Mussina signs with Yanks for $88M

Baseball's most successful team is adding the top pitcher on thefree-agent market.

Mike Mussina and the New York Yankees agreed Thursday to an $88.5million, six-year contract.

Mussina, 32 on Dec. 8, joins a staff on the three-time defendingWorld Series champions that includes Roger Clemens, Orlando Hernandezand Andy Pettitte.

"New York was the best fit for me," Mussina said. "It just camedown to who really seemed to want me on their team the most.(Managaer) Joe Torre called me not even a week after the WorldSeries, before he went on vacation. To me, that was a pretty biggesture."

He was impressed with the staff he joins.

"We might go to the playoffs next year and I might not even get achance to pitch," Mussina said. "That's how strong they are."

"This is a great, great day for the New York Yankees," said teampresident Randy Levine.

The Yankees brought Torre to the news conference along with Hallof Famer Yogi Berra. They presented Mussina with uniform No. 35-Berra's first number before he switched to No. 8 that has beenretired in his honor.

With a $14.75 million average annual value, the deal makes Mussinathe second- or third-highest-paid pitcher in baseball, depending onhow Clemens' new contract is evaluated. While Clemens and his agentsconsider his $30.9 million extension a two-year deal that averages$15.45 million, the Yankees say it's a three-year contract thataverages $10.3 million.

SURGERY FOR FLOYD: Florida Marlins outfielder Cliff Floydunderwent surgery on his right wrist this morning, the team said.Floyd, who turns 28 on Tuesday, had tendons repaired and scar tissueremoved by Dr. Brian Figando at Holy Cross Hospital in FortLauderdale, Florida.

The Thornwood High School product will wear a splint for threeweeks before being re- evaluated. The Marlins expect him to be ableto continue his offseason conditioning program after that.

Floyd hit .300 with 22 home runs and 91 runs batted in 122 gameslast season. He missed time with torn knee cartilage.

ROCKIES TALK WITH NEAGLE: For the second time in three days, theColorado Rockies spoke with a high-profile left-hander in hopes ofbolstering their perennially taxed starting rotation. Denny Neagle,who lives about 45 minutes west of Denver, met with Rockies generalmanager Dan O'Dowd. The meeting came two days after O'Dowd flew toHouston to recruit free agent Mike Hampton.

Neagle went 15-9 with a 4.52 ERA for the Cincinnati Reds and NewYork Yankees last season, and his agent, Barry Meister insisted hisclient has no fear of pitching at altitude.