The Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS - New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner insists Joe Torre will be back to manage the team next season, no matter what the founder of USA Today thinks.

Responding to a column in the newspaper by Al Neuharth, Steinbrenner gave Torre a vote of confidence Friday and said the manager will keep his job regardless of how the Yankees do this postseason.

"My job is here, to manage this club. When he feels it's not good enough, then that's up to him," Torre said.

RED SOX: Pedro Martinez will be held back for a potential fifth game of Boston's playoff series against Oakland rather than pitch on short rest in Game 4.

"He would have been available for Game 4, but in the position we're in now, we have to win three games," Red Sox manager Grady Little said Friday. "He can't pitch all the games."

BRAVES: Atlanta manager Bobby Cox is leaning toward using Russ Ortiz on three days' rest in Game 4 today against the Chicago Cubs.

Ortiz, a 21-game winner in the regular season, pitched the opener Tuesday night in Atlanta and took the loss. Though Cox had considered using rookie Horacio Ramirez for today's game in Chicago, he said Friday he might need Ramirez for relief duty because Kent Mercker is bothered by a bad back.

ATHLETICS: Tim Hudson will start Game 4 for Oakland if the Athletics can't close out their first-round playoff series against the Boston Red Sox before then.