone. I’ve played through slumps and injuries and I know Joe, my teammates and the fans have appreciated that.”

OK, who does that leave out?

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Trivia question: Name the three coaches who have lost four Super Bowls.

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Oops: Madden, citing Branch Rickey’s maxim about trading a player a year too early rather than a year too late, notes that in 1941, Rickey’s last season as St. Louis Cardinal general manager, he traded 29-year-old first baseman Johnny Mize, who had slumped from 43 homers to 16, to the New York Giants.

Mize hit 221 home runs over the next 11 seasons with the Giants and the Yankees.

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Kirby’s back: After five years of exploiting retired Kirby Puckett to sell tickets, the Minnesota Twins did it the easy way, leading the American League’s Central Division for the first half of this season.

Now, notes the Minneapolis Star-Tribune’s Pat Reusse, they’re back to merchandising Puckett.

The Twins had a night for Kirby to thank the fans following his forced retirement in 1996 and a full weekend honoring him in 1997.

They gave away Kirby bats in 1999 and Kirby bobblehead dolls in 2000.

At the 2001 All-Star break, they led their division by five games. However, they started the second half by losing 29 of 39.

The second half of this season has been enlivened by Kirby Puckett Hall of Fame Night, with the team celebrating his induction, and another Kirby Bobblehead Day.

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Trivia answer: Bud Grant with the Minnesota Vikings, Marv Levy with the Buffalo Bills and Don Shula with the Baltimore Colts and the Miami Dolphins.

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And finally: Rocky Mountain News columnist Bernie Lincicome on Tiger Woods’ explanation after a bad round that all he needed was to eliminate his mistakes:

“Get out of here. Me, too. How many times have I said that? Well, every time, actually.

“For Woods to rationalize a three-over 73 in the opening round of the PGA Championship the same way I do a twilight round of 103 at Breckenridge is a moment worth saving, although it says more about the state of Woods’ game than it does mine

“Winston Churchill once told a hostess who complained that he was drunk, tomorrow he would be sober, but she would still be ugly. Woods might shoot 65 today and I shall keep using what I will forever consider my Tiger alibi.”