Knoblauch

The proposed deal that would have sent Chuck Knoblauch from the Yankees to the Mariners for Brett Tomko and Al Martin is "not going to happen," ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reported Friday.

One baseball official told Stark that the Yankees' reports on Tomko and Martin weren't good enough to merit sending Knoblauch to a team like Seattle, "where he could come back and kill them in the playoffs."

The official said the oft-rumored two-year, $18-million "handshake" extension Knoblauch was believed to have been promised by George Steinbrenner was not a factor in the deal falling through because the Yankees believe no such extension exists.

"All along, I've always stated that there is no deal in place," Knoblauch said. "That's absolutely the case. My agents, myself and the Yankees have all been in agreement that there is no deal in place. I'll be a free agent in 2 1/2 months."

The official also says the Yankees are continuing to explore other trade possibilities involving Knoblauch.

Meanwhile, Knoblauch knows the best way to ensure that he remains with the Yankees.

"I have to try to get back doing what I do, which is get on base," he said Friday. "If I get on base, it would solve a lot of these other things. It's up to me to do it."

Knoblauch first heard about the trade talks during Wednesday's game against Cleveland and talked with general manager Brian Cashman on Thursday's off-day.

Knoblauch said he wasn't surprised by the trade talk, but was "150 percent" sure that he wanted to stay with the Yankees.

"We win here," he said. "I wanted to come here for the opportunity to win, and we got three world championships in three years."

Knoblauch met with manager Joe Torre before Friday's game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The two touched on the trade talk, Torre said, but focused more on Knoblauch's struggles at the plate.

"He seemed very relaxed today," Torre said. "Considering what has gone on the last couple of days, I'm glad to see it."

Since his average peaked at .352 on April 28, Knoblauch has struggled greatly and is a major reason the Yankees' offense has stagnated.

He is 38-for-190 (.200) over the past two months, dropping his average to .255. The catalyst for the Yankees' offense with a .374 on-base percentage his first three years in New York, Knoblauch has a .337 on-base percentage this year -- the lowest of his career.

"I've noticed lately that he has been a lot more frustrated than normal," Torre said. "It's a combination of things. He's not doing what he's capable of."

Knoblauch is in the final year of a contract that pays him $6 million this season.

He reiterated that he would like to remain with the Yankees despite a stormy stay with the team.

There was the boneheaded play that contributed to the Yankees' loss to Cleveland in Game 2 of the 1998 AL championship series, the throwing problems that cost him his second-base job last season and criticism from Steinbrenner.

"It's been a tough time for him," Torre said. "This is not an easy town to play in. The one thing you can't do in this town that you maybe can do in other cities is you can't hide. You need to respond."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.