Joe Torre pleased after returning from event with Sandy Koufax

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For Joe Torre it was great being there, great coming back and great knowing the evening had raised more than $700,00 for his Safe at Home charity.

If not completely sure what to expect when Los Angeles Times columnist T.J. Simers hosted Sandy Koufax and Torre for almost 90 minutes Saturday at the Nokia Theatre, by the time Torre was back at the Dodgers spring training facility, he was at complete peace with the evening.

‘It was great,’ Torre said. ‘I was just concerned about Sandy, but Sandy had a good time. He had a real good time.’’

Koufax and left-hander Clayton Kershaw flew back after the show with Torre on a private plane, landing in Phoenix around 1 a.m.

‘Going back on the plane last night it did my heart some good, because those two guys just talked the whole way back,’’ Torre said.

‘Talked about pitching and competing. It was great to sit around and watch and listen to it.’’

Torre and Clayton were back in camp Sunday morning, though rain forced the workout indoors. Torre said Koufax would remain in Phoenix about a week, and at some point be at camp.

Kershaw had joined Torre because Simers wanted to bring him out of the crowd during the show.

‘In the middle of the show they had a picture of Sandy when he appeared in ‘Dennis the Menace’ sort of helping some little kid throw a baseball,’’ Torre said. ‘So T.J. says, ‘Here’s a young man. Why don’t you come up here?’ It’s Clayton. Not everybody knew who he was. ‘What’s your name?’ Everybody had a great reaction.’’

A favorite part of the evening was when the two pitchers put their hands against each other’s and Koufax’s hand engulfed Kershaw’s.

‘The thing about Sandy, he had fingers that much [a couple inches] longer than Clayton’s,’’ Torre said.

Before the program began, there was a VIP dinner for sponsors behind the stage where Billy Crystal entertained the crowd.

‘I think everybody really enjoyed what was going on,’’ Torre said. ‘It was just great.’’

Former Dodgers owner Peter O’Malley and Angels owner Arte Moreno were in attendance Saturday, but current team owner Frank McCourt was not. A Dodgers spokesperson said McCourt was out of town on a previously scheduled trip and unable to change his plans after learning of the event.

-- Steve Dilbeck in Phoenix