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NEW YORK (AP) – Free agent pitcher Freddy Garcia and the New York Yankees have reached agreement on a minor league deal, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Monday night.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal has not officially been announced. The contract could be worth up to $5.1 million, and it also lets Garcia opt out by March 29.

The 35-year-old Garcia went 12-6 with a 4.64 ERA in 28 starts last season for the Chicago White Sox. The righty is a two-time All-Star and has a career record of 133-87 in 12 seasons with Seattle, Philadelphia, Detroit and the White Sox.

Spring training starts for the Yankees in two weeks in Tampa, Fla., and their rotation is still unsettled.

New York hopes to hear shortly whether 38-year-old Andy Pettitte will return for another season. CC Sabathia remains the Yankees’ ace and Phil Hughes and A.J. Burnett are assured spots, with Sergio Mitre and young Ivan Nova as possibilities to start.

Former Cy Young winner Bartolo Colon and the Yankees agreed on a minor league contract last week.

Garcia bounced back from three injury-interrupted season to pitch well for the White Sox last season. The Yankees got a close-up look at him when he threw seven impressive innings to beat them in Chicago on Aug. 27. Garcia also lost at Yankee Stadium in late April.

Garcia enjoyed successful, durable years early in his career with Seattle. He went 17-8 as a rookie in 1999 and was 18-6 with an AL-leading 3.05 ERA and 238 2-3 innings in 2001. He was an All-Star for Seattle in 2001 and 2002.

In seven of his first eight seasons, Garcia made at least 30 starts and pitched at least 200 innings.

Garcia won a total of five games for the Phillies, Tigers and White Sox from 2007-09 before showing flashes of his old self last year.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

NEW YORK (AP)—Free agent pitcher Freddy Garcia(notes) and the New York Yankees have reached agreement on a minor league deal, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Monday night.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal has not officially been announced. The contract could be worth up to $5.1 million, and it also lets Garcia opt out by March 29.

The 35-year-old Garcia went 12-6 with a 4.64 ERA in 28 starts last season for the Chicago White Sox. The righty is a two-time All-Star and has a career record of 133-87 in 12 seasons with Seattle, Philadelphia, Detroit and the White Sox.

Spring training starts for the Yankees in two weeks in Tampa, Fla., and their rotation is still unsettled.

New York hopes to hear shortly whether 38-year-old Andy Pettitte(notes) will return for another season. CC Sabathia(notes) remains the Yankees’ ace and Phil Hughes(notes) and A.J. Burnett(notes) are assured spots, with Sergio Mitre(notes) and young Ivan Nova(notes) as possibilities to start.

Former Cy Young winner Bartolo Colon(notes) and the Yankees agreed on a minor league contract last week.

Garcia bounced back from three injury-interrupted season to pitch well for the White Sox last season. The Yankees got a close-up look at him when he threw seven impressive innings to beat them in Chicago on Aug. 27. Garcia also lost at Yankee Stadium in late April.

Garcia enjoyed successful, durable years early in his career with Seattle. He went 17-8 as a rookie in 1999 and was 18-6 with an AL-leading 3.05 ERA and 238 2-3 innings in 2001. He was an All-Star for Seattle in 2001 and 2002.

In seven of his first eight seasons, Garcia made at least 30 starts and pitched at least 200 innings.

Garcia won a total of five games for the Phillies, Tigers and White Sox from 2007-09 before showing flashes of his old self last year.

The New York Yankees have reached an agreement on a minor league contract with pitcher Freddy Garcia, a baseball source told ESPN.com.

Garcia will receive a $1.5 million base salary, if he makes the big-league club. He can also earn $3.6 million in possible incentives, topping out at 30 starts, according to a source.

Garcia, 35, has a career 133-87 record with a 4.13 ERA in 12 big league seasons. He went 12-6 in 28 starts with the Chicago White Sox last season.

The Yankees will likely begin spring training with a rotation of CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes, A.J. Burnett, Ivan Nova and Sergio Mitre. Garcia, Nova and Mitre will have to fight off challenges from the recently-acquired right-hander Bartolo Colon and several prospects that the Yankees believe are near-big-league ready.

Jerry Crasnick is a senior writer for ESPN.com. Information from ESPNNewYork.com was used in this report.

