Jan from Wellesley sends this article describing how Jeter becoming captain is a shot at Joe Torre.

One Yankee has responded to crisis points far better than the rest during the Joe Torre Dynasty. One Yankee has been relied upon most to respond in the clutch, provide calm in a storm and set a positive example for others. One Yankee has been the de facto captain of a team that hasn't had someone hold the official title since 1995.

Proving he just can't stop messing with his manager these days, George Steinbrenner has decided to strip Joe Torre of that extra role he has filled so well, and further dilute his authority, by unilaterally slapping the captain title on Derek Jeter while slapping his manager across the face. Again, for what seems like the 15th time in the past week.

There's a lot of speculation in this article. Jeter has effectively been captain anyway, from what I see and hear. I don't think Jeter would ever try to undermine Torre; in fact, I bet they work very well together. But Torre has to realize he's under the microscope this year. Steinbrenner made that very clear:

Joe is the greatest friend I've ever had as a manager. It's a great relationship. I don't want to destroy that, but I will tell you this: I want his whole staff to understand that they have got to do better this year. I will not see him drop back into the way he was before. Right now he's a sure-fire Hall of Famer. Before he came to the Yankees he didn't even have a job. Three different times as manager he didn't deliver, and was fired. Look how far he's come. He's come that way because of an organization, and he's got to remember that. I'm glad that Joe is an icon. He's a hell of a guy, a tremendous manager and tremendous figure for New York. I just want his coaches to understand that just being a friend of Joe Torre's is not enough. They've got to produce for him. Joe Torre and his staff have heard the bugle.

And to a certain extent, I have to agree with Steinbrenner. I remember a few years ago asking a fan who they thought was the best manager in the game. They said Joe Torre. (At the time, Davey Johnson was still in the game.) I asked why, and this fan said because he had won big with the Yankees. I then asked if he thought this before Torre was with the Yankees, and the answer was no. And I think that's the right answer.

Joe Torre has managerial skills that work great when he has talented, intelligent, self motivated players. In that case, all he has to manage is their personalities. But when he has players who actually need to be coached, who need strategy laid out for them, who need a field general, he's not very good. So Steinbrenner is calling him on it. Good for Steinbrenner for not being fooled by the reasons for success. As usual, George isn't going about it very nicely and he's going to alienate all the Torre fans, but in the end, Torre has to keep the Yankees winning to keep his job. He's lasted longer than anyone else, but it very well might be time for a change.

Valentine is not the answer, however. With Valentine, you'll get back into a Billy Martin situation where there will be too many egos clashing. Where's Bob Lemon when you need him?