Andy Pettitte returned to New York for a reunion and decided to stay.
After three seasons with his hometown Houston Astros, he came up to the big city for a Nov. 10 gathering of the Yankees' 1996 World Series championship team, a benefit for manager Joe Torre's Safe at Home Foundation.
"Really at that time, there was no chance. In my mind it was Houston or nowhere -- or retiring," Pettitte said. "It was out of my mind returning to New York."
By Dec. 8, Pettitte had changed his mind, turning down a $12 million offer to stay with the Astros to accept a $16 million, one-year contract with the Yankees, a deal that was finalized Thursday.
Pettitte said Torre and the Yankees put on a "absolutely the full-court press on me" to persuade him to rejoin Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and perhaps Bernie Williams.
The 34-year-old left-hander pitched for the Yankees from 1995-03 and went 13-8 for them in postseason play. He was 14-13 with a 4.20 ERA last season and joins a Yankees rotation that is projected to include Chien-Ming Wang, Mike Mussina, Randy Johnson and Kei Igawa -- or perhaps Carl Pavano is trying to come back from injuries that have sidelined him since mid-2005.
Reds trade for Conine
The Reds acquired Jeff Conine from the Philadelphia Phillies for a pair of minor-leaguers yesterday, giving them a right-handed hitter who can share a spot at first base and play the outfield.
Conine, 40, played outfield and first base with Baltimore and Philadelphia last season, hitting .268 with 10 homers and 66 RBI. The Phillies acquired him in an August trade.
In exchange for Conine, the Phillies got infielder Brad Key and outfielder Javon Moran, both of whom played in the low minor leagues. To make room for Conine on their 40-man roster, the Reds designated infielder Brendan Harris for assignment to the minors.
Brewers offer Suppan contract
NL championship series MVP Jeff Suppan has been offered a four-year contract by the Milwaukee Brewers.
"We stepped up and felt it was important to be known," Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said yesterday in a telephone interview, without revealing terms of Milwaukee's proposal.
Suppan was brilliant in helping the St. Louis Cardinals beat the New York Mets before the team went on and swept Detroit in the World Series. He pitched eight shutout innings to win Game 3, then allowed one run over seven innings in Game 7, which the Cardinals won, 3-1, on Yadier Molina's ninth-inning homer.
The offer was first reported yesterday on the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Web site.
Barajas signs with Phils
Rod Barajas signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies yesterday, giving them the backup catcher they needed.
The 31-year-old Barajas could share playing time with rookie Carlos Ruiz, who hit .261 in 27 games last season. Chris Coste, who broke into the majors at age 33 last season, likely will serve as a pinch-hitter and No. 3 catcher, and he can play first and third base.
The Phillies hold a club option for the 2008 season.
A's sign two players
First baseman Erubiel Durazo and left-hander Derek Thompson agreed to minor-league contracts with the Oakland Athletics yesterday, and will be invited to spring training.
Durazo last played in the majors for Oakland in 2005, when he hit .237 with four homers and 16 RBI in 41 games before being sidelined following ligament replacement surgery on his left elbow in July. Durazo's best season was the previous year with the A's when he batted .321 with 22 homers and 88 RBI.
Thompson did not pitch last season as he recovered from reconstructive elbow surgery. He pitched in four games for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2005 before the injury.
