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It will mean that the players did one fine job of overcoming the greatest impediment to their season, their manager. The point isn't even worth debating. It will also provide Yankees-haters with confirmation of their most widely-held belief: that a $200 million payroll allows the Yankees to overcome problems and flaws other teams cannot. It will also cover up Torre's awful managing since at least 2003. As a Yankees fan, I will gladly trade a championship for letting Torre finish out his contract, his reward for being graced with the best assemblage of baseball talent that any manager has enjoyed over a ten year period (short of Casey Stengel).

//As a Yankees fan, I will gladly trade a championship for letting Torre finish out his contract//

As a Yankees fan, I will gladly trade a championship for letting Torre get a chance to come back next year and see how that works out. I'mnot sure I'd be willing to give him 2007 if he tanks in 2006.

#3) Shut George up?
The only time that happened was 1998, which was a once in a lifetime event. Failing to shut George up can never be counted a negative, unless you want Torre to hold back the tide too.
#1) The clubhouse hasn't fractured, I haven't read of any serious problems between teammates, and I'm not counting the "A-Rod didn't lend his pen to Jeter" high school gossipy type crap.
And injuries to the starting pitchers have been devastating. Unit's been unable to be the nasty guy he was in AZ, and however forseeable injuries to Wright, Pavano, and Brown were, the Yankees didn't have backup starters ready like have had in the past. The one good one, Wang, also went down. Torre's got his faults as an in-game strategist, and this year has been difficult, but overall he's been good for this team (1996-2005).

It will mean that the players did one fine job of overcoming the greatest impediment to their season, their manager.
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Actually, the greatest impediment to their season was the roster, and the way this team was put together.

Pavano, Wright and Womack... Sheesh

I think both JohnnyC and Raf are right - if the Yanks win this year, it will mean they overcame both the worst offseason by the FO in team history AND the worst use of resources by Torre in his 10 years with the team.

The FO never should have signed Womack - and Torre shouldn't have kept playing him when Cano and Bernie were both available.

The FO never should have re-signed Sierra - and Torre shouldn't keep running him out there in RF now when he has better options available (Vento, Bubba).

The FO never should have signed (or promoted) Wayne Franklin - and Torre never should have used him.

And so on . . .

That said, FWIW, I'd like to see Cashman back next year, and I don't like to trade championships, period. =)

I too would like Cashman to return next season. I think he's done a decent job, at times an inspired one. He certainly patched the holes in this year's rotation quite resourcefully. But, if you've read Steven Goldman's blog today, he's in fine form and he asks (rather vehemently considering he is not what one would consider a "Torre-hater")what possesses Torre to persist in a)using Embree and b)playing Sierra in the field. If he needs a LOOGY and will hold his breath until he gets one, Goldman points out that two lefty specialists at AA Trenton could have been given a shot: Matt Smith and Ben Julianel. Smith's the hard thrower, Julianel the breaking ball specialist. (Not to mention Colter Bean...whom we won't mention) Seeing that this season, Cashman forced...er...persuaded Torre to use Cano, Wang, Henn, even Melky Cabrera, what do you think stopped the organization from at least trying these guys out instead of using re-treads like Wayne Franklin, Tim Redding, and Alan Embree (not to mention Mike Stanton, Buddy Groom, and Felix Rodriguez)? Do you think Cashman or the Tampa faction that drafted these guys stopped themselves? Likewise, given the availability of Bubba Crosby, Mike Vento, Kevin Thompson, Kevin Reese, etc., how the heck did Ruben Sierra manage to not only hit .100 in the month of September but play consecutive games in right field on turf? Do we blame that also on the front office? Just asking.