Williams

NEW YORK -- Outfielder Gerald Williams, who started his major league career with the New York Yankees, returned to the World Series champions Thursday night when he agreed to a contract four days after being released by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

The Yankees will pay him about $102,000 for the rest of this year, with Tampa Bay responsible for the remainder of his $3 million salary.

Williams also agreed to a 2002 contract for $2 million, said his attorney, Seth Levinson.

Levinson said Williams attracted interest from 11 teams after being cut by Tampa Bay. St. Louis, Colorado and Seattle were among the clubs most interested in signing him.

Williams, 34, hit .274 with career highs of 21 homers and 89 RBI last season with the Devil Rays. He was voted the team's most valuable player.

But Williams got off to a slow start this year, batting .207 with four home runs and 17 RBI in 62 games. Two weeks before he was put on waivers, Williams was replaced by Jason Tyner as the starting center fielder.

There had been rampant speculation that the Yankees were looking to make a move, especially one involving an outfielder. There have been rumors linking the three-time World Series champions to Jermaine Dye of Kansas City, along with talk that they would trade left fielder Chuck Knoblauch to Seattle.

However, The Yankees have refused to approve a deal that would have sent Knoblauch to the Mariners for left fielder Al Martin and pitcher Brett Tomko, The Seattle Times reported Thursday.

But ESPN's Peter Gammons reported the Yankees would resume efforts to deal Knoblauch if Williams joined the Yankees.

With the Yankees, Williams can instantly fill the role of a fourth outfielder, along with being a defensive replacement, pinch hitter and pinch runner.

The Yankees are second in the AL East, 1 1/2 games behind Boston. The Devil Rays are last, 21 1/2 games back.

Williams made his major league debut with the Yankees in 1992 and stayed with them until the middle of the 1996 season. He also has played for Milwaukee and Atlanta.

Williams became the Braves' leadoff hitter late in the 1999 season and sparked them to a World Series matchup with the Yankees. The Devil Rays signed Williams as a free agent after that season.

This year, Tampa Bay cut Williams when he was 66 plate appearances shy of guaranteeing him a $4 million option for 2002. Devil Rays general manager Chuck LaMar said the release was "strictly a baseball move."

The Devil Rays must still pay Williams a $250,000 buyout of a $4 million option for 2002 that was never exercised.

Levinson said he intended to ask the players' union to file a grievance on behalf of Williams, claiming the Devil Rays released him for financial reasons.