Williams Turns Down Yankees' Offer, and Waits

TAMPA, FLA. — Bernie Williams rejected the Yankees' offer of a minor league contract and will wait to see if a guaranteed job opens up for him on the team.

The Yankees manager, Joe Torre, spoke with Williams last week and tried to reach him, without success, on Sunday.

"Bernie told me he had talked with Joe. Other than the invite, there wasn't any information that led him to believe he would be a member of the team," Williams's agent, Scott Boras, said yesterday. "He's continuing to work out, will wait to see if their position changes."

Williams signed with the Yankees in 1985 and came up to the major league team in 1991. Torre had hoped the outfielder would be on the field as position players started workouts yesterday and that Williams would compete for a spot on the roster.

"Evidently, what I've said to him hasn't been enough for him," Torre said. "I know he was down when I talked to him."

Williams helped the Yankees win four World Series titles from 1996 to 2000 and is hurt the team hasn't offered him a guaranteed job. Now 38, he lost his starting center field spot to Johnny Damon last year but hit .281 with 12 homers and 61 RBIs in 420 at-bats as a backup, seeing significant time after Hideki Matsui and Gary Sheffield got hurt.

"He certainly feels he can be a helpful contributor in '07," Boras said. "He wants to remain loyal to the Yankees and doesn't feel it's appropriate for him to play for another club."

Williams hasn't returned calls from Yankees players or general manager Brian Cashman.

"You'd have to be stupid not to interpret the answer. He's given us the answer," Cashman said. "If something changes, I guess he'll let us know first." The Yankees' captain, Derek Jeter, and others have said it will be "weird" to go through spring training without Williams.