This is not the time to fire Joe Torre…

George Steinbrenner sits fuming in Tampa. He watches the Yankees sleepwalk and starts to think Joe Torre's time is up as his manager. He isn't the only one in the organization who feels that way However, if The Boss wanted to delete Torre, he waited too long.

If George Steinbrenner believes firing Joe Torre is what the Yankees need to get going he should have done it last October when he held Torre responsible for the Yankees getting eliminated in the first round of the playoffs against the Detroit Tigers.

To box Torre in the first month of a season that has been dominated by injuries and poor performances by young pitchers who didn’t belong in the big leagues, such is the case of Chase Wright, would send the season into a spiral that the Yankees wouldn’t be able to pull out of.

When you have close to $200 million invested ($194.663.079) in a team you don’t switch managers in April, especially in New York. Whoever took over; Joe Girardi is the favorite with Don Mattingly the second betting choice, then Larry Bowa and Tony Peńa… they would be at a disadvantage for a while because the players would have to adjust to Torre not being in charge.

Had Steinbrenner boxed Torre in October the replacement would have had the entire off-season and six weeks of spring training to acclimate himself to the dysfunctional Yankee universe. Sure, Girardi and Mattingly know how it works around Steinbrenner. They have been here long enough, but let’s face it, not as managers.

Now to be realistic, the pitching staff has been awful with all of that injuries: Chien Ming Wang, Mike Mussina, Carl Pavano, Jeff Karstens and, now, the rookie Phil Hughes hurt himself while throwing for 6 1/3 innings a no hitter.

The Boss is The Boss and he will do what he wants. But if he wanted Torre gone he should have done it in October. If Steinbrenner does it now, he is kissing away the season.