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Mussina, Yanks Thisclose To Deal

November 30, 2000 / 12:50 AM EST / CBS/AP

Mike Mussina and the New York Yankees all but completed a six-year contract Wednesday that will be worth about $87 million.

Mussina's agent, Arn Tellem, traveled to New York late Wednesday from Los Angeles and intended to complete negotiations Thursday, according to a baseball official with knowledge of the negotiations, who spoke on condition he not be identified.

"Things look promising," Tellem said, without commenting on the substance of the talks.

Mussina, the most sought after pitcher on the free-agent market, will wind up getting between $86.5 million and $87.5 million the official said. The sides had not agreed on the breakdown of the annual salaries, which will determine the contract's total.

The sides also had not put the deal in writing yet and had not agreed exactly on the language of a no-trade clause, although it appeared Mussina would probably get a full no-trade, the official said.

Tellem's staff in Los Angeles worked with the Yankees while he was on the plane.

An announcement of the contract could come Thursday afternoon or Friday, the official said.

Yankees owner George Steinbrenner and director of baseball operations Mark Newman monitored the talks by conference call from the Yankees' minor league facility in Tampa, Fla.

Mussina did not return a telephone message left with his wife at his home in Montoursville, Pa. The Yankees declined comment, citing a gag order imposed by Steinbrenner.

Mussina, 32 on Dec. 8, would join a staff on the three-time defending World Series champions that already includes Roger Clemens, Orlando Hernandez and Andy Pettitte.

He is 147-81 in his career after going 11-15 with a 3.79 ERA for the Orioles last season. He led the American League in innings pitched with 237 2-3 and was third in strikeouts with 210, trailing Boston's Pedro Martinez (284) and Cleveland's Bartolo Colon (212).

Mussina also was third in ERA, trailing Martinez (1.74) and Clemens (3.70).