“I just wanted to pretty much clear the air on everything that was part of my unhappiness or anger or whatever you want to call it, frustration. I guess you can put all those things under the same heading,” Torre said. “I just wanted to pretty much, for my own satisfaction, to find out if he still trusts me with his team.”

He was angered by Steinbrenner’s public criticisms during the season, especially when the owner bashed pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre, who is leaving, and second-guessed Torre’s decision to have left-hander Alan Embree pitch to Paul Konerko of the White Sox on Aug. 9. Konerko hit a solo homer that gave Chicago a two-run lead in a 2-1 win.

“It just rubbed me the wrong way,” Torre said, “I’m a year older. I’m a year crankier. It could have been the combination of the two.

He said the criticism became “very personal.” His wife, Ali, noticed how it bothered him.

“He was jumpy, irritable,” she said.

Dissent within the Yankees organization developed as the team got off to an 11-19 start, its worst since 1966. New York didn’t clinch the division until the next-to-last day of the regular season and finished 95-67.

“It wasn’t a lot of fun,” Torre told Steinbrenner.

“Yeah, it wasn’t,” he said Steinbrenner responded.

Given all that, Torre said he needed “to hear that they want me to do what I do.”

“I had to not only hear it,” he said, “but hear the tone in which it was said.”

Torre said the availability of former Yankees manager Lou Piniella, who left the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, wasn’t discussed.

“If George wants Lou or anybody else to manage, that’s certainly his prerogative,” Torre said.

When he first became manager of the Yankees, Torre talked with Steinbrenner quite often. During this year, he thought “we really disconnected basically.”

“I think I’m going to have to make more of an effort to make calls on a regular basis if something’s going to get me upset or angry or whatever,” Torre said.

He could do without the stress, but understands Steinbrenner won’t change. But he does love being manager of the Yankees.

“It comes at a price tag,” Torre said.

MORE FROM BASEBALL

Baseball Section Front

Handicapping the Halladay chase Blyleven: Pitching to be had beyond Halladay DeMarco: Red Sox should take measured approach CTB: A prediction — Lackey will sign with Yankees   CTB: Indians unlikely to deal Wood this offseason   CTB: Mets could be interested in Royals’ Guilllen Complete list of free agents Circling the Bases: Blogging on news, rumors, buzz SCORES, SCHEDULES, STANDINGS, STATS Latest baseball videos Baseball Section Front   Add Baseball headlines to your news reader: