Baseball Guru
01-06-2006, 09:26 PM
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-yankees-leiter&prov=ap&type=lgns
By RONALD BLUM, AP Baseball Writer
January 6, 2006
NEW YORK (AP) -- Al Leiter agreed Friday to a minor league contract with the New York Yankees, a deal he hopes will be a springboard to a spot on the U.S. team in the inaugural World Baseball Classic.
The 40-year-old pitcher is on the 60-man preliminary American roster and thinks there may be an opening for middle relievers because starting pitchers are likely to be forced out of games by pitch limits.
"I am really intrigued and excited about this whole World Cup thing," he said. "There's a very small possibility that potentially I could make it. I'm going to be a guy that's going to have to wait until the very end."
Final rosters won't be announced until early March, and the Americans open March 7 against Mexico.
"This could be really exciting," Leiter said. "Maybe before I die it ends up being a rival to the soccer World Cup."
With the Yankees, Leiter would get a $1.5 million, one-year contract if he is added to the 40-man roster and could earn an additional $500,000 in performance bonuses.
New York added two left-handed relievers during the offseason, signing free agent Mike Myers and acquiring Ron Villone from the Marlins.
"I think there's a lot of variables and factors," Leiter said. "Obviously, I've got to feel good, feel healthy. I have to feel as though the way I'm throwing the ball is good and effective. I have to know that if I am feeling good and throwing the ball with quality pitches, I have to feel I'm wanted or needed by the organization."
Leiter was cut by the Florida Marlins on July 14 after going 3-7 with a 6.64 ERA. The Yankees, desperate for pitching after a series of injuries, acquired him two days later, and he started and got a key win against the Red Sox at Fenway Park on July 17.
He went 4-5 with a 5.49 ERA in 10 starts and six relief appearances with the Yankees but struggled with his control, walking 38 and striking out 45 in 62 1-3 innings. He said late in the season he wasn't sure whether he wanted to retire or pitch in 2006.
He held left-handed batters to a .221 average (17-for-77) during the regular season with the Yankees, and manager Joe Torre used him as a situational lefty in the playoffs. In Game 4 of the first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Angels, Leiter got the win when he relieved Shawn Chacon in the seventh inning and got Darin Erstad to hit into an inning-ending double play.
Leiter said he told Torre after the playoffs that the manager's confidence "made me feel like a major league pitcher again."
"It was an absolute joy coming back to the organization that I started in," Leiter said. "I hadn't experienced a meaningful relief role since 1993, when I came back from some injuries and was basically setting up for Duane Ward in the postseason."
By RONALD BLUM, AP Baseball Writer
January 6, 2006
NEW YORK (AP) -- Al Leiter agreed Friday to a minor league contract with the New York Yankees, a deal he hopes will be a springboard to a spot on the U.S. team in the inaugural World Baseball Classic.
The 40-year-old pitcher is on the 60-man preliminary American roster and thinks there may be an opening for middle relievers because starting pitchers are likely to be forced out of games by pitch limits.
"I am really intrigued and excited about this whole World Cup thing," he said. "There's a very small possibility that potentially I could make it. I'm going to be a guy that's going to have to wait until the very end."
Final rosters won't be announced until early March, and the Americans open March 7 against Mexico.
"This could be really exciting," Leiter said. "Maybe before I die it ends up being a rival to the soccer World Cup."
With the Yankees, Leiter would get a $1.5 million, one-year contract if he is added to the 40-man roster and could earn an additional $500,000 in performance bonuses.
New York added two left-handed relievers during the offseason, signing free agent Mike Myers and acquiring Ron Villone from the Marlins.
"I think there's a lot of variables and factors," Leiter said. "Obviously, I've got to feel good, feel healthy. I have to feel as though the way I'm throwing the ball is good and effective. I have to know that if I am feeling good and throwing the ball with quality pitches, I have to feel I'm wanted or needed by the organization."
Leiter was cut by the Florida Marlins on July 14 after going 3-7 with a 6.64 ERA. The Yankees, desperate for pitching after a series of injuries, acquired him two days later, and he started and got a key win against the Red Sox at Fenway Park on July 17.
He went 4-5 with a 5.49 ERA in 10 starts and six relief appearances with the Yankees but struggled with his control, walking 38 and striking out 45 in 62 1-3 innings. He said late in the season he wasn't sure whether he wanted to retire or pitch in 2006.
He held left-handed batters to a .221 average (17-for-77) during the regular season with the Yankees, and manager Joe Torre used him as a situational lefty in the playoffs. In Game 4 of the first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Angels, Leiter got the win when he relieved Shawn Chacon in the seventh inning and got Darin Erstad to hit into an inning-ending double play.
Leiter said he told Torre after the playoffs that the manager's confidence "made me feel like a major league pitcher again."
"It was an absolute joy coming back to the organization that I started in," Leiter said. "I hadn't experienced a meaningful relief role since 1993, when I came back from some injuries and was basically setting up for Duane Ward in the postseason."