Torre can count on spot in Monument Park

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- It is only a matter of time before the pinstriped No. 6 that Joe Torre wore on his back for 12 seasons appears in Monument Park, general manager Brian Cashman said on Tuesday.

Cashman said that he was thrilled for Torre, who was unanimously selected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Monday by the 16-member Expansion Era Committee.

Torre will be inducted into Cooperstown this summer, and though the Yankees have not yet set a date, Cashman expects that there will be a ceremony held in Torre's honor at Yankee Stadium as well.

"We haven't given it out for a reason," Cashman said. "It's been tucked away for quite some time. At some point, that'll happen, no doubt about it. Clearly, it's already unofficially happened."

Torre won four World Series championships and six American League pennants with the Yankees from 1996-2007. After parting on icy terms after his final season, Torre and the organization have mended fences in recent years.

"Obviously deserved. Not unexpected," Cashman said. "I thought he should be a first-ballot [Hall of Famer], and he was. He's right where he belongs. He did amazing work while he was with us."

The most recent addition to Monument Park is Mariano Rivera's No. 42, which was officially retired during Rivera's final homestand as an active player this September. Before that, the Yankees' last retired number was Ron Guidry's No. 49 in August 2003.

In addition to Torre's No. 6, the Yankees have two other notable numbers that have been kept out of circulation. Bernie Williams' No. 51 has not been assigned since the outfielder's last game, while Paul O'Neill's No. 21 was issued to reliever LaTroy Hawkins briefly in 2008 before fan protests forced Hawkins to switch to No. 22.