CHICAGO -- Joe Torre wanted to win, sure. Who doesn't want to win?

But check the violins at the door, Joe.

	Mike Scioscia hopes to manage the AL to victory, as he did the Angels last October.

"What I resent,'' Torre said recently, "is the implication that we weren't trying to win all these years.''

Sorry, Joe. But there's a difference between hoping to win and trying to win. The reality is that the 2002 nightmare at Miller Park was caused more by the indifferent work of the managers, Torre and Arizona's Bob Brenly, than commissioner Bud Selig, who caught most of the flak.

Selig had to wait a year, but he is getting his revenge, putting the onus where it belongs in 2003.

With home-field advantage for the World Series going to the winning league in Tuesday night's All-Star Game, Anaheim's Mike Scioscia and the Cubs' Dusty Baker could find themselves under the gun in the late innings. That's when Torre's biggest concern was always emptying his bench.

In recent years, the only mandate managers have had was to get the biggest stars out of the game in time for them to catch their flights. But Baker and Scioscia will have to manage like it's a real game -- with signs for the hitters and baserunners and everything.

That's advantage, AL. Sorry, but it just doesn't sound right for a Cubs manager to work the All-Star Game. Many also believe Scioscia got the best of Baker in that little thing called the World Series, with Game 6 being the sore that won't go away for San Francisco Giants fans (for the record, if Robb Nen had been at full strength, the Giants would have been champs).

Scioscia doesn't think the added significance will change the approach of players.

"I don't think guys will play harder because of home-field advantage,'' Scioscia said. "I don't see guys playing harder than when we played. The real pressure is being not only on a national stage, but on a stage where the whole world is watching. The pride motivates you to go out there to perform well for yourself, your organization and your league.''

Scioscia's probably right. But it will be different for the managers. Whether the Mariners or Braves get the chance to play a Game 7 of the Series in their parks could come down to some late-inning moves made by the managers of the Angels and Cubs.

It seems like a goofy notion, sure, but it is better than just rotating that advantage between leagues based only on the calendar. And, if anything, it's going to make the game more enjoyable for Baker and Scioscia.

Managers are competitive people. It had to seem foreign for Torre to manage the best players in baseball and not be able to really turn them loose because grinding made no sense.

Batting Orders

NATIONAL LEAGUE 1. Edgar Renteria, Cardinals 2. Jim Edmonds, Cardinals 3. Albert Pujols, Cardinals 4. Barry Bonds, Giants 5. Gary Sheffield, Braves 6. Todd Helton, Rockies 7. Scott Rolen, Cardinals 8. Javy Lopez, Braves 9. Jose Vidro, Expos Complete NL roster AMERICAN LEAGUE 1. Ichiro Suzuki, M's 2. Alfonso Soriano, Yankees 3. Carlos Delgado, Blue Jays 4. Alex Rodriguez, Rangers 5. Garret Anderson, Angels 6. Edgar Martinez, M's 7. Hideki Matsui, Yankees 8. Troy Glaus, Angels 9. Jorge Posada, Yankees Complete AL roster

Baker says he's looking forward to the game.

"I'm just going to go out and have a good time and manage the game, because the game is fun,'' Baker said. "That's what we're there for.''

Scioscia and, especially, Baker will be happy when the game arrives. They've spent the last couple of weeks dealing with details big and small involving the All-Star Game while also trying to keep things together with their teams. "Yeah, it's a lot of work,'' Baker said last week. "And people want to know right now. The league wants answers now. I mean, (the Cubs) are my primary concern. The All-Star team is secondary until it gets here.''

Scioscia, who was just given a contract extension, had to make amends with a pitching staff that felt it had been unfairly fingered for the Angels' disappointing season. His team ended the first half on a roll, going 12-4 to climb above .500 (49-43).

Baker has tried to frantically plug holes that keep springing up in the Cubs' lineup, with the latest problem being Corey Patterson's season-ending knee injury. The Cubs went 8-16 at the end of the first half to slide back to .500 (47-47).

Baker has also been in the news for his comments about African-Americans being more suited to play in the heat because many are descended from slaves. He is certain to face some tougher-than-usual questions from reporters.

"I'm used to getting beat up," Baker told Chicago reporters. "Like Popeye used to say, 'I say what I mean, I mean what I say.' I meant what I said. I say what I feel. I try to be as honest as possible, and if that's how I feel, that's how I feel. And if that's what I said, you write it. They wrote it. It doesn't matter to me. I still believe what I said. I'm not going to take it back, or else I wouldn't have said it in the first place." Baker will take the heat about his comments. He hopes he won't be getting any about his managing.

Phil Rogers is the national baseball writer for the Chicago Tribune, which has a Web site at www.chicagosports.com.