Yankees Bringing Back Torre

When Joe Torre boarded a private plane Monday in New York that would take him to his meeting with George Steinbrenner in Tampa, Fla., he wasn’t sure of his future.

“If I sensed that they were thinking something different than I was, we were going to have to find a way to split up,” he said Tuesday.

While Monday’s takeoff was delayed for an hour by mechanical problems, New York Yankee President Randy Levine told him, “We want you back.”

“That sort of broke the ice,” Torre said.

After meeting with Steinbrenner, Torre was sure he wanted to return for his 11th season as Yankee manager.

“We didn’t use the word ‘love,’ but it was pretty warm,” Torre said. “It was something more than cordial.”

Steinbrenner praised Torre.

“It makes me feel very good. It really does,” Steinbrenner said. “He’s a good man. I like him. I understand him. I understand what he’s after. I’m very happy to have him.”

Steinbrenner said he was hoping General Manager Brian Cashman would stay too. Cashman’s contract expires at the end of the month.

Yankee second baseman Mark Bellhorn became a free agent after rejecting an assignment to the team’s triple-A Columbus affiliate.

Bellhorn, 31, signed with the Yankees on Aug. 30. He appeared in nine games, with two hits in 17 at-bats.

New York Met reliever Felix Heredia was suspended for the first 10 days of next season for violating baseball’s steroid policy.

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TENNIS

Tanner Is Arrested in Native Tennessee

Former standout Roscoe Tanner was in jail in Knoxville, Tenn., for a probation violation.

Tanner, a Chattanooga native who won the 1977 Australian Open, was arrested Monday on a fugitive warrant from Florida and will remain in the Knox County jail without bail pending an extradition hearing Oct. 24, officials said.

Florida authorities list Tanner as an absconder/fugitive.

David Nalbandian beat Jurgen Melzer, 7-6 (1), 6-3, to advance to the third round of the Madrid Masters in Spain.

David Ferrer beat Agustin Calleri, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, Fernando Gonzalez defeated Fernando Verdasco, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, and Robby Ginepri rallied to beat Sebastien Grosjean, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Defending champion Alicia Molik retired in the second set of her first-round match at the Zurich Open, the eighth time in nine tournaments the Australian has been knocked out in the opening round.

Molik, who has struggled to recover from an inner ear infection, was trailing Jelena Jankovic, 3-6, 2-4, when she retired.

Former Wimbledon and U.S. Open finalist Mark Philippoussis has withdrawn from the $50,000 USTA Challenger at the Calabasas Tennis & Swim Center because of back spasms. Philippoussis, once ranked as high as No. 8 in the world, had been scheduled to play Glenn Weiner in the first round.

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FIGURE SKATING

Cohen Pulls Out of Skate America

Figure skater Sasha Cohen withdrew from this weekend’s Skate America Grand Prix competition because of hip and muscle injuries.

The Orange County resident, a two-time world silver medalist, fell in practice last week, injuring her left side. She was told to rest for a week, preventing her from training for the competition that begins Thursday in Atlantic City, N.J. However, she remains entered in the Trophee Eric Bompard Grand Prix event to be held in Paris, Nov. 17-20.

Cohen’s replacement at Skate America will be Alissa Czisny.

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SOCCER

Adu Is Upset Over Lack of Playing Time

Freddy Adu vented his frustration over lack of playing time, saying it had wrecked his chances of making the U.S. World Cup team and had him thinking about leaving D.C. United.

United Coach Peter Nowak fired back, saying that the 16-year-old Adu has his chances to play and that “nobody is going to be above this team.”

The tension between coach and teenage player resurfaced as United prepared to open the Major League Soccer playoffs Friday night at Chicago. Adu was particularly upset he didn’t start the regular-season finale Saturday against Columbus.

Brian Kerr’s contract as manager of Ireland’s soccer team won’t be renewed after the team failed to qualify for next year’s World Cup.

DaMarcus Beasley, Landon Donovan and Kasey Keller have been named as the three finalists for the 2005 Honda player-of-the-year award.

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JURISPRUDENCE

Williams’ Attorney Argues Against Retrial

Jayson Williams cannot be retried on a reckless manslaughter charge in the shooting death of a hired driver because a jury already acquitted him of three other charges resulting from the same shotgun blast, said Joseph A. Hayden Jr., a lawyer for the former NBA player.

Williams, 37, has remained free on bail since his April 30, 2004, conviction on four charges stemming from a failed attempt to cover up the fatal shooting.

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HOCKEY

Hazing Incident Draws Suspension for Mantha

Moe Mantha, a former NHL player, has been suspended as general manager and coach of the Ontario Hockey League’s Windsor Spitfires over a hazing incident and player fighting.

Mantha was banned for one year as general manager and 25 games as coach for making players strip on the team bus. He also got a 15-game ban from coaching for fights in practice between Akim Aliu and Steve Downie.

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BOXING

Bowe Pleads Bankruptcy

Riddick Bowe, the former heavyweight champion who earned an estimated $80 million in compiling a 42-1 record, has filed for bankruptcy in Greenbelt, Md.

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HORSE RACING

Powerscourt Suffers Injury, Is Retired

Powerscourt, the British winner of the Arlington Million and considered to be Europe’s best chance to win the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Belmont Park on Oct. 29, has been retired to stud because of an undisclosed training injury. Aidan O’Brien, Powerscourt’s trainer, said that he would run Ace in the race instead.

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AMATEUR SPORTS

Foundation Awards $813,110 in Grants

The Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles, which funds youth sports organizations using surplus funds from the 1984 Olympics, announced grants of $813,110 to 12 organizations. The largest single grant, $366,988, went toward year-round after-school sports programs at 138 schools in the L.A. Unified School District.

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PASSINGS

Former Soccer Great Haynes Dies in Accident

Johnny Haynes, a former World Cup soccer captain and one of England’s most respected midfielders, died after a car crash. He was 71.