Yankee pitching coach blasts Steinbrenner

Almost certain he's stepping down after 10 years as New York Yankees pitching coach, Mel Stottlemyre had harsh words Wednesday for George Steinbrenner and the owner's treatment of manager Joe Torre.

Speaking in the Yankees clubhouse where he's spent 21 seasons as a player and coach, Stottlemyre said he interpreted Steinbrenner's statement following the Yankees' elimination by the Los Angeles Angels as a slap at Torre. Steinbrenner said Tuesday: "I congratulate the Angels and their manager on the great job they've done."

"I laughed when I saw it," Stottlemyre said. "My first thoughts were, 'What about Joe? Joe had done a hell of a job, too.' To congratulate the other manager and not congratulate your own after what he'd done this year, I laughed."

A Yankees coach since Torre took over as manager following the 1995 season, Stottlemyre criticized the schism between the team's New York and Tampa, Fla., offices and said Torre's job status shouldn't be questioned.

"I think it's absolutely ridiculous," he said. "I've been here with Joe for 10 years and this has by far been the toughest year for him, and it's the best job he's done. He's done a good job year in and year out — this year the job he's done was really special because he had a lot of things to battle through."

Steinbrenner had nothing to say Wednesday, spokesman Howard Rubenstein said.

Torre, signed through 2007 and owed $13.1 million, did not appear in the clubhouse Wednesday, and Yankees spokesman Rick Cerrone was unsure when the manager would make his end-of-season summation.

General manager Brian Cashman, whose contract expires at the end of the month, also wasn't in the clubhouse and didn't return a telephone call.

PERLOZZO'S REWARDED: As a reward for guiding the Baltimore Orioles through the most tumultuous two-month stretch in franchise history, Sam Perlozzo had the "interim" label removed from his job title Wednesday and signed a three-contract as manager.

Perlozzo takes control of a team that has suffered through eight straight losing seasons, the longest such run since the Orioles moved from St. Louis in 1954.

"We're going to go at it as hard as we can, and as long as we can, until we get a winner on this field," he said, speaking within the warehouse that sits behind Baltimore's home stadium. "I look for that to happen sooner than later."

Perlozzo was promoted from bench coach to interim manager on Aug. 4, taking over for Lee Mazzilli after the Orioles lost 16 of 18 to sink into fourth place in the AL East.