Watson Puts Pride Above Steinbrenner

Yankees general manager Bob Watson was glowing after New York won the World Series on Saturday night, and being a black general manager at the helm of a champion made him proudest of all.

Throughout the season, Yankees owner George Steinbrenner has threatened Watson with dismissal. While the owner gave manager Joe Torre a vote of confidence, he said nothing about Watson, who has sounded like a man who wants to be fired.

After New York’s 3-2 victory, Watson was asked what he was proudest of: “To be the only minority general manager, the only vice president of baseball operations, on the 50th anniversary of Jackie Robinson coming up, to be the architect of a world champion. Hopefully this will open the doors for other minorities to put together a championship club.”

Surprising call

Joe Torre left Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center thinking it would be at least a few days before he would resume his daily phone conversations with his older brother Frank.

Frank Torre had undergone a heart transplant Friday morning, and when Joe Torre visited him that afternoon Frank was in intensive care still groggy from the anesthesia and with several tubes in his body.

“He was signing with his fingers, barely writing notes on who he wanted on the visitors’ list,” Joe Torre said.

So imagine Torre’s surprise when he got a phone message from his brother Saturday.

“It startled the hell out of me,” Torre said. “At first I thought someone was playing a cruel joke. So I called the hospital and they said he had called. To hear him with energy felt good. He has no pain.”

Late hit

Atlanta manager Bobby Cox knew Terry Pendleton would get a hit sooner or later. The problem was, the Braves could have used it sooner rather than later.

Cox showed the utmost confidence in the slumping Pendleton, making him the designated hitter for Game 6. It seemed questionable, considering the 3-for-43 slump Pendleton was in. He was hitless in 15 straight at-bats and 2 for 30 going into the postseason.

Still, Cox made him the DH, and Pendleton hit into a rally-killing double play in the fifth inning that he called the turning point of the game.

Yankee starter Jimmy Key was in trouble, allowing two hits and two walks to force in Atlanta’s first run. With the bases loaded and one out, Pendleton ran the count to 3-1. One more ball and the Braves would have had another run.

But Pendleton swung at the next pitch and hit into an inning-ending double play.

“It was stupid on my part,” Pendleton said. “I should have made Key go to 3-2. Basically, I screwed up. I got a little too excited. The pressure was on him, not me. To me, it was the turning point of the game.”

Notable

The hearing to address the New York Yankees’ grievances over a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers in August has been postponed, and according to league sources, may never be held.

The Brewers traded relief pitcher Graeme Lloyd and outfielder Pat Listach to the Yankees for pitcher Bob Wickman and outfielder Gerald Williams. Listach was found to have a foot injury, and the Brewers substituted pitcher Ricky Bones in place of Listach.

John Wetteland was named the most valuable player after saving all four of New York’s victories, becoming only the second relief pitcher to be awarded that honor.

It didn’t come easy Saturday. After three hits and two outs, there were Braves on first and second, the count was full, the runners were moving on the pitch.

“It seemed like every pitch I was digging a new hole,” Wetteland said. “It was definitely filled with anxiety.”

This ‘n that: The last manager to win a World Series in his first year with a team was Lou Piniella with Cincinnati in 1990. … The Yankees have won the World Series 23 times. No other team has won more than nine.