Torre: Father is catalyst behind abuse foundation

Yankees manager Joe Torre says his father had violent rages, the reason he helped establish a foundation to combat domestic violence.

"When he was home, it was like walking on eggshells all the time," Torre said during an interview with Dateline NBC that was released Thursday and airs Sunday.

Torre and wife Ali established the "Safe at Home" foundation in memory of his mother, Margaret. Torre said his father's behavior left him with self-doubt.

"It's not comfortable," he said during the interview. "It brings up old memories you certainly would like to forget. But here I am, a successful person, and I need to let people know that, you know, it doesn't always have to be a dark hole out there."

Torre, the youngest of five children, feared for his mother. "When he was yelling at my mom, it was sort of you cringe because you didn't know what was going to happen. I sort of went in a shell. Obviously, I wasn't protective. I wanted to be, but I was too frightened."

Torre said his wife got him to open up, and that he went to a self-improvement seminar.

ORIOLES MANAGERIAL JOB: Baltimore's list of managerial candidates has been reduced to three, and Eddie Murray apparently isn't one of them.

Orioles bench coach Sam Perlozzo, Brewers hitting coach Rich Dauer and Yankees third-base coach Lee Mazzilli are the finalists, the Washington Post reported in Thursday's editions. None of the three has managed in the majors.

The team has been targeting today to announce the new manager, and Orioles media relations director Bill Stetka did not rule out that timing when reached by the Post.

METS: General manager Jim Duquette started surrounding himself with new talent evaluators, hiring former 20-game winner Bill Singer and longtime scout Al Goldis as special assistants.

FOREIGN FREE AGENT: Shingo Takatsu, Japan's career saves leader, filed for free agency and is interested in pitching for a major-league team. Takatsu, who throws sidearm and relies on a sinkerball, led the Central League with 34 saves for the Yakult Swallows.