Let’s the rumors commence: Joe Torre denies showing interest in managing Mets

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What took so long?

About three seconds after Joe Torre announced he would not return to manage the Dodgers next season, the New York Post wrote that one of his close friends said he’d be interested in managing the Mets.

Torre very carefully announced when he was done managing the Dodgers that he was unlikely to manage anywhere else. Which is a tad different that simply saying he was through managing.

Torre, of course, knew how people would react to that, but Sunday called The Post report irresponsible.

‘There’s absolutely no legs to this story,’ Torre said. ‘I’ve had absolutely no conversation of any kind, and nobody I know has had a conversation of any kind.’

And not just with the Mets.

‘With anybody,’ he said.

Torre started his 29-year managerial career with the Mets in 1977. They fired him after five losing seasons.

Torre said he is uncertain what he will do next. He hopes to take a week off in Hawaii, and in the short term dedicate more time to his Safe at Home Foundation. He also plans to join his successor, Don Mattingly, for a week during his stint managing the Dodgers team in the Arizona Instructional League.

-- Steve Dilbeck