Minneapolis ? With The Boss applying pressure, Yankees manager Joe Torre is trying to keep the wry smile on his face – believing that his struggling club still is good enough to turn things around.

New York owner George Steinbrenner said Saturday through his spokesman that it was up to Torre and general manager Brian Cashman to solve the team’s problems.

Steinbrenner, who held a conference call with Torre, Cashman and team president Randy Levine on Friday afternoon, thinks the Yankees are letting down the people of New York and hinted changes could be coming unless the club started winning.

“You’ve got to keep your wits about you. You’ve got to try to put a positive spin on it as much as you can,” Torre said Saturday as the Yankees prepared to play Minnesota.

The Yankees ended a six-game losing streak – their longest since dropping seven in a row at the end of the 2000 season – with a 4-3, 10-inning victory Saturday over the Twins.

In 2000, they recovered in time to win the World Series. This season, they’ve got a lot of work to do if they even want to make the playoffs. New York is in fourth place in the AL East.

“I’m not about to jump ship at this point,” Torre said.

Steinbrenner’s spokesman, Howard Rubenstein, confirmed Friday’s conference call between the Yankees’ leading men.

“George offered to do anything they needed to get back on winning ways,” Rubenstein said. “Torre said, ‘You’ve given us everything we need. We don’t need anything more. It’s up to the two of us to win.’

“George was very concerned. He didn’t show anger, but his fighting spirit is there, and he wants to win for New York fans. He feels we’re letting them down, but it’s really in Torre’s and Cashman’s hands right now.”

If these Yankees don’t get things turned around – and fast – drastic changes could be ahead. After getting swept this week by the Kansas City Royals, the Yankees blew a 3-0 lead behind Mike Mussina and lost, 6-3, to the injury-depleted Twins on Friday.

“This has been a tough one to figure out,” Torre said. “We got going pretty well, and all of a sudden it turned completely around.”

Torre has been getting calls from friends, and he’s been assuring them he’s doing fine during this difficult stretch.

“It’s not easy, but we’re going through this together,” Torre said. “You’re not alone.”