redsoxfan45
01-24-2002, 08:02 PM
Despite influential Mets personnel pushing for David Cone to return to Shea Stadium, the veteran right-hander very well may pitch in New York next year -- with the Yankees, the New York Post reported in Thursday's editions.
In a chance meeting Tuesday at a Tampa, Fla., restaurant Cone co-owns with Yankees executive Billy Connors, Cone bumped into Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. Over lunch, Steinbrenner offered use of the team's minor league facility for Cone to work out. According to the Post, Steinbrenner indicated the Yankees would consider bringing him to camp if he remained unsigned.
Reached by the newspaper at his Tampa home, Cone refused to discuss what was said. But a person familiar with Cone's thinking said the pitcher thought if he wanted to push matters, a deal could be forged with Steinbrenner, according to the Post.
This would not be with Steinbrenner's baseball people's blessing. But that would be nothing new for Steinbrenner, who in a quite similar scenario, over a lunch in Tampa on Dec. 24, convinced David Wells to renege on a handshake deal with Arizona to sign a two-year contract that the Yankees front office did not advocate.
The Brewers, Indians and Rangers have expressed interest. But Cone said if he does not sign with the Mets, Yankees or Boston, he will retire, "though, of course, I reserve the right to change my mind." Because the Red Sox did not offer arbitration, Cone cannot rejoin them until May 1.
As for the New York clubs, the Yankees might have a more clear-cut opening. Roger Clemens, Sterling Hitchcock, Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte and Wells are the starters. It has been widely reported that the Yankees expect to deal Orlando Hernandez.
Mariano Rivera, Steve Karsay, Ramiro Mendoza, Mike Stanton and Ted Lilly (because he is out of options) will hold five of the six bullpen spots. For now, the righty long relief job is a tossup among Adrian Hernandez, Brett Jodie and Brandon Knight.
Cone, a Yankee from 1995-2000, could fill that spot, and be available should a member of the fragile rotation be injured. Cone, 39, prefers starting, but said if he is healthy, he has "such a trust factor with Joe Torre" that he believes the Yankees manager would find a meaningful role for him.
"I still may have a couple of choices," Cone, who said he would not initiate the contact with clubs, said. "I am willing to take a risk and wait to see what can happen with the three teams I want to play for. I may even wait into spring training."
In a chance meeting Tuesday at a Tampa, Fla., restaurant Cone co-owns with Yankees executive Billy Connors, Cone bumped into Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. Over lunch, Steinbrenner offered use of the team's minor league facility for Cone to work out. According to the Post, Steinbrenner indicated the Yankees would consider bringing him to camp if he remained unsigned.
Reached by the newspaper at his Tampa home, Cone refused to discuss what was said. But a person familiar with Cone's thinking said the pitcher thought if he wanted to push matters, a deal could be forged with Steinbrenner, according to the Post.
This would not be with Steinbrenner's baseball people's blessing. But that would be nothing new for Steinbrenner, who in a quite similar scenario, over a lunch in Tampa on Dec. 24, convinced David Wells to renege on a handshake deal with Arizona to sign a two-year contract that the Yankees front office did not advocate.
The Brewers, Indians and Rangers have expressed interest. But Cone said if he does not sign with the Mets, Yankees or Boston, he will retire, "though, of course, I reserve the right to change my mind." Because the Red Sox did not offer arbitration, Cone cannot rejoin them until May 1.
As for the New York clubs, the Yankees might have a more clear-cut opening. Roger Clemens, Sterling Hitchcock, Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte and Wells are the starters. It has been widely reported that the Yankees expect to deal Orlando Hernandez.
Mariano Rivera, Steve Karsay, Ramiro Mendoza, Mike Stanton and Ted Lilly (because he is out of options) will hold five of the six bullpen spots. For now, the righty long relief job is a tossup among Adrian Hernandez, Brett Jodie and Brandon Knight.
Cone, a Yankee from 1995-2000, could fill that spot, and be available should a member of the fragile rotation be injured. Cone, 39, prefers starting, but said if he is healthy, he has "such a trust factor with Joe Torre" that he believes the Yankees manager would find a meaningful role for him.
"I still may have a couple of choices," Cone, who said he would not initiate the contact with clubs, said. "I am willing to take a risk and wait to see what can happen with the three teams I want to play for. I may even wait into spring training."