Morning briefing

Joe Torre will be introduced as the Dodgers’ new manager at a 10 a.m. news conference today that will be televised locally.

Torre’s return to Southern California should be welcomed by the local media. He was glib when he was an Angels broadcaster for a little more than 5 1/2 seasons beginning in 1985, and judging from his appearance on David Letterman’s show a week ago, he can still deliver a pretty good line or two.

“I appreciated the fact that I’m following Jerry Seinfeld,” Torre told Letterman. “I hit behind Hank Aaron for eight years, and that wasn’t fun either.”

Torre can talk a good game too

Of his decision to leave the New York Yankees, Torre said: “Now that the divorce has taken place, we’re not sure who gets custody of Billy Crystal.”

Torre, who turned down a one-year, $5-million offer from the Yankees, said his decision had nothing to do with money, adding: “Sure, they cut my salary, but $5 million is still a lot of glue.”

Of expectations of Yankees fans, Torre referred to 2001, when the team over the previous five years had won four World Series titles and three in a row.

“We’re trying to win our fourth World Series in a row,” he said. “We’re in Arizona and we have a one-run lead in the ninth inning and we lose the game. I remember going to spring training that following year and I’m signing autographs and this Yankee fan comes down and says, ‘Gee, thanks for the autograph. We’ll do better this year.’ ”

Trivia time

When Torre was hired as the Angels’ television commentator in 1985, he was paired with play-by-play man Bob Starr. Those two replaced Joe Buttitta and Geoff Witcher.

In 1989, Torre was moved to play by play and a future Hall of Famer became his commentator. Who was he?

Miracle at Bel-Air

Broadcaster Al Michaels has been involved in a lot of thrilling moments in sports during his career, and he witnessed another last week while playing a round of golf at Bel-Air Country Club.

His foursome included Dave Podas, the club’s head pro, who shot a 63 from the blue tees.

Although Eddie Merrins, Bel-Air’s head pro emeritus who has been with the club for more than 40 years, shot a 62 in 1970, that was from the white tees. The seven-under-par 63 tied the course record from the blues at the 80-year-old club.

Podas hit 17 of 18 greens in regulation. The only one he missed was on the par-three 10th hole, and he chipped within four feet and missed a par putt for his only bogey of the day.

The two others in the foursome were Anthony Chidoni and Paul Baerwald. Said Michaels: “We were like teammates on a baseball team when someone is pitching a no-hitter. We were afraid to say anything.”

In other words, Michaels resisted hollering: “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!”

Darn good idea

For six years, the producers of FSN’s “Best Damn Sports Show Period” have been trying to get Herm Edwards, now the coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, on their show. But Edwards has always refused because of the word “damn” in the show’s title.

So for one day last week, it was replaced by “darn,” and Edwards, presented with some other incentives, which included Lakers tickets, went on the show.

Trivia answer

Reggie Jackson. (Note: In 1990, before leaving in August to become manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, Torre was the play-by-play announcer alongside Jackson on Angels telecasts on Channel 5 and he was the commentator alongside play-by-play announcer Joe Garagiola on Angels telecasts on the short-lived SportsChannel.

And finally

This from Letterman later last week on Torre’s going from the Yankees to the Dodgers: “Who wouldn’t take earthquakes and wildfires over George Steinbrenner?”

larry.stewart@latimes.com