New York Yankees baseball star Curtis Granderson zips down Ziptrek’s world’s steepest tree-to-tree flying fox adventure on a whirlwind adventure tour of Queenstown.

Aside from his work as a humanitarian, philanthropist and educator, the 29-year-old centre-fielder is a major league baseball ambassador promoting the game in New Zealand courtesy of Baseball NZ.

He visited Queenstown as a guest of Tourism New Zealand.

“We were truly excited to welcome Curtis, as a sports hero with his own non-profit organisation – Grand Kids Foundation – to take part in our flying fox activity that embraces the combined message of social and environmental sustainability through play,” Ziptrek Ecotours general manager Trent Yeo said.

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. — Jorge Posada knows he’s entering spring training as the Yankees’ full-time designated hitter, but he’s still going to bring a catcher’s glove to Tampa.

Posada, speaking for the first time publicly about his new role as the Yankees’ everyday DH, said on Saturday night that he looks forward to his new DH duties. But, make no mistake, Posada expects to catch at some point in 2011.

“You know what, it is what it is,” Posada said of his new role. “I look forward to everything I do. I try to help out the team and if that’s going to help out the team and if that’s what they want then I’m OK with it.

“It’s going to be tough during the season to see tough games … behind the plate,” he added. “Obviously that’s going to happen. But other than that, if we are doing well and the team is doing well it’s going to be a little easier.”

Posada was asked how he felt about the fact that his days are numbered. The 16-year veteran cut off the question.

“I’ll catch, I’ll catch. I’ll catch this year. You know, I’ll DH and then they’re going to want me to catch one of those days,” Posada said during an appearance at the Hillside Food Outreach benefit, hosted by Bernie Williams. “… I’m keeping open minded; I would love to catch. I’m training like I always do. And if I have to catch, I’ll catch.”

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman informed Posada in November that he would be the team’s full-time designated hitter. Russell Martin will enter spring training as the Yankees’ primary catcher. Francisco Cervelli, Jesus Montero and Austin Romine are expected to compete for a reserve role.

Cashman said earlier this week that Posada would only catch in emergency situations. The fiery veteran said on Saturday that he didn’t question Cashman’s decision back in November.

“I can’t complain. I like to catch, I always like to catch,” he said. “I’m used to catching but if they want me to be a DH to help out the team, you have to do that.”

Posada batted only .248 with 18 home runs and 57 RBIs in 120 games during an injury-plagued 2010. He caught 83 games last season, was DH 28 games and played first base once.

Posada hit just .245 in 102 at-bats as a designated hitter but said on Saturday that his mental approach at the plate will be different because he knows he’s the full-time DH. He said switching between DH and catcher in past seasons has been a “struggle.”

The 39-year-old underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee in early November. He said Saturday night that his knee was “100 percent” healthy and indicated that he wouldn’t be limited by any pain in his knee entering spring training.

Posada, a switch-hitter, will work with Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long on Monday, Tuesday and possibly Wednesday in Miami to prepare his stroke for the final year of the four-year, $52 million contract he signed after the 2007 season.

He said that if he stays healthy, he would like to continue playing in 2012.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen this year,” Posada said. “I don’t know; I would like to keep my doors open. … If I feel good and I feel that I can do it and [a] having fun, I would love to keep going. I love playing the game and I just hope that everything stays healthy.”

Ian Begley is a regular contributor to ESPNNewYork.com.

Saturday, 29 January 2011, 1:29 pm Press Release: Ziptrek Ecotours

New York Yankees star zips into Queenstown

On a home-run into Queenstown, New York Yankees centre-fielder Curtis Granderson zipped through the tree-tops above the resort yesterday (Friday 28 January).

The baseball hero harnessed up for Ziptrek Ecotours new Kea 6-line Tour which includes the world’s steepest tree-to-tree flying fox adventure.

Ziptrek Ecotours General Manager Trent Yeo said: “We were truly excited to welcome Curtis, as a sports hero with his own non-profit organization; “Grand Kids Foundation” to take part in our flying fox activity that embraces the combined message of social and environmental sustainability through play. “

Curtis is in New Zealand courtesy of Baseball NZ. He is visiting Queenstown as a guest of Tourism New Zealand.

ENDS