And that's exactly what the Yankees have done under Torre as they've won three straight World Championships and four in five years. He's now shooting for four straight and five in six years, an accomplishment that would put him up there with the most successful Yankee manager of them all, Casey Stengel.

While Stengel talked in riddles, you always know where Torre is coming from. If not, you could read his book: Joe Torre's Ground Rules for Winners.

The book was published in 1999 when Torre only had two World Championships under his belt. "Here's my motto:" Torre wrote back then. "Every employee must feel useful."

That's the key to the Yankees success. Although that success is driven by several key players: Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Roger Clemens, the Yankees have been so successful under Torre because he understands the essence of teamwork.

Then there is the New York state of mind, never more so than this season after the horrific events of Sept. 11. Torre revels in being a New Yorker and the pressure that comes with the job, especially with George Steinbrenner as his boss. Torre makes the most of pressure. Big pressure brings big success and big paychecks. Torre will soon sign a new three-year contract, worth about $15 million.

"I always say that pressure is a given," Torre explains. "Deal with it, rather than pretend it is not there."

Deal with it like Jeter did in Game 3, making the crucial defensive play of the series to get Jeremy Giambi at home. Giambi did not slide on the play and he was beaten by Jeter's pure hustle play. Even though they were down 2-0 in the series, the Yankees beat the A's three straight. They never succumbed to the pressure. This year the pressure of being a New Yorker is more intense than ever, but Torre has used that as a badge of courage for his Yankees.

Torre also has a unique ability to use his players in just the right situation, almost as if he has a view of the future and then puts the player in position to make the big play. He knows just when to sit Paul O'Neill, when to put David Justice to the plate to hit the key home run against the A's in Game 5, Torre has a knack for success.

"In my view," Torre says of being in the right place at the right time, "you won't have the right stuff if you are not in the right spot."

The Yankees are again in the right spot against the Mariners. They escaped the ALDS against a physically intimidating team, the muscle-bound A's in a short series, and now have seven games to work their magic again. This is the kind of series where all the parts come together for the Yankee machine, the scouting, the positioning of the rotation, the bullpen, and setting of the lineup.

"You never have to make excuses when you've done your homework," Torre says, "and used your intelligence and your intuition to make the best decision possible . . . When you rely on sound reasoning and gut hunches, you never have to fear the consequences of being bold."