Joe Torre and George Steinbrenner divorced yesterday. Their relationship had been strained at best, so it was time to part in an amicable way.

Torre refused to swallow his pride and put aside his ego and accept a substantial cut in salary. He said no to Steinbrenner and the New York Yankees. It was the best thing for both. After 12 summers, the once-perfect marriage is over.

Torre, his dignity intact, refused a $2.5 million salary cut to $5 million to return for a 13th season — just one year with a vesting option — as the Yankees manager. He could have made another $3 million in $1 million increments if he took his team back to the World Series.

I have tremendous respect for both Torre and Steinbrenner, but this development, despite the hurt, serves both well.

Tension and the feelings on both sides were enormous. Torre would have been working in 2008 with everyone in the Yankee hierarchy looking over his shoulder and probably second-guessing his every move.

At 67, with his credentials, he doesn't need that.

As team President Randy Levine said, "It's time for the New York Yankees to move forward."

When you take a team to the postseason in each of your 12 years, win 10 American League East Division titles and four World Series, it's difficult to take a salary cut. It's a slap in the face.

Indirectly, the message is they don't want you. And if that was truly the case, Torre's decision was correct.

Torre, a certain Hall of Famer, sat in the dugout with me at Legends Field during spring training and talked about almost being fired following the 2006 season.

"When you win four World Series in five years and appear in five in six years, are we all spoiled?" he asked. "Yeah, probably. But just because you spend the most money, you just don't phone it in."

When Steinbrenner brought Torre back for 2007, he made no bones about what was expected. "I told him, 'You're back for the year,' " Steinbrenner said, but added, " 'I have high expectations, and I want to see enthusiasm, a fighting spirit and a team that works together. The responsibility is yours, Joe, and all of the Yankees.' "

Torre admitted that day, "You get hurt. The last thing I want to do is say, 'Woe is me.' Nobody wants to hear that."

Torre was on the private jet headed back to New York from Tampa yesterday when Steinbrenner, 77, called his friend, Commissioner Bud Selig. They talked, obviously about Torre, but Selig declined to divulge details of the conversation.

My guess is the Boss wanted the other baseball boss to know why this event was stealing top billing over the Boston Red Sox-Cleveland Indians game.

Torre was presented the Yankees' offer earlier in the week and obviously wrestled with the decision. He called general manager Brian Cashman on Tuesday and asked to meet with Steinbrenner and sons, Hal and Hank, who have taken an increased role in recent months. They spent just a little more than an hour together.

Cashman said he was uncertain whether Torre had reached his decision before they left for Tampa.

"I don't think he honestly knew what his decision would be," said Cashman before adding, "A difficult day. He will always be a Yankee."

Steinbrenner's sons are obviously taking a firm grip on running the most celebrated franchise in sports.

If indeed this is the new regime making this call, enormous pressure will be on Torre's successor to produce. After all, 12 consecutive playoff appearances weren't enough for Torre.

"The objective of the Yankees since the '20s has been to win the championship every year, just as the objective of (Vince) Lombardi with the Packers was or (Bill) Belichick and the Patriots," Hank Steinbrenner said. "None of us think we can win the championship every year, but that's the goal. Period."

Torre leaves, but he joins Joe McCarthy, Miller Huggins and Casey Stengel as the greatest Yankee managers ever.

As the Indians a few paces down the hall at Yankee Stadium were celebrating their division championship, Torre was asked about his future.