Amid the initial uproar over "The Yankee Years," Torre revealed to the New York Times that he told Cashman, "we'd always be friends." As much as Torre talks about trust, he cannot possibly believe that.

Cashman, friends say, is "crushed" by how Torre depicted him in the book. He had considered Torre a second father. And he was loyal to Torre, except, perhaps, at the very end.

Torre should be upset if Cashman indeed failed to speak on his behalf at the final meeting — and if Cashman failed to inform ownership of a contract proposal that Torre believed might save his job.

But is that even what happened?

Some close to Cashman dispute that the final meeting went down as Torre described and say that other portrayals in the book are pure fiction as well.