Gonzalez Sits, Waits for Word

There was no apparent resolution Sunday in the New York Yankees’ attempt to get Juan Gonzalez to waive his no-trade clause and agree to become their left fielder.

Nor was it clear whether the Yankees had asked for and received an extension on a 72-hour negotiating period with representatives of the Detroit Tiger outfielder. That period began Thursday when the Yankees agreed to trade outfielder Ricky Ledee, third base prospect Drew Henson and double-A pitcher Randy Keisler for Gonzalez. It is believed to have ended at noon Sunday, but executives of both clubs refused comment, and a major league official refused to say anything other than that a 72-hour window can be extended at discretion of the commissioner.

The Yankees are one of 10 clubs listed in Gonzalez’s no-trade covenant. He said publicly Thursday that he would not go to New York, but he has refused to repeat that remark. His agent, Jim Bronner, is known to have told the Yankees that Gonzalez would agree to join the Yankees but only if he could retain his free-agent eligibility at the end of the season.

The Yankees, it is believed, are opposed to giving up three players to rent Gonzalez for three months, but the negotiations remained murky Sunday, and Gonzalez did not play in Detroit’s game at Cleveland because of a bruised foot suffered when he fouled a ball off it Saturday night.

There was also no indication that the Yankees were ready to pull out of the Gonzalez negotiations and consummate talks with the Chicago Cubs for Sammy Sosa, whose agent, Adam Katz, said that if the Cubs were having advanced discussions with the Yankees or any other club he would have heard about it.

“I think a lot of this has been overblown in the media,” Katz said.