Yankees’ Williams Stays Put for Seven Years, $87.5 Million

There’s no place like home--especially when you play for the best team in baseball and you’re getting $87.5 million.

Bernie Williams will be back in center field at Yankee Stadium.

Afraid their cleanup hitter would defect to the rival Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees dramatically increased their offer to Williams and agreed Wednesday night to a seven-year contract that keeps the World Series champions together.

“It came down to the fact that I wanted to be a Yankee,” Williams said. “I wanted to remain a Yankee for the rest of my career.”

Williams’ agent, Scott Boras, was pulled out of a meeting at Coors Field in Denver with Jerry McMorris, chairman of the Colorado Rockies, taking a telephone call from Yankee owner George Steinbrenner to finalize the deal.

Hours earlier, it appeared the Yankees were on the verge of losing their Gold Glove center fielder, who had a seven-year offer from Boston thought to be worth at least $77 million.

“They were very aggressive,” Williams said. “Obviously, they showed I was the type of player they wanted to have on their team.”

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The Red Sox, who had considered Albert Belle as a possible replacement for Mo Vaughn, are no longer in the running for the outfielder, a source told the Associated Press on the condition he not be identified.

Belle has until Dec. 2 to decide whether to return to his deal with the Chicago White Sox, which guarantees him $35 million for the next three seasons.

But he also has a history of off-field problems and clubhouse surliness. His likely destination appears to be the Baltimore Orioles, who are said to have offered him a five-year deal worth about $65 million.

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Surrounded by family, Joe DiMaggio quietly marked his 84th birthday in a Florida hospital, still breathing with the aid of a respirator but presented with a good prognosis after lung cancer surgery.

Baseball’s greatest living player had a special reason to celebrate with a small group that included his brother Dom, another former big league outfielder.

Not only had DiMaggio survived at least one brush with death, but one of his doctors had upbeat news.

“The prognosis for his recovery is good,” said Earl Barron, the lead doctor on a team of six physicians who have been treating the Hall of Fame outfielder.

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A former employee of the New York Mets has withdrawn her threat of a sexual harassment lawsuit against the team and General Manager Steve Phillips, apparently for a payment.

The threat of a suit caused Phillips to take an eight-day leave of absence this month. When Phillips returned Nov. 16, a lawyer for the woman, who once worked in the team’s Florida office, threatened to file suit within 24 hours.

Management of the team had maintained that no harassment occurred. The woman left the Mets about a year ago.

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The Minnesota Twins rejected Clark Griffith’s $110-million offer to buy the American League franchise. Team President Jerry Bell told Griffith that the offer didn’t include enough cash. Griffith made an offer about two months ago to buy the team from Carl Pohlad. . . . Armando Reynoso, a 32-year-old right-hander who was 7-3 for the New York Mets last season, signed a two-year, $5-million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks. . . . Backup catcher Eddie Perez of the Atlanta Braves , who hit .336 this season, agreed to a $1.2-million, two-year contract. . . . The Toronto Blue Jays have offered free agent Paul Molitor a one-year contract, the team said.

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Biggest Deals

Baseball contracts worth $40 million or more. Figures were obtained by the Associated Press from player and management sources and include all guaranteed income but not income from potential incentive bonuses. There is no distinction for money deferred without interest:

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Player, Club Years Avg. Salary Mike Piazza, N.Y. (NL) 1999-05 $91,000,000 Bernie Williams, N.Y. (AL) 1999-05 $87,500,000 Mo Vaughn, Angels 1999-04 $80,000,000 Pedro Martinez, Boston 1998-03 $75,000,000 Gary Sheffield, Dodgers 1998-03 $68,500,000 Greg Maddux, Atlanta 1998-02 $57,500,000 Matt Williams, Arizona 1999-03 $45,000,000 Barry Bonds, San Francisco 1993-98 $43,750,000 Sammy Sosa, Chicago (NL) 1998-01 $42,500,000 Ivan Rodriguez, Texas 1998-02 $42,000,000 Brian Jordan, Atlanta 1999-03 $40,000,000

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