NEW YORK (AP) -- First baseman Doug Mientkiewicz and the New York Yankees have reached a preliminary agreement on a one-year contract worth about $1.5 million.

 

Mientkiewicz, who spent 2005 with the crosstown Mets, must take a physical for the deal to be finalized, a baseball official familiar with the negotiations said Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity because the signing had not yet been announced.

 

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"There's not too many first basemen who could save two, three runs a game," Yankees center fielder Johnny Damon, his former teammate in Boston, said last month. "Defensively, I haven't seen a better defensive player than Doug, so if we pick him up, it would be great."

 

A Gold Glove winner in 2001 with the Minnesota Twins, the 32-year-old Mientkiewicz hit .283 with four homers and 43 RBIs last season for the Kansas City Royals before season-ending back surgery in late August.

 

A left-handed hitter, Mientkiewicz would see time at first along with Jason Giambi, who figures to get increased time at designated hitter this year.

 

In 2004, Mientkiewicz caught the throw from reliever Keith Foulke for the final out of the first World Series title for the Boston Red Sox since 1918. Mientkiewicz at first kept the ball, then loaned it to the Red Sox and eventually gave it to the Hall of Fame.

 

Mientkiewicz's decision to sign with the Yankees first was reported by the New York Post and Daily News.

 

It remains unclear whether the Yankees will have room for Bernie Williams, who saw time in the outfield and DH last year. Damon, Hideki Matsui and Bobby Abreu have the three starting spots in the outfield, and Melky Cabrera is the backup. However, the Yankees have discussed possible trades involving Cabrera.

good pickup. He'll probably have the same role as he did with the Bosox, late-inning defensive player

How does this make sence? Andy Phillips played great defence last year

a defensive specialist at first is kinda pointless

a defensive specialist at first is kinda pointless

not really. worked for the sox in '04..

I dont understand this move at all. Philips was doing the job and could hit...or at least more so than Mientkiewicz

I dont understand this move at all. Philips was doing the job and could hit...or at least more so than Mientkiewicz

Andy Phillips hit .240 to Mientkiewicz's .283 Also, Phillips is something like 0 for his lifetime against left handed pitching.

 

I think the more important thing, here, is that you are giving up a left handed bat when you bring Andy in for Giambi. With Mientkiewicz in there, the Yankees don't lose their leftie-rightie matchups in the lineup.

 

You also have a proven MLB ready 1B in case the Yanks are ready to move Giambi to a more prominent DH role. AND - this opens up an opportunity for Philips to be Arod's backup over in the hotcorner. That has been a major concern of mine. Now, my biggest concern is at 2B and SS if either Cano or Jeter need a break.

 

This is an interesting move. I like it on principal. Let's see if it pans out...