Sports

NEW BOMBER’S AN OLD HAND IN PINSTRIPES

The Yankees’ fourth outfielder – or possible replacement for left fielder/leadoff hitter Chuck Knoblauch – arrived last night, as Gerald Williams began his second tour of duty in pinstripes.

The Bombers picked up Williams after lowly Tampa Bay dumped the 34-year-old veteran. He’d hit just .207 with four homers and 17 RBIs in 62 games for the Devil Rays this season, but can play all three outfield positions, including giving Bernie Williams a break in center.

The Yanks designated outfielder Darren Bragg for assignment to make room for Williams. He not only provides experience off the bench, but after playing for the Yanks from 1993-96, has an idea what to expect from playing in pinstripes.

“Outstanding. It feels like I’m a part of tradition, and I understand we have a commitment to excellence that I like to be a part of,” Williams said. “We had to have a certain kind of conduct, knowledge of the game, commitment to excellence.”

Williams was just 66 plate appearances short of having an incentive kick in that would have guaranteed him a $4 million deal for next season. But he refused to say if that’s why the Devil Rays cut him. As a matter of fact, he gave few straight answers in an offbeat, Kafkaesque interview session with the media.

When asked if he felt cheated, being traded in August of 1996 before the Yankees went on to win their first of four World Series in a five-year span, Williams said “No, I don’t feel cheated. It gave me an opportunity to do other things. I had a chance to play a little bit more, work on some things I needed to work on.

“When I was released, I was glad I no longer had a team. I felt free. It gave me the opportunity to select what would be best for me. You can’t always get what you want, but sometimes you can get what you need. I had two options after I was released: I can be bitter, or move to something better. I chose to move to something better.”