Yankees sign Colon as possible fifth starter
General manager Brian Cashman said earlier in the week that the Yankees are one starting pitcher away from contending for the World Series this season.
Presumably, he was not referring to 37-year-old righthander Bartolo Colon, who Wednesday signed a minor- league contract.
The Yankees are scrambling for a starter after failing to sign Cliff Lee and waiting for Andy Pettitte to decide if he wants to return.
"He was throwing well in the winter league pitching for [Yankees coach] Tony Pena's team,'' Cashman said, "so we invited him to camp.''
Colon, who has not pitched in the majors since 2009, was 2-1 with a 1.93 ERA in the Dominican winter league. He is also said to have trimmed down from his weighty frame of past seasons.
Colon will earn $900,000 if he makes the team. "The typical nonroster invitee,'' Cashman said.
Barring any other moves, Colon figures to compete with Ivan Nova and Sergio Mitre for a spot at the back of the rotation.
Colon last pitched in the majors in 2009 for the White Sox, going 3-6 in 12 starts. He has a 13-year record of 153-103. His best season came with the Angels in 2005 when, at 32, Colon went 21-8 and won the Cy Young Award.
"That's way in the past,'' Cashman said of that season. "That's not what we're getting.''
Colon injured his arm pitching against the Yankees in the 2005 postseason, and after that compiled a record of 14-21 with a 5.18 ERA with the Angels, Red Sox and White Sox. In 2002, Colon was traded from the Expos in a deal that sent Lee to the Indians.
More Yankees headlines
