Outfielder Sanders Released by Yankees : Baseball: New York gives up on two-sport player, who is now with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.

Deion Sanders can concentrate a little more on football now.

Sanders was waived Monday by the New York Yankees for the purpose of giving the outfielder his unconditional release. Sanders left the Yankees on July 30 in order to join the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL.

The American League office on Monday reinstated Sanders from the disqualified list so the Yankees could give him his release.

“It was something that wasn’t working out the way it was. It wasn’t good for him and it wasn’t good for us,” General Manager Gene Michael said.

Sanders signed a $4.4-million, four-year contract with the Falcons last year after they made him the fifth pick in the NFL draft.

Prior to leaving for the Falcons, Sanders and the Yankees were close to signing a multimillion-dollar contract. But the Falcons threatened to sue the Yankees, warning that it could cost Sanders more than $3 million to play baseball full-time.

In a letter to the Yankees, Marion Allen III, the Falcons’ legal adviser, said the team would seek damages and relief against the Yankees and Sanders if the cornerback signed with the baseball team.

When the Yankees broke off talks, Sanders left the team, requested his release and took a two-week vacation. The Falcons fined him $10,000 for missing the mandatory minicamp and $1,500 per day for failing to report to camp.

Sanders was hitting .158 for the Yankees, the lowest average of any major leaguer with at least 125 at-bats at the time.

Any of the other 25 major-league clubs can claim Sanders before waivers expire Thursday afternoon. Barry Axelrod, who represents Sanders in baseball negotiations, said Monday night that if his client is not claimed, his first call would be to the Atlanta Braves.

“There are some teams that are more public relations-oriented than others,” Axelrod said. “The Braves are one that comes to mind immediately. At this point, we haven’t talked to them.”

Braves General Manager Bobby Cox said he has not been approached by anyone in the Sanders camp. He expressed surprise that Sanders had been released.