Bernie Williams will not accept a minor-league contract offer from the New York Yankees, according to a report in the New York Times.
Williams, speaking with reporters before a concert in Connecticut, said he would prefer to stay at home, stay in shape, and wait for a guaranteed offer from the team rather than attend spring training and attempt to play himself onto the roster. "I think if they wanted me, they would have signed me already," Williams said, according to the Times. "The option to go to spring training and see what happened — I don't think at this moment it is something I want to consider."
A guaranteed contract will be tough to come by. A burgeoning Yankees roster has left little room for the aging Williams, who has played all 16 of his major league seasons in New York. The 38-year-old hit over .300 for eight straight seasons from 1995-2002, but his production has dropped off since then.
"We love and respect Bernie, but with the dynamic of our roster, there's not a spot," GM Brian Cashman said. "We had a lot of conversations with him. I understand that he doesn't want to accept a minor league deal."
The Yankees already have the outfield filled with Johnny Damon, Bobby Abreu, and Hideki Matsui. Jason Giambi will be the designated hitter, and Melky Cabrera as the only reserve outfielder.
That means no spot for Williams, who hit .281 with 12 homeruns and 61 RBIs in 2006 and helped fill in holes in the Yankees' injury-plagued lineup.
"It is just a part of the game," Williams said. "It is what makes this interesting."
